The SusTourTraining project aimed to strengthen the competences of tourism employees and promote the adoption of sustainable practices across Mediterranean destinations. Its general objective was to improve awareness, knowledge and practical skills in sustainable tourism, contributing to the transformation of small destinations into more resilient and sustainable territories. Specifically, the project sought to design a comprehensive and tailored curricula for adult education and vocational training centres, addressing identified training gaps in each partner country. Its aim was to equip tourism professionals with concrete tools to implement sustainable solutions and support the sector’s recovery and green transition. The project also pursued institutional strengthening by encouraging policy-makers to integrate sustainability into tourism strategies. Through assessment, development, testing and dissemination phases, the project produced ready-to-use training materials and an online course (MOOC), trained educators and tourism operators, and ensured visibility, transferability and long-term sustainability of results across the different territories (see annexes).
We applied for this project to respond to the urgent need for a more sustainable tourism model, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, specifically SDGs 8, 12 and 14. Tourism is dynamic and resilient, but the sector, largely composed of micro and SMEs, lacks adequate sustainability training, especially for seasonal and low-qualified workers. Building on our experience in the SuSTowns project, we identified a clear mismatch between market demand for responsible destinations and available training opportunities. Sustainability is rarely integrated into adult and vocational education, limiting the sector’s capacity to adapt. The project addressed these needs by integrating sustainable tourism criteria into a curricula, developing market-oriented training, strengthening capacity in Mediterranean destinations, promoting climate-friendly practices, supporting responsible energy use, and improving the practical application of sustainability across the tourism value chain.