Booking systems, resource management and guest service require training connected to real tasks, with time to practise and support during the working day.
A new reservation system changes operations when the team can use it under the hotel’s actual working conditions. The same applies to an AI tool or a procedure for reducing waste. If knowledge remains in the supplier’s presentation, daily work continues to depend on the few colleagues who know how the system operates.
The European skills agenda
The tourism partnership within the European Pact for Skills aims to upskill or reskill 60% of the workforce annually by 2030. This is a partnership target. It should not be presented as a measured achievement. The cooperation involves businesses, social partners, education providers and local authorities. [1]
ILOSTAT’s September 2025 analysis also highlights communication and collaboration alongside digital skills. Tourism work combines technical competence with judgement and direct contact with guests. [2]
Training around a specific task
Start with tasks that cause delays or mistakes. At reception, that may mean changing a reservation without losing essential information. In food service, it may mean recording production that was not consumed. In guest care, it could involve communicating a schedule change clearly.
A short training session can include a demonstration, practice in a suitable environment and a check that the employee can complete the process. Attendance records establish participation. Observing the task at work helps assess competence.
For an AI tool, a relevant skill is checking a generated message for accurate dates, prices and commitments before sending it. The business must define who approves the result and which information may be used. Employees need to understand those responsibilities as part of the procedure.
Time and support during operations
Training requires scheduled time and an available colleague for guidance. Adding it to the end of an already demanding shift makes participation difficult. Smaller businesses can organise joint programmes while keeping practice connected to their own tasks.
Progress should be recognised through clear criteria for taking on new responsibilities. This gives employees a visible route for development and allows the business to connect training investment with the capabilities it needs.
Sources and further reading
- European Commission · Pact for Skills, tourism ecosystem, target for 2030
- ILOSTAT · Tourism jobs after the pandemic, 26 September 2025
Source review completed on 11 October 2026. Operational proposals are Tourism Strategy editorial analysis.