Now children’s book series is set to boom tourism

Friday, February 23, 2024

Today, the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the University of Surrey launched the publication of two children’s books: Dee and Flee at the Theme Park by Julia Hubery and Searchlight: The Rock by Ann Bryant. In collaboration with Graffeg Publishing, ETC and the University of Surrey launched this project to encourage youth employment in the tourism industry as a means of acquiring socioemotional skills. This will be achieved through two engaging series of books, aimed at readers aged 5 to 11. 

This initiative was conceived as a response to the tourism industry’s staff shortage crisis, which emerged following the pandemic. Many actors within the travel sector, from multinational airlines to SMEs, are struggling to attract the workforce necessary to operate their businesses at their usual capacity. This was felt all over Europe, and had serious implications for the post-Covid recovery of the industry.

With these children’s books, ETC and the University of Surrey aim to increase the visibility of the many skills that one can learn from a job in tourism. Both books follow characters in tourism roles, emphasising their growth in life skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving as they navigate their adventures. The academic foundation of the project is provided by a research paper on transferable skills acquired by tourism professionals, which is being published in tandem with the books by ETC and the University of Surrey.

Speaking on the publication of the first two books, ETC’s COO, Teodora Marinska, said: ‘ETC is thrilled to launch this project dedicated to supporting the vital engine behind the tourism industry: its workforce. Ensuring a skilled and fulfilled body of European tourism professionals is crucial to the ongoing success of our industry, especially as we face the challenges of the green and digital transitions.

Through this initiative with the University of Surrey, we want to engage young people’s creativity to consider the personal and professional benefits of working in the travel and hospitality sector.’

Brigitte Stangl, Senior Lecturer in Tourism at the University of Surrey’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, said: ‘Working on this project has been an honour, crafting books that reveal the magic of the tourism and hospitality industries to kids. These stories not only showcase the creation of memorable experiences but also the vital life skills gained by working in this sector.

Celebrating the wide range of roles performed by the unsung heroes of this industry, we underscore the pride and joy found in enhancing society’s well-being. Our goal is to inspire the next generation to view tourism and hospitality as avenues for personal and societal growth, one unique experience at a time.’

Staff shortages in tourism driven by reputational challenges

The background research addresses labour shortages in the travel and hospitality industries by investigating the sector’s reputation for employment and how this can be improved. The researchers found that tourism jobs are frequently perceived as offering lower wages, long working hours, and stressful environments. As a result, young individuals display limited enthusiasm for pursuing a career in this sector.

However, the report also analyses the transferable skills that one can learn through working in tourism and hospitality. It reveals that tourism employees learn key skills such as problem-solving, communication, customer service, and multitasking. The acquisition of these skills is driven by traits inherent to the tourism and hospitality industries, including customer facing positions, job rotation, workplace diversity, and close interaction between experienced and junior staff. These skills are highly transferable into other industries, being some of the most widely sought-after competencies for employees.

These findings present a clear opportunity for tourism industry advocates to use the appeal of skills learned in travel and hospitality to improve the sector’s employment image. This could encourage young people to consider working in the industry, thus mitigating the risks of future staff shortage crises. The books should also create a sense of pride in parents working in the tourism sector, which can in turn be passed down to the younger generation.

Laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s skilled tourism workforce

Through this project, ETC and the University of Surrey hope to lay the foundations for inspiring a new generation of young people to consider a career in tourism. As was found in the research study, presenting information about the benefits of working in tourism in a fun and engaging way is key to instilling children with a positive impression of the travel and hospitality sectors.

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