Service sector re-orientation: transferring skills from the tourism sector
The Mediterranean region has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, not least because of the heavy reliance of its economy on tourism. In parallel to the recovery of the tourism sector, it might help both recovery and resilience and sustainability to explore how existent skills within the workforce, especially those (previously) employed in the tourism sector (in its widest sense), can be used and transferred towards the service sector at large to diversify and broaden it.
The study commissioned by the COR will focus on the following components:
- Identification of:
- the main transferrable skills present in the tourism sector, in its widest sense, in Morocco and Tunisia – based on academic research and backed by evidence – that can contribute to the recovery of the economy by being transferred towards the service sector and
- strategies (if any) are already in place in LRAs in this regard.
- existing opportunities in the service sector where these skills could be employed, and
- context conditions need to be created for such a transfer.
- Policy recommendations that build on the case studies and are valid for the whole region:
- How can LRAs contribute to such a skills transfer and broadening of the service sector?
- How can they contribute to creating a conducive context for such a transfer?
- What concrete support do they need to develop and implement strategies for a skills transfer and broadening of the service sector (drawing on tourism workforce including entrepreneurs) to ensure economic recovery and resilience?
- funding possibilities available to LRAs from the South Mediterranean partner countries that would allow them to fund projects related to the re-orientation of the workforce away from tourism.
The study will cover 2 ARLEM member countries as specific case studies: Morocco and Tunisia. In addition, studies on skills in the whole region will be identified to allow for recommendations to be broadly applicable. The ARLEM Mediterranean partner countries include: Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Syria (membership currently suspended), Tunisia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Palestine, Monaco, Montenegro and Libya, which participates as observer.
Sponsor: The European Committee of the Regions
