Fit for Future - Sell sustainably, advise better

Sustainability in travel is not (yet) integrated into everyday travel sales activities

More sustainable offers on the market are becoming increasingly important, and consumers are also demanding this. There are already sustainable travel formats on the German market, but unfortunately the current demand in stationary sales does not reflect the increased interest among consumers identified in studies.

This is partly due to the fact that corresponding offers are not clearly marked, but above all because travel agents are not familiar with the topic and are therefore unable to provide advice geared towards it.

Although sustainability and environmental protection have been included in the training curriculum for tourism management assistants since 2011 and are addressed by vocational schools in the framework curriculum, these topics are not integrated into everyday sales in the vast majority of tourism companies and are only used in the internal office context of environmental protection (waste separation, LED lighting, etc.).

There already exist some training courses, workshops or training sessions for travel agents, and some vocational schools are also expanding their range of information on their own initiative in order to provide trainees with further training on the topic of "sustainability in tourism" at sales level, but these are held selectively by different providers and generally focus on different topics.

Travel agents would like to receive further training that is recognized by the industry, which is confirmed with a certificate and enables them to acquire skills in advising on sustainable, socially responsible and climate-friendly travel offers. Tour operators and travel sales cooperations also support such further training, which is to be implemented as part of a joint Futouris project.

Two-stage training offer for more sustainable vacations

The aim of the joint project is to develop and implement a comprehensive, two-stage training offer for travel agents that is recognized throughout the industry:

• Stage 1: Basic training

• Stage 2: In-depth, advanced training

Phase 1: Basic training

The aim of the basic training is to give participants a good basic understanding of the topic of "sustainable travel" and to enable them to advise their customers on more sustainable travel options.

Therefore, in the first phase of the project, which is being implemented together with the DRV, the existing but outdated DRV Green Counter training course will be updated as a basic training course and converted into a practical e-learning format based on the DRV Climate Counter training course.

The contents of the Green Counter are updated by the implementation partner The Travelling Mind in cooperation with Futouris members and the DRV Sustainability Committee. In a test phase with selected travel agencies, the basic training will be tested for its practical suitability and adapted if necessary. Participants who successfully complete the basic course (e.g. via a knowledge test) receive a certificate of participation.

Phase 2: Advanced training

In phase 2, a comprehensive advanced training course will be developed in which the participants deal with all aspects of more sustainable tourism in greater depth. They will be able to answer any questions or prejudices customers may have, assess the sustainability of existing offers and, if necessary, develop their own trips taking sustainable criteria into account. The aim is to train travel agents to become qualified consultants for sustainable travel.

Participants who successfully complete the advanced course receive a certificate of participation. The type and scope of the training and the conditions for successful completion are discussed and agreed with the participants as part of the project.

Project activities

The following activities are planned in phase 1

• Development of the concept and coordination of the content of the basic training course (revised Green Counter) with relevant stakeholders.

• Implementation of the technical framework and development of the training course.

• Test phase with selected travel agencies to test practical suitability and any adjustments.

The following activities are planned in phase 2

• Coordination of the framework conditions for the training (e.g. scope, content, type of qualification).

• Review of existing materials and their integration into the training.

• Development and coordination of the curriculum / course content with relevant stakeholders.

• Content (and if necessary technical) structure of the training.

• Test phase with selected travel agencies to check practical suitability and any adjustments.