Building a digital trust ecosystem for innovative learning: the formation of complex educational tourism products in Europe

Learning on country with Bana Yarralji Bubu: educational tourism and Aboriginal development aspirations

The rapid expansion of tourism and hospitality sector demands more subject-oriented expertise. In order to address the situation, many countries of the world started offering different levels of educational programs. In Bangladesh, tourism education and research remain comparatively a new stream of learning opportunity. This paper instigates an exploratory study to report on the general tourism and hospitality education and research in Bangladesh. Using both primary and secondary methods, this research collects data and analyze following the content analysis technique. The findings reveal that the unique nature and interdisciplinary orientations require tourism education to accommodate both theoretical as well as practical learning modules. However, the practical part has been found largely absent in most of the tertiary level institutions. Finally, a number of issues have been identified for future research opportunities that entail the supply and demand side of tourism education and research in Bangladesh. More specifically, the findings highlighted the nature and status associated with tourism and hospitality jobs, scarcity of qualified academicians and institutes, faulty course curriculum, lack of accessibility to quality and updated materials, and failure of government to play its functional roles. This paper will be helpful for policymakers in tourism and hospitality sectors in Bangladesh.

The article considers the tendencies of development of student educational tourism. A brief overview of the historical basis of the emergence of educational tourism is given, student educational tourism is characterized as a socio-economic phenomenon, definition of "educational tourism" is analyzed from the point of view of domestic and foreign scientists. Certain international educational programs and projects are singled out, the characteristic of the typical program of the educational language tour is given. Leading role in the development of educational tourism belongs to specialists in the field of education. Pedagogically correctly organized tourist and educational activities of students contribute to the formation and development of professionally significant competencies of future professionals. Modern innovative processes in science and education are actively developing pedagogical theory and practice. Some educational technologies that have been successfully used before and today are relevant because they are based on the fundamental principles of education and upbringing. Such technologies, of course, include educational tourism, which is now widely used in various educational systems, is evaluated by teachers as a highly effective practice-orientedlearning technology and at the same time as a form of organization of the educational process. Practically-oriented learning technology ensures the unity of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Educational tourism can be considered both in terms ofconsumer activity and the quality of the economic category, which implies the stages of formation, distribution and consumption of tourism educational product. There are many approaches to the interpretation of the concept of educational tourism, reflecting its various components. Education and tourism, which complement each other and are present differently in certain cases of educational tourism, remain key. This area is especially important for students because it provides an opportunity to analyze, hone the acquired knowledge and skills, and apply them in practice, to master new ones necessary for successful development in their professional field. The growing popularity of foreign internships among students of Ukrainian free economic zones can be a factor in the development of educational tourism, if the main goal of students is to study. Comparativedata on the number of participants in international educational programs among students of Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University named after Mykhailo Kotsyubynsky are given. Emphasis is placed on the potential of student educational tourism as a powerful factor in strengthening the practice-oriented component of higher education student learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on tourism education in South Africa, leading to a sudden shift from traditional teaching to digital schooling. While some schools successfully adopted technology-enhanced online learning, socially disadvantaged schools and communities faced challenges in transitioning due to technological limitations, poor internet connectivity, and skills shortages. This research sought to improve tourism education in high schools within the uMgungundlovu and Harry Gwala District Municipalities. The study argues that the tourism curriculum must adapt to the changing needs of the industry by incorporating technological advancements. Resilience-based interventions were explored as a means to help tourism education recover from the pandemic's disruptions. The research utilized Critical and Resilience Theories and employed a pragmatic approach with a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection from tourism educators, subject advisors, and industry partners. Findings revealed that teachers embraced digital technology to enhance teaching and learning but faced challenges such as increased absenteeism, curriculum completion difficulties, knowledge gaps, and reduced morale due to inadequate support. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating tourism education theory and practice and forging strong industry relationships to develop a relevant curriculum that aligns with industry demands. To ensure the survival and adaptability of tourism education, resilient pedagogical strategies are proposed, involving a redesigned curriculum that reflects industry trends. Ultimately, tourism education plays a crucial role in the industry, and its success hinges on the ability of educators to adapt and build resilience in the face of future uncertainties.

Digital transformation has shifted from a technology modernization agenda to a capability agenda—one that depends on how effectively organizations develop, govern, and sustain IT competencies across cloud platforms, cybersecurity, data and AI, and digitally mediated learning and service ecosystems. This integrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed research and authoritative standards (2018-2025) to identify core competency domains and organizational enablers required to transcend incremental, legacy-bound models. <i>Findings converge on five domains—(1) cloud and platform engineering, (2) cybersecurity and digital trust, (3) data, AI and automation (including generative AI governance), (4) experience engineering and service design, and (5) learning ecosystem engineering—supported by cross-cutting mechanisms in architecture, risk management, talent pathways, and change leadership.</i> Building on this synthesis, the paper proposes an actionable competency-based framework and a phased implementation roadmap that organizations can use to assess readiness, prioritize investments, and operationalize continuous upskilling. The central contribution is practical and policy-relevant: it positions IT competency as the enterprise control point that converts technology investments into resilience, inclusion, and measurable operational performance in the information age.

Enhancing learning to diverse cohorts via immersive visualization

Regardless of which perspective is analysed, in or out - going, the educational tourism in the city of Iasi is strongly related to its status as a regional center of educational polarization. Our objective is to analyse and inventorize the evolution of Erasmus international mobilities of “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi between 2013 and 2019. These mobilities, along with school trips, travels for seminars, conferences or symposiums, language schools and educational events shape the educational tourism in the city of Iasi. Our study is based on the statistical provided by the International Relations office of the university. The first step in our research was the investigation of the specialised literature, we continued with the analysis of the statistical data related to this subject and the creation of graphic and cartographic materials. The study area is the city of Iasi. The interpretation of the obtained results highlights a series of transformations, as the increase in the number of Erasmus+ international mobilities. This is a sign that educational tourism has a growing interest from students of this university, being an important element of the tourism development strategy of the city.

The era of globalization has an influence on various areas of life, a lack of belonging to the local culture and environment can result in damage to nature and culture. Educational tourism becomes a unity between tourism and education that can improve the education system, improve the competitiveness of the younger generation and develop human resources for the better. The purpose of this study is to understand how the results of educational tourism for education based on eco-tourism and community based tourism. This research used qualitative to uncover the meaning of research results with case study techniques. The results of exploration of the educational tourism in the Kampung Adat Banceuy can be grouped in the form of community life and rural atmosphere as educational tourism, community based tourism (CBT), and educational and eco-tourism. Educational tourism can provide benefits in addition to tourists as well as for researchers, where recreation can be done while learning directly with the local community. The presence of Kampung Adat Banceuy provides new learning opportunities as well as teaching the value of life, especially to maintain nature and culture.

Sentulfresh Indonesia Educational Tour can not avoid the effects of tight business competition, so it needs to improve the services quality continuously. The purpose of this research was to analyse level of services visitor satisfaction educational tour, and to formulate development strategies to increase the visitor satisfaction. This research was a descriptive study with qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data were obtained by in-depth interviews, whereas quantitative data were acquired using questionnaires of development strategic and level of service to analyzed by Servqual method. The internal and external environments were analyzed, followed by SWOT analysis. The result was used as data to formulate strategies followed by QSP) test to sequence priorities of the chosen strategies as strategy development of educational tour of Sentulfresh Indonesia. The result stated that the quality of service at the educational tour of Sentulfresh Indonesia has not meet the needs and desires of visitor. Based on SWOT analysis shows that the score of IFE was 2.743 and EFE was 2.430. The priority of alternative strategies based on QSPM test was Realizing the development of facilities on remaining land accompanied by repair and improvements to existing facilities (TAS = 6.620).

With the transformation and upgrading of China's tourism industry, coupled with an increasing emphasis on quality education, educational tourism has emerged as a prominent research topic in domestic tourism. Rural educational tourism, as a nascent branch of educational tourism, amalgamate the characteristics of rural tourism and educational tourism to offer tourists opportunities for experiential learning and inquiry-based exploration using rural resources. Despite rapid development in the educational tour industry, there exist regional imbalances and internal disparities that necessitate brand building efforts to foster long-term growth. Hailing Island, an area abundant in unique cultural and ecological resources, exhibits immense potential for developing rural educational tourism; however, it currently faces challenges such as inadequate transportation infrastructure, limited information dissemination channels, and outdated marketing strategies. By applying the "brand gene" theory, this research explores a path towards establishing a strong brand identity for rural educational tourism in Hailing Island through measures including clarifying brand positioning, innovating product development approaches, implementing effective marketing strategies, and fostering community participation management. These initiatives aim to enhance brand awareness while facilitating seamless integration between rural tourism and educational tourism to drive economic development in rural areas and contribute to their revitalization.

The most important feature that distinguishes the tourism sector from many sectors is that it has a labor-intensive structure. Therefore, the knowledge and skills of those working in this sector are important for the competitiveness of businesses. In this direction, tourism education curricula are developed on a practical basis. During the pandemic, the functioning of the tourism industry has come to a complete halt, so education has been moved to digital platforms. In this process, many application-based courses were suspended and these courses were started to be carried out on digital platforms. The aim of this study is to evaluate the views of students who receive tourism education in the pandemic process towards distance learning. The action research technique, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Action research is a method actively used by educators who take the role of researchers to systematically and scientifically obtain information and develop applications in various fields of education. The sample of the study consists of 24 students studying tourism in the 2020-2021 academic years. The research data were collected using a semi-structured interview technique. As a result of the research, while the students expressed positive opinions about distance learning, they stated that they lacked the application aspect, which is a necessity of tourism education. In addition, with the statements put forward, it is concluded that students improve themselves by participating in seminars and trainings with distance learning methods in many different countries in the pandemic process. Among the problems experienced, students stated that there is a lack of infrastructure.

The aim of the current paper is to provide an extensive review of the theoretical and empirical literature that justifies the need for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of tourism in the Kenyan institutions of higher learning. Further, a review of existing constraints is also explained using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which has proved to be a suitable theoretical model in helping to explain and predict user behaviour of information technology and subsequently proposes the way forward towards enhanced integration. This study examines literature review that reveals the different points of view in relation to the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in tourism higher education institutions in Kenya. Specifically this paper sought to establish the various ICT resources applicable in tourism education, determine the benefits of integrating ICT in tourism education and lastly establish the external factors and user based factors that influence or constrain acceptance of ICT in tourism education in higher institutions and recommend the way forward.
 The findings from the literature reviewed indicates that, the use of ICTs transforms the teaching and learning experience by changing the manner in which the tourism and hospitality skills and knowledge is acquired. However, the need for more appropriate modes of delivery to make the tourism education programmes more convenient for the modern student is quite crucial. Findings further showed that students are willing to adapt and use ICTs for learning but there are numerous barriers that are either user or institutional based. It was established that institutions are slow to implement their use while lecturers are slow to adapt to their use. Other barriers to the integration of instructional technology into higher education that were identified included poor technology infrastructure, lack of proper institutional policies on ICT use and minimal low computer use competency. Further, many higher online educational institutions had failed due to the high cost of technology, poor decisions, competition, and the absence of a business strategy. Consequently, many universities that provide e-learning face enormous difficulty in achieving successful strategies, including the delivery, effectiveness, and acceptance of the courses. To effectively utilise ICT in tourism teaching and learning in Higher Education Institutions (IHEIs) will require proper network infrastructures, increased computer to student ratios, good Internet connectivity speeds with high availability as well as technical support for the users. There is also a need for a change in the tourism curriculum to integrate the use of ICTs in teaching and learning while at the same time, enhance policies that recognise and award those who use of ICTs for teaching.

Tourism higher education in Bangladesh has undergone a swift growth without an equal adjustment to industry expertise needs, leading to ongoing issues with graduate employability. This paper examines the level of skills gap between the skills provided by tertiary level institutions that provide tourism education and the skills required in the tourism and hospitality industry in Bangladesh, and especially in the hotel industry. A mixed-method research design was adopted, and qualitative data were obtained by conducting in-depth interviews with 17 tourism educators and industry professionals, which were analysed via content analysis to determine the key dimensions of skills. The structured surveys were conducted to gain quantitative data that included 41 professionals in the hotel industry and 45 final-year and postgraduate tourism students in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Rajshahi. Independent sample t-tests were used to test the differences between the provision of institutional skills and industry expectations in both soft and hard skills. The results show that there are statistically significant disparities in most of the skill categories, such as communication, leadership, behavioural, information technology, front desk operations, housekeeping, food and beverage production and service, and sales and marketing skills. Although relative strength can be observed in terms of the theoretical knowledge and the transferable skills chosen by tourism education institutions, the respondents in the industry emphasize more on the practical competencies, multilingual communications, digital literacy, operational abilities, and workplace flexibility. The research highlights the necessity of curriculum change, improvement of industry-academia partnership, longer internships, and practice-based learning methods. The results have strong policy implications for policymakers, curriculum developers, and administrators of tourism education in Bangladesh in the context of optimizing graduate employability and enhancing sustainable workforce development within the Bangladesh tourism industry.

This study aims to analyze the educational conditions of the chocolate village and analyze the impact of the existence of chocolate village educational tourism on changes in the economy of the people of Plosorejo Village, Blitar Regency. This study uses qualitative data types and qualitative data with samples of educational tourism in Kampung kuning and the surrounding community who work around educational tourism in Kampung kuning. Data analysis from observations, interviews and documentation was carried out by transcribing the interview data from the manager of the Kampung Chocolate Educational Tourism and the surrounding community, then coding on the themes according to the research title. To test the validity of the data in this study, the technique used is using triangulation techniques. The conclusion in this study is that this Kampung Chocolate Educational tour, is very influential on the community, especially in encouraging the economy of the Plosorejo Village community, can provide job opportunities and job opportunities for the community. In the beginning, people who did not have jobs, worked odd jobs, farmers, and former thugs could work as employees at the Chocolate Village Educational Tour and could open up business opportunities. With job opportunities, the wheels of motion would also decrease.

The purpose of the study is to identify the prerequisites for ensuring the quality of tourism education and encouraging lifelong learning opportunities necessary in the knowledge economy. The article discusses the possibilities of using digital technologies for student learning and human resource development. One of the ways to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities is to expand learning opportunities through technology that ensures decision support in learning and education management. It is necessary to change the traditional approach to education that provides “hard skills” and prepares for one job in life. Therefore, we must anticipate any future changes in the workplace in a travel company when transferring knowledge to students, developing their skills and abilities. An important aspect of preparing for the interaction of humanі and software-hardware actors is the creation and mastery of certain models of reality through tourism education, which forms the necessary skills and abilities. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to introduce disciplines in the subject area of digital technologies into the curricula of tourism specialties. Considering distance learning in education, technologies of human resource development and digital technologies in education, it can be noted that the greatest advantage of digital technologies is the ability to use an individual approach to students, which allows to consider their psychological characteristics, which significantly improves the quality of mastering the educational material and increases the overall learning efficiency. To prepare for changes in the tourism business environment and the technological level of production, we propose updating educational programs in tourism with a focus on digital technologies. AI technologies have great potential to improve tourism education, but their implementation requires a balanced approach. It is important to strike a balance between technological support and the development of students' personal skills in order to train professionals who can adapt to the challenges of the modern tourism industry. The use of large language models in tourism education has significant potential to improve the learning process, but requires a cautious and responsible approach.