Public Tourism Education and Training in Greece

Abstract

The authors examine the Greek public tourism education and training system and its structure in order to identify whether there is a need for restructuring and development. To this end, they assess the relationship between the knowledge and skills provided and the requirements of the labour market and the needs of tourism enterprises with regard to specialized personnel. First, they outline the current situation in the Greek public tourism education and training system. They then describe a primary research project carried out (a) among graduates of tourism studies from all educational levels and (b) among tourism executives (directors and personnel managers). The data analysis suggests that the present level of tourism education in Greece is considered satisfactory. However, there is a perceived need for more practice-oriented elements in the curriculum and it is suggested that tourism education departments should restructure their curricula with a view to introducing more practical work, more educational visits to firms and industrial placements of longer duration. The tourism education system in general also needs to be better articulated, preferably with just one overseeing authority. Finally, collaboration between educational institutions and tourism-related bodies, both state-owned and private-sector, is to be encouraged as it will bring benefits to curriculum content and the matching of tourism qualifications with current industry needs.