The following paradox occurs in Cyprus: Although we are a popular destination, we do not have the appropriate tourism education and culture.
With binoculars, hoteliers are now looking to hire Cypriots trained in the hotel industry as students' interest has shifted to other fields.
The tourism professions in recent years have not attracted Cypriots as wages have fallen, but working conditions have become more difficult. However, seeing unemployment rise and tourism numbers thriving, many are choosing the hotel industry as a way out. This climate is trying to overthrow the Ministry of Education by strengthening tourism studies, while various bodies in the tourism industry are calling for the strengthening of tourism education.
"We all know very well that in tourism companies the human factor is crucial in shaping tourism services due to the personal nature of the services and the direct contact with customers. A business, no matter how well organized, can not be effective and successful if there is no properly trained group of people ", points out the president of the Directors of the Pancyprian Association of Hotel Managers, Vassos Koilanis.
"Considering that education is a prerequisite for an organized society, we can easily conclude that the first policy we are all called to implement is the policy of quality tourism education," said Mr. Koilanis, adding that "we need a tourism education which will permeate the entire student body, so that tomorrow's citizens will be able to appreciate the tourist potential of a place and make the most of it ". He also noted that we will need to find ways to hire more employees in the hotel and catering sectors.
In general, however, he stressed that the quality of the tourism industry depends not only on the tourism services offered and the human resources working in this sector, but also on the overall tourism consciousness of society and especially those involved in various tourism activities.
Source: Phileleftheros / Dimitra Landou