Abstract:

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Tourism is expected to fully recover pre-pandemic levels in 2024. In fact, initial estimates point to 2% growth when compared to 2019 values. Obviously, this positive outlook spreads to other service sectors that support the tourism industry, such as restaurants, hotels and transport, just to mention a few. However, despite this recovery, tourism and tourism-related services are facing a shortfall in qualified human resources to cope with the industry high demand. Based on this premise, and aware of this challenge, Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education Institutions (THHEI) have been investing heavily on revising their strategic plans and curricula, by incorporating new technologies, procedures and teaching methodologies to contribute to the development of new skills. In this context, it becomes mandatory to collaborate with the industry, to get a comprehensive perspective on which 21st skills are lacking, and how THHEI can contribute to their acquisition.

Therefore, if Higher THHEI want to play a pivotal role in the development of both soft and technical skills and prepare professionals who are better prepared to cope with new challenges, they have to offer new programmes, adopt new teaching methods, and keep tracking the industry’s changes. For this to happen, it is important that they establish collaborative partnerships with the industry, namely restaurants and catering firms, not only to provide students with a practical experience, complementary to academic knowledge, but also to learn more about market needs, and with that privileged information improve their teaching methods, and adapt their academic curricula to market demands.

Having been carried out within the scope of IN_SPIRE (Sharing Best Practices in Tourism Education) project, whose goals include identifying key skills currently required by the industry, the aim of this research paper is to discuss and present the results of a focus group discussion involving stakeholders stemming from the catering and restaurant industries. This focus group was developed with the purpose of not only listening to the voices of restaurant owners and managers, but also getting to know more about their main problems, identifying the skills that are in demand, and encouraging collaborative relationships. Moreover, it aims to contribute to a rationale that will support the development of a toolkit for Tourism Educators, thus supporting future changes in THHE. Inter and Intrapersonal communication skills, as well as emotional intelligence, were pointed out as being the most relevant skills to succeed in the restaurant sector.

Keywords:

Communication, Emotional Intelligence, 21st Century Skills, Restaurants, Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education, Portugal, Toolkit.