The In-Tour project started on January 1^st, 2020, and ended September 30^th, 2023, with the clear objective of covering the gap within the educational system regarding knowledge and competences in the field of Inclusive – Accessible Tourism at European level. The overall aim of the project was to equip managers and personnel in tourism sector with the appropriate knowledge, skills, personal and transversal competences in order to provide adequate services for all the customers, especially those with specific access requirements.

Particularly, the In-Tour project managed to fill the existing gap by providing quality training, through:

• Defining occupational profiles (according to ESCO definition) for Inclusive Tourism Manager (ITM) and Inclusive Tourism Frontline Staff (ITFS)
• Specifying the skill gaps by directly connecting the demand with representatives of tourism industries and entrepreneurs and by analyzing the good practices already developed (even within other European Projects)
• Defining the European Curricula in the accessible tourism sector, at EQF level 5, 6 and 7
• Designing a flexible and modular training path for both curricula
• Delivering the curricula in pilot’s courses in different countries (Germany, Greece and Italy)

The Curricula were defined in a flexible modular way, in order to provide a general European reference model which could be implemented in each EU Member State, and they were tested through five local pilots, by incorporating work-based learning.

It is noteworthy, that the In-Tour project produced a wide range of deliverables (54 in total) which are available, free of charge, through the project’s website.

The DAISSy Research Group of the Hellenic Open University (HOU), was the project partner responsible for the implementation of all In-Tour activities in Greece, participated in all project work packages and deliverables, and was the Leading Partner of the WP5-Delivery of Pilot Courses. In addition, it was responsible for the development of the In-Tour e-learning platform regarding the five (5) pilot courses delivered through the project’s pilot Universities, namely the Hellenic Open University-HOU (Greece), the Fachhochschule Dresden University of Applied Sciences—FHD (Germany) and the University of Genova- UNIGE (Italy).

More precisely, the Greek pilot courses for the “Inclusive Tourism Frontline Staff (ITFS)” (EQF-level 5) and the “Inclusive Manager in Tourism (ITM)” (EQF-level 6) were based on a blended (combination of synchronous and asynchronous) distance learning format, with Greek tutors and each one attracted more than forty (40) participants from the tourism sector. They were supported by the “Training & Lifelong Learning Centre-KEDIVIM” of the HOU and their detailed programme was available at Centre’s official website.

The In-Tour activities implemented by the DAISSy-HOU in Greece, were coordinated by Achilles Kameas, Professor at HOU, Director of DAISSy, and were managed by Vicky Maratou, Project Manager at DAISSy (until April 2023) and by Panagiota Polymeropoulou, Senior Researcher at DAISSy. The In-Tour working team of DAISSy included Ioanna Giannoukou (Professor at the University of Patras), Christos Pierrakeas (Professor at the University of Patras & HOU), Marina Giannakakou (Technician at DAISSy) and Foteini Gatomati (Senior Administrative staff at DAISSy).

The In-Tour project was co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 2: Sector Skills Alliance – Design and Delivery of VET) of the European Union  and was implemented by a consortium of fourteen (14) partners from six (6) countries, namely: Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society (AISM Onlus) – Coordinator (Italy) and partners: Science and enterprise together to improve quality of life (SI4LIFE) (Italy), Università degli Studi di Genova (UNIGE) (Italy), Foundation for Research and Innovation (FRI) (Italy), Hellenic Open University – DAISSy Research Group (Greece), Chamber of Ileia (EPI) (Greece), Akademie für Berufliche Bildung gGmbH (AFBB) (Germany), Fachhochschule Dresden – University of Applied Sciences (FHD) (Germany), Funka Nu AB (Funka) (Sweeden), Official chamber of commerce, industry and services of Valladolid (CAMVA) (Spain), Criteria-05 S.L. (Spain), European association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) (Belgium), International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions – Europe, Middle East, Africa (IAAPA EMEA) (Belgium), European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) (Belgium).

For more information regarding the In-Tour project and other activities of the DAISSy-HOU:

• Website : https://daissy.eu/  and  https://in-tour.eu/
• Platform : https://learning.in-tour.eu/
• Facebook : @DAISSyResearchGroup
• LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• X (formerly Twitter):  https://twitter.com/daissy_research   and @InTourProject
• Instagram : @daissy_researchgroup
• Email  : info@daissy.eap.gr

In his opening speech, the President of the Ileia Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Konstantinos Nikoloutsos, welcomed the event as an important step in highlighting the contribution of accessible Tourism to the Tourism growth, its interconnection with the cultural heritage and the role of vocational training as a tool for professional development, but also as a link to employment policies.

The event was greeted, online, by Dr. Achilles Kameas, Professor at Hellenic Open University, Head of the DAISSy Research Group, who presented the research projects and activities of the DAISSy Group.

Then Ms. Vicky Maratou and Ms. Panagiota Polymeropoulou, Researchers with the DAISSy Group, presented the European curricula of IN-TOUR, as well as the new professional profiles for the manager and the frontline staff in accessible Tourism. As they mentioned, next October, the Hellenic Open University, through the Center for Training and Lifelong Learning, will offer the two courses, one for each profile.

The importance of accessible Tourism for Tourism growth was the main speech topic of both Mr. Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director and Mrs. Katerina Papamichael, Accessibility Expert of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), who presented good practices, measurable indicators as well as strategies and concrete steps to highlight the economic and development dimension of accessible Tourism, in order to be incorporated as a valuable tool in the design of relevant measures and policies.

After a short break, the event continued with the presentation of Mr. Konstantinos V. Antonopoulos, MSc Archaeologist, Ephorate of Antiquities of Ileia, who presented the very interesting recent actions and achievements regarding accessibility in the archeological sites and museums of the Region of Ileia.

The event closed with the speech of Ms. Panagiota Stathopoulou, Employment Counsellor, DYPA, who focused on the importance of the integration of training in accessible Tourism, and the employment policies that could actively support companies in the search for qualified and highly skilled personnel.

The event was attended, among others, by representatives of the Members of Parliament for Ileia, members of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Ileia, representatives of DYPA, representatives of hotel and tourist units, VET providers, students, tour operators and others.

The event was streamed online through the official YouTube channel of the Chamber of Ileia and is available here. The event was mentioned in the local press.

For more information visit:

• Web site        : https://daissy.eu/projects/in-tour/
• Facebook      : @DAISSyResearchGroup, @InTourProject
• Linkedin        : https://www.linkedin.com/in/daissyresearchgroup/
• Twitter          : https://twitter.com/daissy_research
• Instagram     : @daissy_researchgroup
• Email             : info@daissy.eap.gr

#AccessibleTourism is a social right that concerns all citizens. Only by supporting the advancement of accessible facilities, products, and services, can tourism be truly open for everyone to enjoy.

The In-Tour project aims to give managers and personnel in the tourism sector the needed knowledge, skills, and competencies to provide adequate services for all customers, especially those with special access requirements.

Today, our partner @IAAPA will present the In-Tour project at the IAAPA Safety Institute for the IAAPA Expo, and assistants will gain insights on inclusive tourism.
#InTourProject #IAAPAExpos #AccessibleTourism

• a tourism professional (e.g. tour operators, travel agents, service providers, hospitality workers);
• an advocate in support of inclusion (e.g. association of people with disabilities);
• an educator in tourism (e.g. teacher, lecturer);
• a decision maker (e.g. local, regional, national, international authority or entity);

The European project INTOUR, in which the DAISSy group of Hellenic Open University participates, created this video on the contribution of the project in the field of “Inclusive & Accessible Tourism”.