Supporting green transition in the Finnish tourism sector by identifying green skills

Abstract

Green skills are a prerequisite for a sustainable and resource-efficient tourism sector and an essential element in tourism employment. To support the sector’s green transition, it is critical to bridge existing green skills gaps. Therefore, this qualitative research identifies the relevant and up-to-date green skills necessary when working in the tourism sector for the sector to become committed to a more sustainable world. The main data consisted of both secondary and primary (individual interviews, n=11 and a group interview) data sources. Five themes describing the green skills emerged from the data: (1) environmental management, (2) resource-efficiency, (3) carbon management, (4) green product and service development, and (5) sustainability communication. The findings have important practical implications for tourism education and training providers and tourism employers.