UN Tourism Education
Zurab Pololikashvili at Saint Petersburg's 23 General Assembly
Welcome to Education at UN Tourism
UN Tourism is committed to fostering talent and promoting excellence in tourism education.
Our Mission:
Empowering tourism professionals and the future tourism workforce through high-quality education, training, and capacity-building programs.
1. Global Key Actors in UN Tourism Education
UN Tourism plays a crucial role in advancing tourism education worldwide. The Department of Innovation, Education, and Investment (IEI) leads efforts by identifying and responding to the needs of Member States, ensuring that education programs align with industry trends and national priorities. The UN Tourism Academy implements these initiatives by delivering high-quality training, courses, and executive education, reinforcing the global tourism workforce with cutting-edge knowledge and skills.
UN Tourism is therefore instrumental in training and capacity building to government officials across various ministries. Understanding the impact of tourism on economies, societies, cultures, and the environment is essential for both decision-making and operational levels, and our programs help shape policies that leverage tourism as a driver for sustainable development, economic resilience, and cross-sectoral cooperation.
2. About Education at UN Tourism Education. The 360 Approach to Tourism Education
UN Tourism follows a 360-degree approach to tourism education, ensuring that learning opportunities are accessible at all levels. This comprehensive strategy encompasses secondary education, higher education, executive education, online learning, and International Academies. Our commitment is to provide a seamless learning journey for all stakeholders involved in tourism development.
 |  |  |
Economic GrowthThe tourism sector contributes $ 1.7 trillion worldwide, yet a significant portion of its workforce lacks formal education. | Employment Opportunities882,000 tourism jobs annually will require vocational training by 2030 (ILO). | Youth Employment16% of the world's population are young people. However, more than 1 in 5 of them were not in education, employment or training in 2024. |
3. Implementing the 360-approach for a sustainable and innovative tourism workforce
Join our network of experts and contribute to the development of tourism education worldwide. We seek professionals with experience in sustainable tourism, innovation, and sector management to collaborate in content creation, course delivery, and educational initiatives. If you are passionate about sharing your knowledge and making a positive impact on the training of future tourism leaders, we invite you to apply.
We believe in equitable access to education and support future tourism professionals through scholarship opportunities. Through various programs and partnerships, we provide financial aid to talented and committed students in the field. Explore our available scholarships and take the next step in your academic journey.
UN Tourism Students’ League
The high need for specialized human capital to meet the requirements of national tourism agencies and private companies is one of the main challenges that Tourism Destinations are facing nowadays.
An innovative 360º competition for Students that Fosters talent development, Bridges the gap between studies and the realities of the sector and produces solutions for the Challenges of the Sector aligned with the SDGs
