UN Tourism Puts Spotlight on Education and Innovation at Bled Strategic Forum

Europe
5 Sep 2024

UN Tourism brought its expertise to the Bled Strategic Forum, highlighting the essential role of investments and innovation as drivers of a better future, while also engaging in an official visit to the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport to strengthen collaboration.

The Forum serves is recognized as the top international conference in Central and South-Eastern Europe, offering a platform to explore ideas on modern society and its future. Joining leading public and private sector policymakers and thinkers at the event, UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona made clear how the sector can continue to adapt and so drive inclusive and sustainable development, both across the region and globally.

Education and investments to drive change

As part of a special panel discussion on the power of data in tourism transformation, Ms Bayona highlighted the importance of rethinking education and training as a key step towards transforming the sector. "By equipping the workforce with digital skills, we can address challenges such as seasonality and overcrowding, while fostering smart, sustainable destinations," she said.

At the same time, UN Tourism also made clear the need for more and better-targeted investments into the sector, noting that this is already driving positive transformation and supporting the shift towards greater sustainability. Over the past five years alone, $48 billion in venture capital has been invested in tourism technology. "Together, innovation and education have the power to transform the industry," Ms Bayona concluded.

Strengthened collaboration with Slovenia

Within the framework of the Bled Strategic Forum UN Tourism commended Slovenia for its work promoting sustainable tourism as well as its remarkable record of attracting investments into the sector. The possibilities for further collaborations informed UN Tourism's meeting with the country's Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport Matjaž Han, most notably shared plans to boost private investments.

During the visit to the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport ,the UN Tourism delegation also advanced ideas for closer collaboration in the field of tourism education. A meeting with the Dean and other key academic staff of the School of Economics and Business of the University of Ljubljana explored the possibility of shared initiatives through the UN Tourism Online Academy, as well as the chance to offer Slovenian students international experience, whether through research placements and internships or online courses.