Argentina has long been a popular tourist destination known for its diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant cities. Despite having so many tourist attractions, Argentina’s tourism sector has faced challenges, including economic fluctuations, political changes, and the impact of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors can affect visitor numbers, industry growth, and economic impact since Tourism plays a significant role in Argentina’s economy, contributing to job creation and foreign exchange earnings.
Current status of inclusion, sustainability, and digitalization of the tourism sector
According to interviews and surveys from referents of the sector conducted within the DualTourism project, there are some conclusions and key points to consider:
- It is important to establish a differentiation between the situation in urbanized cities in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Rosario, Cordoba, Mendoza) and poorly urbanized localities (tourist destinations in the interior of the country with the main component of natural spaces as the main attraction). In this last case, the digital advances in services are slower, as well as the training of HR in conditions to use them.
- There is total awareness in the new generations but its implementation is uneven in the country. A lot of progress has been made but there’s still much to do.
- It is still difficult to separate these issues between the impact they generate on organizations and the cost/investment for the company.
- Sustainability. All the organizations surveyed are interested in working more intensely on subjects related to sustainability. For them, one of the models is The Asociación de Hoteles de Turismo de la República Argentina (AHT) which focuses on sustainability through its program Hoteles más Verdes. This is a hotel industry sustainability program that develops effective tools to manage tourist accommodations in Argentina. The Hoteles más Verdes Ecolabel is the distinctive label that recognizes and certifies Argentine hotels that show sustainable management, are respectful of the environment, and are socially responsible towards the community and the tourist destination where they carry out their activities. More information at https://www.hotelesmasverdes.com.ar/
- Employment: The tourism industry is known to employ younger individuals, making it a popular choice for those seeking their first job. Talent retention is difficult and skilled workers emigrate due to low pay and lack of remote work options.
- Training and education are a challenge. People lack basic tourism skills, including English proficiency and education in sustainability. Short courses could address this issue.
- Challenging Argentinian context. The tourism sector is influenced by the political and socioeconomic context, while the technological infrastructure in various provinces and cities is insufficient.
- Inclusion is our country’s debt. In Argentina, inclusion has made progressive developments and requires investment. The topics that generated the greatest concern were the age gap of +40, greater female leadership in the industry, celiac disease, disabilities, and autism.
Current gaps and fundamental future skills
The trends of emerging needs are related to the challenges of the tourism sector.
Training & Education as a Pillar
According to the report The Tourism Sector in Argentina – Effects of Policies on Employment published in August 2022 by the International Labour Organization technological changes, and the need to incorporate aspects of environmental sustainability indicate the need to review and update offers and training programs.
Staff shortages have impacted the hotel industry over the past few years, and fairer now. Today, there are industry job vacancies in the hotel industry, causing hotels to reduce their capacity or opening times. The solution to this problem will allow you to overcome this challenge to get from engagement to employee fulfilment. It is important to invest in the training work teams, specifically in the training needs like Language skills – English, soft skills such as leadership, self-awareness, communication skills, teamwork, critical thinking, time management, and the use of new technologies.
Digital Customer Experience and the application of new technologies
Regarding the competitiveness of destinations, the lack of internet connectivity is a serious threat to the competitiveness of destinations far from large urban centres.
Digitization allows access to new markets and visitors, facilitating processes such as the promotion and management of the trips. The incorporation of technologies and the use of social networks can also open new fair trade craft markets and regional products developed originally for tourism and to get improvements in customer service.
Sustainability and Inclusion
Given the greater appreciation of consumers for natural issues and a greater awareness of the limits of the planet, this could be a good opportunity to implement separation actions for waste and efficiency in the use of energy and resources, among others.
Sustainability Certifications like AHT Hoteles más Verdes to promote best practices could be a great model to follow.
Argentina can work towards creating a more inclusive tourism sector that welcomes and accommodates visitors from all walks of life. This not only contributes to a positive travel experience for tourists but also promotes sustainable and responsible tourism practices.
The DualTourism project is a collaborative international initiative supported by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, which brings together esteemed institutions from Italy, Greece, Argentina, and Colombia to tackle the multifaceted challenges and transform Tourism for a Sustainable, Digital, & Inclusive Future. Learn more about the DualTourism project here.
