Apro Formazione hosted the International Meeting on Tourism Training in Alba

Apro Formazione with its hospitality division, Alba Accademia Alberghiera, hosted the annual conference of the Tourism Thematic Team, an institution that brings together 1,500 professional and technical institutes from all over Europe and involves about 600,000 students and 50,000 professionals who have the opportunity to relate to European institutions and network to share best teaching practices for professional training in tourism.

The Tourism Thematic Team (TTT) was founded in 2021 and is coordinated by Apro Formazione (Piedmont, Italy), Landstede Groep (Netherlands) and Sedu (Finland) and now has over 40 members in 10 countries. The team works on research and development of innovations in the tourism sector under the aegis of EfVET, the most important European network of technical and vocational education and training founded in 1991.

The team is working effectively on the thematic fronts of sustainable tourism, digitalisation, mobility of on-the-job training and future scenarios, setting itself the specific objectives of analysing the gaps between skills and market trends in the tourism sector, organising international contests on sustainability and organising thematic masterclasses on innovation to such an extent that it has already been recognised as a 'best performer' among all the EfVET thematic groups.

Alba once again knows how to establish itself internationally as a focal point for debate and discussion on cultural  and tourism issues that affect not only our city, but also the rest of Italy and tourism worldwide," was the comment made by the Tourism Councillor of the Municipality of Alba Emanuele Bolla during the inaugural conference held on Monday, 6 March in the 'Teodoro Bubbio' Council Chamber of the Alba Town Hall.

The inauguration was also attended by Apro Formazione president Paolo Zoccola with vice president and managing director Francesca Sartore and director Antonio Bosio, European Parliament member Gianna Gancia and the director of the association for the heritage of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato wine-growing landscapes, Roberto Cerrato.

Liliana Allena president of the Alba Truffle Fair Board and Mariano Rabino president of the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourist Board were also present in the room.

 At the end of the Annual Conference, the Board of Directors, the Director, all the coordinating STAFF and especially Nicola Alimenti, head of the International area of Apro Formazione, and its hospitality division Alba Accademia Alberghiera, recorded an extremely positive balance of the event.

Let's start with the numbers: there were 27 international organisations involved from 14 different countries (the European participants were joined by 2 US entities, 1 Armenian and 1 Bosnian), with the presence of 12 managers, 8 teachers, 5 students and 35 international coordinators from the European Commission (Ms. Elfa Ķere - EC - DG Grow), Armenia (French-Armenian Vocational Education Centre (Cepfa)), Belgium (EfVET), Bosnia and Herzegovina (IUS International University of Sarajevo), Denmark (Aarhus Tech), Finland (Hyria Education; Keuda; Salpaus; Sedu), France (Chambre de Métier et de l'Artisanat des Pays de la Loire), Greece (Akmi; Orizon Ekpaideftiria Bouga), Italy (Apro; Associazione Effebi; Engim; Scuola Centrale Formazione), Malta (Easy Job Bridge), Montenegro (Danilo Kiš), The Netherlands (Deltion College; Landstede Groep; MBO Amersfoort), Portugal (Escola de Comércio de Lisboa; Insignare), Spain (Cebanc), U. S.A. (Brightwater Center for the Study of Food; Metropolitan Community College).

The working tables alternated between the meeting room of the Ceretto Cellars and the Beppe Fenoglio conference room, discussing the key issues of training professional figures for the tourism sector and the skills needed to respond quickly to market trends and the needs of businesses.

Fundamental to achieving the objective is the strengthening of the network of institutions and institutes, but also the direct and active confrontation with companies to adapt the training offer to the needs of the tourism market. The priorities that have emerged are to promote and implement student exchanges, improve teacher training and develop inclusiveness in tourism education.

During the 3-day Tourism Thematic Team meeting, delegates had the opportunity to get to know and visit our territory and its excellences. With the expert eye of those who work in tourism training, they were guests at the didactic dinner at Alba Accademia Alberghiera, where they were able to appreciate Massimo Camia's Michelin-starred cuisine, while during the breaks in the working days they were able to experience first-hand places, companies and landscapes that are iconic of outdoor tourism, cuisine, food and wine and hospitality.