We develop

The tourism and hospitality sector composes a complex ecosystem that includes different kinds and sizes of businesses, economic activities and skills needs. The significant impact of COVID-19 in the sector and the urgent need to address the digital and green transition continues to challenge the sector and demands new solutions.

The tourism, hospitality and restaurant sectors are suffering from a shortage of labor, and the attractiveness of the sectors has clearly weakened in the eyes of job seekers. While some entrepreneurs have hit records in the number of customers, others are persevering and looking for ways to get back on their feet after the pandemic. As consumption potentially recovers, the sectors have faced major challenges in finding skillful workers.

One of the missions of universities of applied sciences is to produce important research knowledge. The Center for Tourism Business Development is an excellent example of this, producing new knowledge and new solutions for tourism. Tourism operators are the primary beneficiaries of this knowledge, but very often also students. Best of all, students also have the opportunity to be involved in producing this knowledge.

International EU-funded projects are important for SAMK’s Center for Tourism Business Development, as they help to ensure the coherent development of tourism in the region in relation to other European regions. At the same time, best practices from other parts of Europe can be brought to Satakunta and current challenges of the sector can be solved together.

At SAMK, we started to go through education focused in skills development in coastal and maritime tourism only to see the absence despite of the importance of the sector.

A business utilizing business intelligence practices has a major advantage when compared to other businesses

The Center for Tourism Development is accelerating the transition of the tourism industry towards Circular Economy in Satakunta region.