Sunday, May 21, 2023, 08:02
The tourism sector in the Region employs 14,000 more people than before the pandemic, according to the Active Population Survey (EPA) carried out by Turespaña. This data places the growth of Murcia ahead of communities such as Madrid, the Balearic Islands or the Canary Islands. The figures for the Christmas and Easter campaign have broken records and this has had a direct impact on the increase in employment in the sector. The Open Faculty University Center (former Murcia School of Tourism) and headquarters of the Faculty of Tourism and International Relations of the University of Murcia has had an unprecedented barrage of requests for job offers and internships in this last academic year. The Dean of the Faculty Isabel Sánchez-Mora Molina informs us about the state and growth prospects of the sector.
What impact has the growth of the sector had on students studying the Degree in Tourism?
Our University Center is one of the pioneers at the national level, in the half century that we have been teaching the Degree in Tourism, internships have always been provided in different companies in the sector (such as accommodation, agencies, events, museums, administration…) but this year in addition We have had a more pronounced increase in job offers for both graduates and 4th year students as companies in the sector both in the region and in other communities have had to expand their workforces and have counted on us to help them in the selection.
Is training within the sector and specialization valued?
As in all sectors it depends on the culture of the organization. There are companies and institutions that are clear that training is key and that is why they are looking for young people who have completed the Degree in Tourism to enhance the quality of tourist services and add value to their organizations. We recently echoed CROEM’s demand for the request for greater investment in tourism. Entrepreneurs in the Region who are clear about the sector’s potential opt for profiles with high-level training in Tourism in order to carry out competent management. Even so, there is still a great need to incorporate well-trained professionals into the sector.
Does studying Tourism offer opportunities to young people?
We have more than 5,000 graduate students employed in the sector and in related activities. A few weeks ago, we had a visit to our Center The Open Faculty from students who graduated in the middle of the pandemic and told us that they had been working since practically graduating. Right at the most critical moment that the sector has experienced, they have been able to gain a foothold and find an opportunity. Now that the sector has come out of the recession and is reaching record numbers, they can achieve whatever they want. In addition, there is another significant data and it is the increase in investment in the sector of large corporations and even investment funds. It is another sign of good prospects for the future.
Despite being a key sector, sometimes at the national level there is not very positive news about the impact on the environment. What is your opinion about it ?
It is very striking how some are dedicated to insulting Tourism, justifying that it is the cause of the degradation of the Environment or the lack of regulation in the new forms of accommodation that are emerging… However, there is no talk of how rural tourism, Cultural or urban serves to revitalize areas, improve communications, reactivate depressed areas, preserve heritage…etc.
As in any economic activity, when problems arise, a strategy must be carried out to solve these problems. This requires professionals, specialists in the field who know how to manage the sector efficiently to continue betting on an activity that accounted for 60% of the growth of the Spanish economy in 2022. From the Academic Department of the Faculty of Tourism and International Relations We claim the need to professionalize tourism management and for this it is very important to value these university studies in Tourism.
What characteristics should those young people have who want to be the professionals who promote the sector to make it more competitive in the region?
In general, our students tend to be people with good public relations skills, a vocation for service and an interest in culture and languages. Currently, it is also important to show interest in executive management, innovation, sustainability since the new study plans include subjects such as economics, marketing, sustainability or Big Data…among other subjects.
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