Tourism, innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship are the pillars of TourXperience (nr. 101193962), a project co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme in the framework of the Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs). Officially launched on 1 February 2025 and coordinated by CEIPES ETS, the project involves 21 partners from 9 countries and aims to modernise VET in tourism by integrating XR technologies and fostering entrepreneurial and green skills among both educators and learners.
The main goal of TourXperience is to improve and innovate vocational education and training (VET) in tourism, a key sector for the European economy and labour market. The project is focused on developing cutting-edge curricula that integrate sustainability and entrepreneurship, while also leveraging Extended Reality (XR) to enhance digital teaching methods and student engagement.
Through these initiatives, TourXperience supports educators in strengthening their digital and pedagogical skills and helps students acquire technical and transversal competencies that are crucial for employability in the tourism industry.
The project officially kicked off with a meeting held on 12 and 13 March 2025 in Palermo, hosted by the coordinating organisation CEIPES ETS. The Kick Off Meeting marked a crucial milestone for the consortium and was enriched by the participation of key institutional stakeholders, underscoring the project’s strategic importance at regional and European levels.
Speakers at the opening ceremony included:
- Alessandro Anello – Councillor for Tourism and Sport
- Giuliano Forzinetti – Councillor for Productive Activities
- Isabella Cacciatore – Head of the Metropolitan Mayor’s Technical Secretariat
- Antonino Bianco – Director of the SPPF Department, University of Palermo
- Anna Rosa Prizzi – Regional School Office for Sicily, Palermo area
- Fabrizio Ferrandelli – Councillor for Digital Innovation and SISPI Relations
The event laid the groundwork for a long-term synergy between institutions and the consortium – composed of VET providers, universities, public bodies, and civil society organisations – to foster high-quality, inclusive, and forward-looking vocational education tailored to the evolving needs of the tourism sector.
The institutional presence and support at the launch highlighted the strong alignment between local priorities and European VET innovation strategies, as well as the project’s potential for tangible regional impact. As the consortium now moves into the first phases of implementation – including training needs analysis and curriculum design – TourXperience sets out to become a model of excellence for tourism education in Europe.
Stay tuned for the next steps and upcoming activities!
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ᝰ🖋️ Author of the article: Francesca Chiarenza and Giulia Mogavero, Communication Department (CEIPES ETS)
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