Developing Tourism through Education
Professional training strengthens the tourism industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For the ambitious forty-eight-year-old Sandra Pačić from Bihać – who works as a manager at a gas station and runs a family restaurant – life this year is more dynamic than usual.
On top of her numerous business obligations, she decided to refine her English and learn more about hygiene standards in hospitality. She also adopted new approaches to interacting with guests and customers, which further motivated her to improve the quality of her work.
Sandra is one of a total of 136 people from the Una-Sana Canton who attended professional tourism and hospitality training this year, organized by the Bihać branch of the "Nahla" Education and Research Center. The trainings, which were provided support from the U.S. government through USAID’s Sustainable Tourism Development Project in BiH, offered English language courses for tourism workers as well as courses on maintaining hygiene standards in catering facilities and developing hospitality skills.
The skills and knowledge I acquired will certainly contribute to better job organization in the future, leading to a better relationship with the guests," Sandra said.
Professional training programs across Bosnia and Herzegovina
USAID Tourism is working to turn Bosnia and Herzegovina into a competitive global tourist destination, in part by strengthening the economic environment as well as the quality and diversity of tourism products and experiences. This also means professionalizing the workforce in the tourism sector.
By teaching modern practical skills to people who work or want to work in the tourism and hospitality sector, the project is improving the quality of tourist services and employing new workers in the tourism sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of the training sessions, for example, enabled participants to learn the so-called Ritz-Carlton customer service methods, which this world-famous hotel chain introduced to set high service standards.
"This project gave me a boost and motivation to continue engaging in tourism and to constantly improve my business," said Sandra.
Our courses have helped participants acquire knowledge and skills that will enable them to become recognizable in the dynamic environment of the tourism industry," says Emina Šahinović, the project coordinator at the "Nahla" Center.
Niels and Esther van Slooten, a couple from the Netherlands who have lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the past five years, also attended this year's Nahla courses. As tourism workers introducing the beauties of Bosnia and Herzegovina to tourists from all over the world, they emphasize, "It is very important to understand the guests who come and to satisfy them with services and offers. This training has greatly helped us in that."
In addition to the "Nahla" Center, USAID Tourism supported the Adult Education Institution "New Professions" from Sarajevo and the Kuhinjica Cooking School project by "MJB" d.o.o. Banja Luka to implement similarly designed training programs for vocational training and workforce development focused on cooking, waiting, and receptionist professions. Over 440 people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the training programs.
Tourism: The backbone of Bosnia and Herzegovina's development
Tourism is a growing sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the pillars of its economic development. USAID estimates that 18,500 new jobs could be created in the tourism industry between 2021 and 2027. At the same time, however, there will likely not be enough people working in the tourism industry to fill these jobs, with a possible deficit of 8,100 qualified workers.
A recent USAID assessment found that "bridging the gap between human capital and the necessary skills will likely remain the most urgent issue facing the tourism industry. Despite a widespread understanding of the importance of education and training for the continuous development of the tourism industry, investments in this area are relatively small.
USAID Tourism is working to fill this gap by teaching the tourism workforce modern skills and knowledge to provide high-quality tourist services. Thanks to the activities of the USAID Tourism program, professional training of staff in the tourism and hospitality sector is also increasingly recognized as a priority and ongoing need. For instance, the Center for Culture and Tourism in Cazin, a partner in the "Nahla" Center project, included its own employees in training programs, aiming to improve its capacities and staff competencies. Apart from this institution, another 14 employers from the Una-Sana Canton involved their employees in the courses of the "Nahla" Center.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Una-Sana Canton records an increasing number of tourist visits, and whether this number will continue to grow depends precisely on the quality of the workforce, according to the "Nahla" Center.
"Whether we will succeed in retaining or improving the current position depends on the extent to which we are ready to offer tourists an unforgettable experience that will make them return to us and attract guests who have not previously visited our canton," the "Nahla" Center said.
Through professional training and courses like these, USAID Tourism is committed to helping the tourism industry throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina achieve this goal.
To learn more about the USAID Developing Sustainable Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina project, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/bosnia-and-herzegovina/fact-sheets/fact-sheet-developing-sustainable-tourism-turizam-bosnia-and-herzegovina