LENT – Languages for European Niche Tourism Erasmus Project

Project Title

LENT – Languages for European Niche Tourism

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

If I am selling to you, then I speak your language, aber wenn du mir etwas verkaufst, dann musst du Deutsch sprechen.’ (Willy Brandt)

In the EU, selling to visitors who speak many diverse languages is vital, but challenging. Growing tourism in the EU is a key objective, it is the third largest sector, employing 17 million people. The European Commission communication ‘Europe, the world’s No. 1 tourist destination — a new political framework for tourism in Europe’ (COM(2010) 352) was adopted in 2010. It demands a coordinated approach for initiatives linked to tourism and defined a new framework for action to increase the competitiveness of tourism and its capacity for sustainable growth. Missed business opportunities due to insufficient language skills or lack of them are magnified by the huge scale and growth of the tourism sector. This is particularly a problem for niche sector tourism companies. This project is innovative compared to standard language training for actors in the tourism branch, as has aimed to map key language needs for four niche subsectors. This mapping was then used to support the building of a web and mobile based language application for the use of early stage language learning with particular emphasis on communication skills. This approach of being driven by the practical needs of the tourism sector by identifying common threads put into the app is not only unique in that it covers multiple niches in the tourism industry but it allows the chosen ‘core’ vocabulary to be used in the context of other tourism subsectors (O1,O2)

The key results are:

1. a mobile (android and IOs) and web app for app based language learning application has been developed through a unique collaboration which enables instantaneous and fully flexible tinslations between all 14 selected languages for both the core (everyday) and sector specific (specialist/niche) words and phrases. (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.lent_train.translate&hl=de) (https://translate.lent-train.eu/). An IOs app was created as well, but is not yet validated by the AppleStore, the IOs app is uploaded to the Erasmus+ Dissemination platform. With manuals for users in the 7 project languages plus French. (o3)

2. The project create a curriculum and eBook(O3) on how to integrate app based learning into the professional development within the tourism sector. The curriculum was tested in a joint staff training and included with pedagogic recommendation on how to facilitate the training in the handbook, which was published with an ISBN. (http://d-nb.info/1219469920 – Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek)

3. The project has developed a partnership between the language experts, 4 niche tourism sector providers and the ICT provider to enable the most user-friendly and flexible tool to be tailored to suit the needs of all users. The tool allows for two-way translations and the learning of key words and phrases. At least 3 200 individuals have tested and validated the app, with learners drawn from the 4 target niche sector groups.

The project supports 14 languages chosen on three criteria:
– The Erasmus Plus Programme states most visited by non-residents for tourism are in order of visitor numbers: Spain, Italy, France, UK, Austria, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, and Turkey.
– The main non-EU countries of origin for tourist visitors to the EU are the USA, Russia, China, Japan and Brazil (44% of non-EU tourists visiting the EU in total according to Eurostat 9/2015).
– Significant growth in tourism is also stimulated by visitors from India and Arab-speaking countries; e.g. Indian tourism to the EU grew 40% between 2009 and 2012, and the country has a large and fast growing middle class.

The 4 niche sectors targeted are: 1) historical tourism, which includes archaeology, architecture, commemoration and remembrance, folklore, museums and galleries, as well as tradition and religion. The ‘Grand Tour of Europe’ is the most recognisable early example of cultural tourism. 2) Rural and outdoor tourism, e.g. cycling, farm holidays, fishing and hunting, skiing and watersports. 3) Event tourism, which includes festivals, music and sport events. 4) Culinary tourism, which covers beer and spirits, wine and fine dining.
In consultation with tourist services providers 1000 words and phrases have been developed on the following basis: 400 of them are everyday or core words, the basic building blocks for speaking a language. (We have included a good proportion of everyday words and phrases that a tourist is likely to want to use or understand.) In addition there are 600 specialist words and phrases in the field of the 4 niche tourism areas described above. The vision of the project is to increase the use of foreign language in the tourism sector, giving even small businesses the chance to grow and benefit from guests coming from outside the EU.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 333732 Eur

Project Coordinator

COMPARATIVE RESEARCH NETWORK EV & Country: DE

Project Partners

• IZMIR KATIP CELEBI UNIVERSITESI
• Alos Centro Europeo de Idiomas, S.L
• RLN (UK) Ltd
• EPRALIMA – ESCOLA PROFISSIONAL DOALTO LIMA – COOPERATIVA DE INTERESSE PUBLICO E RESPONSABILIDADE LIMITADA
• MINE VAGANTI NGO
• Europe for Diversity Culture and Coexistence