DETOUR empowers tourism destinations to develop and embed wellbeing philosophy and capitalise on the tourism and economic benefits which follow such as increased consumer spending, additional employment opportunities and contributions to GDP. It will upskill VET educators and Tourism SME’s about the potential of wellbeing tourism as an emerging European Tourism Megatrend which can increase their competitiveness, inspire new wellbeing tourism products/services and develop even stronger unique value propositions. (VisitBritain, 2014, World Travel and Tourism Council, 2014, Deloitte, 2013).

It is clear that wellbeing tourism is an expanding niche market globally, providing specific business opportunities through products that promote or maintain health. In 2017, tourism centred on health and wellbeing grew by more than 9%, almost 50% faster than overall global tourism. Today, a return to nature, renewed awareness of the environment, the rediscovery of local identity, and the search for both physical and psychological wellbeing have resulted in new wellbeing and slow tourism opportunities for tourism destinations and providers, and importantly for the destinations they are embedded in.

DETOUR emerges in the context of consumer trends changing the tourism landscape. DETOUR recognises that European Tourism SME’s are ideally placed to capitalise on the opportunities that wellbeing and slow tourism pose.

Reports which suggest that OECD countries are seeing a slow-down in the rate of growth in tourism (to the potential detriment of national economic growth and especially of the growth in employment opportunities) evidence the need for innovation and future proofing in the sector, with particular regard to tourism SME’s who need to be at the cutting edge of the development of new products and destinations in order to remain competitive.

To help remedy the situation, Detour aims to provide VET, tourism development stakeholders and tourism SME’s with the knowledge and skills to capitalize on current and future wellbeing and slow tourism opportunities, so as to increase innovation, market diversification and the sustainable growth in regional tourism economies.

We will respond to these needs by pursing the following objectives;

  • Develop a resource pack for VET tourism educators, policy makers, tourism bodies and stakeholders to learn the necessary components and tactics required to create regional wellbeing destinations (IO1)
  • A framework for sustainable collaboration between VET, HE and tourism business (DETOUR Communities of Practice – IO2)
  • Develop the first Wellbeing Opportunities for Regions/Destinations training programme for Tourism SME’s (IO3) and make such training available in two formats – 1) which can be delivered by tourism education providers and 2) direct online training modalities via our DETOUR MOOC (IO4)

The DETOUR project addresses the needs of the following groups:

  • VET and HE ORGANISATIONS
  • TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY STAKEHOLDERS – local governments and tourism and economic development stakeholders
  • TOURISM SMES
  • COMMUNITIES WITH TOURISM POTENTIAL – community groups, marketing organisations, development groups, special interest networks
  • STUDENTS OF TOURISM

We hope the project will impact at a regional level, through innovative IOs, DETOUR empowers tourism destinations to develop and embed wellbeing philosophy and capitalise on the tourism and economic benefits which follow such as increased consumer spending, additional employment opportunities and contributions to GDP.

DETOUR will impact at a national level as the project is responsive to and supports the development of national sectoral skills strategies to future proof European tourism destinations and give them a competitive edge, especially though the production of IO1 Wellbeing Tourism Opportunities for Regions Resource Pack.