What is a learning Area?

Definition

'A Tourism Learning Area (TLA) is a concept of a multi-stakeholder, inter-sectoral, problem-solving approach aimed at improving SME performance and human potential in the tourism sector at the destination level.

The TLA approach engages a broad range of regionally-based stakeholders, bringing them together in a top-down/bottom-up process to form coherent information and cooperation networks.

When structured as the primary regional tourism sector knowledge network, a TLA can address contemporary tourism sector challenges by developing inter- and intra-organisational collaboration alongside a set of holistic learning opportunities.

These are aimed at continuous improvements in labour competences and organisational management, in order to foster better entrepreneurial quality, innovation, competitiveness and sustainability.'

Benefits of a Tourism Learning Area

It's worth asking what would be achieved in practical terms if the concept were to be implemented and functioning effectively. When applied to the tourism sector, a Learning Area should develop stakeholders who are more capable of:

• Forming partnerships, networks and clusters
• Improving the quality and flow of timely information to regional stakeholders
• Accessing a higher level of learning experiences at the destination/regional level
• Creating quality products and services
• Demonstrating innovative capability
• Increasing performance and outputs to achieve greater competitiveness
• Being more autonomous
• Displaying greater work-place flexibility
• Operating in an entrepreneurial context
• Working with changing technology
• Developing adaptive strategies in the face of globalization and global change
• Understanding how to work in a more sustainable way
• Enjoying an increase in quality of life based on fuller access to information

Diagram reproduced from 'How to Set up Tourism Learning Areas', available from DG Enterprise Tourism Unit 2005: