English for tourism -

Language

Project sections

Partnership

TEST (RO)

Course development and resource bank coordination (WP3) with partners.

London Institute (PT)

Job shadowing and pedagogical support (WP4).

Blackbird (RS)

Needs analysis and task list for the course (WP2).

Bee Rural.Hub (ES)

Dissemination, communication and exploitation (web, social media, events) (WP5).

Key highlights

Participation & completion

50–60 participants; ≥80% completion rate; average improvement of 30–50% in testing.

Job shadowing

20 job-shadowing positions; ≥85% report increased international confidence.

Resources & modules

≥20 practical tools and ≥6 core modules.

Multilingual impact

Multilingual project website, active social media, and multiplier events with key stakeholders.

Objectives

Improving English language proficiency among rural tourism SME managers through the development and delivery of a task-based online English course (A1–B2) tailored to real international communication needs in tourism.
Enhancing practical business and communication skills by providing job-shadowing experiences in European tourism businesses, enabling SME managers to gain hands-on exposure to international practices.
Supporting business internationalisation through a resource bank of 40–50 multilingual, ready-to-use tools, including customer service scripts, business email templates, scenario-based dialogues, case studies, and awareness-raising materials.
Promoting inclusion, accessibility, and participation by engaging 80–120 learners, including women entrepreneurs, family-run businesses, and SMEs from disadvantaged or remote rural areas.
Ensuring long-term sustainability and impact through strong dissemination actions such as a multilingual project website, active social media channels, and multiplier events involving tourism associations, policymakers, VET providers, and rural business networks.

English Course

Access the Moodle platform and start the task-based learning pathway.

↗ Moodle Platform ↓ Modules PDF ↗ Need Analysis

Needs Analysis — WP2

Field research across Serbia, Spain, Romania and Portugal that defines what the course must teach. Led by Blackbird Language School and carried out collaboratively by the whole partnership: every partner ran the surveys, interviews and focus groups in its own country and contributed to the analysis.

0140sources reviewed
desk research

0297survey
respondents

0319expert
interviews

0449focus group
participants

169 contributors in total, against a planned 80–120 — close to double the intended scope. Every quantitative indicator set for WP2 was met.

Four phases

Desk research → survey → expert interviews → focus groups. Each phase refined the previous one, moving from broad patterns to a validated task list.

Four countries

Serbia, Spain, Romania and Portugal. Findings were consistent across all of them, which makes the framework applicable beyond the partner countries.

The critical training area: high importance, high difficulty Complaints, misunderstandings, complex services and unexpected situations are rated as essential — and are exactly where SMEs struggle most.

Routine tasks such as welcoming guests, giving basic information and check-in are already handled well. The gap opens in situations that demand flexibility, precision and a spontaneous response.

Where poor English costs money

ComplaintsDissatisfied guest, resolved in real time under pressureReputation

FinancialPrices, payments, cancellation and booking conditionsTrust

SafetyInstructions before and during outdoor activitiesLiability

ReviewsOnline feedback and reputation managementVisibility

SMEs use English reactively, to respond to guests, rather than proactively, to open markets. Low confidence leads businesses to avoid international marketing, foreign partnerships and replies to negative reviews altogether — a direct constraint on growth.

Seven competency areas

Operational communication — routine service-related interaction.
Customer interaction — real-time engagement and managing expectations.
Problem-solving — complaints, misunderstandings, unexpected situations.
Experience & storytelling — culture, heritage, local products.
Safety communication — instructions, rules, emergencies.
Digital communication — emails, platforms, reviews, social media.
Business & networking — partners, agencies, basic negotiation.

Eight task domains → eight course modules

Module 1

Guest reception and orientation.

Module 2

Reservations and pre-arrival communication.

Module 3

Service delivery and customer interaction.

Module 4

Problem-solving and complaint handling.

Module 5

Experience delivery and storytelling.

Module 6

Safety and emergency communication.

Module 7

Digital communication and reputation.

Module 8

Networking and business development.

Around 30 consolidated communication tasks, validated in focus groups in every partner country, delivered through Task-Based Language Teaching at CEFR levels A1–B2.

Who they are

SME owners, managers and multi-role staff. A large share aged 40–65+, at CEFR levels A1–B2, with little formal training in professional English.

What they need

Speaking and listening first. Ready-to-use phrases and templates, coping under pressure, and a clear written tone on email and booking platforms.

How they want to learn

Short self-paced online units, blended options, mobile-friendly. Time is scarce, so immediate applicability is decisive.

Preferred materials

Real-life scenarios, short videos, interactive exercises, email and dialogue templates. Low interest in theory-heavy content.

These conclusions define the delivery format for WP3: modular, flexible, practice-oriented, and accessible on any device.

Impact indicators

50–60 participants; ≥80% completion rate; average improvement of 30–50% in testing.
20 job-shadowing positions; ≥85% report increased international confidence.
≥20 practical tools and ≥6 core modules.

Work Packages (WP)

WP2

Needs analysis and task list (Blackbird).

WP3

Course development and resource bank (TEST + partners).

WP4

Pilot + Job-shadowing (London Institute).

WP5

Outreach and communication (Bee Rural Hub).

→ Course Teaser

Planning & Workflow

English for Tourism & Hospitality — Project Timeline (Nov 2025 – Oct 2027)
Activities / Timing	2025		2026												2027
	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
WP 1 — Project management
Kick-off meeting (TEST)	K
Interim meeting (London Inst.)													I
Final meeting (Bee Rural Hub)																							F
WP 2 — Needs analysis and task-list development
Design and preparation of data collection tools and report templates
Focus groups, interviews and surveys
Data analysis and developing a structured task list
WP 3 — Course development and resource bank creation
Course framework development, work plan
Platform design and setup
Creation of interactive materials (A1→A2-B2)
Internal review of course content
Refinements and finalization (based on internal check)
Adjustments based on piloting
WP 4 — Pilot testing and job-shadowing
Recruiting SME managers for testing and job-shadowing
Pilot implementation
Job-shadowing (London · TEST · Blackbird · Bee)
WP 5 — Dissemination, communication and exploitation
Development of plans, social media pages and website
Ongoing updates
Multiplier events
Prolonging — to be asked at NA

WP1 · WP3 — Management & Course WP2 — Needs analysis WP4 — Pilot & Job-shadowing WP5 — Dissemination Prolongation Milestone

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