Management of tourism services related to the blue economy

the 11th National Report on the Sea Economy overturns the traditional way of looking at the territorial processes of development in our country and redesigns North-South relations. In the south of Italy, in fact, the national growth of the ‘blue’ entrepreneurial fabric has more than doubled. Accommodation and catering services and sporting activities together account for 63% of the total enterprises in the ‘sea system’ and are also those with the highest incidence of female entrepreneurship.
In Apulia, the sea economy accounts for 4.9% of the total regional economy. This is the sector where there is a particularly high demand for young people up to 29 years of age, compared to which there is still a strong mismatch that concerns about a quarter of the sought profiles.
Faced with the development of the port sector, the evolution of boaters’ needs and the new technologies available, and the awareness that the port must represent an element of connection and integration with the surrounding area, this ITS course aims to train technicians with knowledge and skills aimed at enhancing both the sea and the beauty of villages, coastlines, beaches and climate; they have to be aware of both the importance of the active and driving role demanded of local operators and the value of a highly professional reception focused on meeting tourists’ expectations.

the ITS course aims to train a professional able to provide the best services to pleasure boaters and passengers of ferries and cruise ships. The profile interfaces with the various entrepreneurial realities within the port and the authorities in charge of transit, interact with the boat client and coordinates with the other technical figures operating in the port and in the accommodation and tourist facilities in the surrounding area. The professional orients the client within the services that a port typically provides to the boater, directing them not only to port services (mooring, maintenance, repairs, provisioning of the galley, with attention to the offer of the port and the territory in terms of businesses, services and related quality standards) but also to local accommodation and cultural facilities, tourist attractions, typical products, places to visit, restaurants, shops, leisure facilities and tourist guides of the territory.

Participants will be able to:

• Assist the customer in taking advantage of the available tourist opportunities and services, using a communicative style appropriate to the relationship (also in foreign languages), identifying solutions and product/service proposals customised to the boater’s needs
• Take care of integrated information systems (physical and virtual notice boards)
• Inform about rates, new tourism products and any favourable offer conditions
• Measure the degree of customer satisfaction using appropriate survey tools (predefined forms, web-based systems, etc.)
• Interact with the multiplicity of partners and tourism service providers by defining terms and conditions for collaboration
• Contribute to the qualification of tourist services offered in a logic of integrated enhancement of territorial resources.