ISTO Joins the European Commission’s Pact for Skills.

The International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO) is proud to announce its official membership in the Pact for Skills, a flagship initiative of the European Commission aimed at strengthening skills development to support a green and digital transition that is fair, inclusive, and sustainable.

By joining the Pact, ISTO reinforces its commitment to:

• Strengthening the skills and competencies of professionals within the tourism sector.
• Promoting inclusion and access to quality employment opportunities.
• Encouraging collaboration between public and private stakeholders to develop tailored training pathways that address future challenges.

Through this initiative, ISTO is taking an active role in making skills a key driver for social transformation, particularly within the tourism ecosystem.

About the Pact for Skills

The Pact for Skills is a collective engagement to invest in skills development across Europe. Anchored in the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Pact supports the goals of the European Green Deal and the broader digital transformation agenda.

All members of the Pact commit to:

• Promoting a culture of lifelong learning.
• Building strong skills partnerships.
• Monitoring skill supply and demand and anticipating future needs.
• Combatting discrimination and promoting gender equality and equal opportunities.

While the Pact is cross-sectoral and not exclusive to tourism, it aligns closely with ISTO’s values and objectives. Through its involvement, ISTO will also engage with the Large Scale Partnership (LSP) for the tourism ecosystem, a European initiative aimed at strengthening sector-specific skills development.

Benefits of Joining

Membership in the Pact for Skills offers ISTO and its network several strategic advantages:

• Networking: Opportunities to collaborate with other members and access to EU tools such as Europass, Skills Panorama, and EURES.
• Knowledge Sharing: Access to webinars, seminars, peer learning activities, and updates on EU policy developments.
• Guidance and Support: Information on EU and national funding opportunities, and support for establishing partnerships with public authorities.

ISTO’s Commitment

ISTO is dedicated to contributing actively to the objectives of the Pact. To ensure continuous engagement, a dedicated representative from ISTO’s European section will be responsible for coordinating annual reporting and tracking the organization’s progress.

Joining the Pact for Skills marks an important step in ISTO’s ongoing efforts to promote social sustainability, support lifelong learning, and empower the tourism workforce to meet the demands of tomorrow.