Perspectives in Tourism

Christoph Rauch: As part of school-based career guidance, “Perspectives in Tourism” is a project that introduces young people to the diverse career opportunities in the regional leisure and tourism industry.

Specifically, this educational program aims to familiarize students with the following aspects:

• Career diversity: Learning about various professions (e.g., in the hotel industry, food service, or destination management).
• Practical insights: Direct contact with regional businesses and the exploration of apprenticeship and job opportunities.
• Regional significance: Understanding how important tourism is for the prosperity and infrastructure of their own region.

Casual “speed dating” formats, exciting quizzes, and practical insights turn the event into an interactive experience. The full range of job opportunities is showcased—practically right on our doorstep: from well-known roles in the hotel and hospitality industries to outdoor sports and modern professions such as content creator. This career fair was complemented in the run-up by the so-called “Day Off,” a field trip during which the students got to experience the region’s tourism infrastructure firsthand. These real-world encounters demonstrated to the students that the region’s leading industry is a key driver of prosperity, secure jobs, and recreational facilities.

This initiative and collaborative project with the middle schools in Haiming and Oetz has been in place since 2023. Each year, approximately 70 young people take advantage of this opportunity to gain hands-on insight into the diverse opportunities the industry has to offer. This is an initiative led by Ötztal Tourismus, Lebensraum Ötztal, and Vordertaler Zukunft.

Christoph Rauch: This initiative shapes how the next generation understands and helps shape tourism. Today’s young people are tomorrow’s skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers. Their attitude toward tourism will determine how the region and its leading industry function in the future—whether as an employer, a place to live, or a place where people want to stay.

Through this project, many young people are realizing for the first time what opportunities are available practically “right on their doorstep.” They’re learning about the diverse career paths in the hotel industry, restaurants, mountain railways, outdoor sports, services, and destination management. As a result, several internship and apprenticeship positions have already been secured for the students. A key benefit, in addition to career guidance, is that the students come to understand that tourism creates recreational opportunities that would not otherwise exist. Attractions such as via ferrata routes, bike trails, play and adventure parks, toboggan runs, etc., are made possible by tourism and can subsequently be used by locals free of charge. This connection is explained to the students, and their awareness of it has been demonstrably strengthened.