Digital skills in tourism and hospitality as a precondition for the sector resilient growth: The case of Serbia

Abstract

Advanced digital solutions, modern technologies and artificial intelligence have fundamentally transformed the pace of change and existing business models in the tourism and hospitality (T&H) sector. Implementing advanced digital solutions through new and improved tourism products and services can transform the customer experience while increasing the sector's productivity and resilience. However, in order to adequately leverage advanced digital technologies, the T&H sector's workforce must have a sufficient level of digital skills, competencies, and capabilities. Accordingly, this paper aims to assess the digital skills of the T&H sector employees in Serbia and identify the key factors that influence their level. The findings suggest that the digital skills of employees in the T&H sector in Serbia should be improved through formal and informal education in order for the sector to reposition itself in a more resilient and sustainable manner and in line with the 2030 Agenda.

Skills development as an Indicator of the Serbian tourism digitalization progress

“…The research in this paper has shown the supply-side stakeholders' capacity to contribute to this Additionally, two primary factors are associated with the level of digital skills -level of education and the employment sector. Education was also discovered to be a significant influence factor in the inquiry conducted by Lazic et al [26]. In contrast, Carlisle et al [9] found that geographic location, sector, and company size influenced respondents' perceptions of current and future skill levels, as well as the perceived skills gap.…”

“…The emergence of the digital society and digital technologies not only opens up new opportunities but also grants individuals unprecedented freedoms and rights that allow them to transcend physical and geographical boundaries and social positions. In the T&H sector, which has been an early adopter of digitalization of its business processes [26], significant changes have been observed in the roles of individual players in the value-creation process [22]. This has blurred the lines between human values and technological services and challenged the fundamental nature of hospitality and tourism experiences [12].…”

“…Although the necessity to develop digital skills in the Serbian T&H industry has been acknowledged as crucial for the future expansion of the sector, researchbased proof regarding digital skill levels of the sector's stakeholders in Serbia is limited. Some authors [4], [5], [26] underline the crucial role of digital transformation and particularly emphasize the need to develop digital literacy and improve the digital skills of employees in the T&H sector. Bradic-Martinovic et al [5], for example, see this strategic orientation as a proactive measure to mitigate the progressive scarcity of natural and tourism resources.…”

“…The study carried out by Lazic et al [26] is one of the few studies that deals with measuring the digital skills of employees in Serbia's T&H industry and identifying the factors that influence this level. This pilot study demonstrates that, on average, T&H employees possess fundamental digital skills that empower them to execute basic to more complex activities within a digital setting.…”

“…It addresses identified gaps in the literature by quantifying the digital skills of T&H stakeholders at the sub-sector level and identifying the influencing factors. Consequently, the paper builds on Lazic et al's [26] research by expanding the sample size and including all sector stakeholders, not just employees. While the focus is on measuring the digital skills of key stakeholders in the Serbian T&H sector, the use of a standardized methodology such as the DSI index ensures international comparability and raises the importance of the topic beyond Serbia's borders.…”