For further information please
contact us: World Tourism Organization
Capitán Haya, 42 . 28020 Madrid
Phone (34) 91 567 81 00
Fax (34) 91 571 37 33 educa@unwto.org
UNWTO.GTAT Initiative
The UNWTO.Themis Foundation designed the GTAT with the following purpose: to bring clarity and transferability to the studies and knowledge acquired by tourism students and professionals and to ensure that their education and training qualifications are recognized by different employers and institutions. The following points state the GTAT main objectives:
To permit tourism professionals and students to have a means of certifying their knowledge in a variety of tourism subjects, regardless of where they have carried out their studies.
To facilitate the application of credits gained in tourism studies among institutions within the UNWTO Education Council.
To ensure that the curricular contents imparted by tourism education and training institutions meet the demands of today's rapidly developing tourism industry.
To encourage greater compatibility in the wide range of tourism courses at different levels offered throughout the world.
To permit a diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses in the knowledge of tourism by professionals and students.
The following products can be only obtained through UNWTO.TedQual certified institutions of the UNWTO Education Council:
GTAT Exams. The GTAT Exams are objective computerized examinations offered in UNWTO.TedQual Certified Institutions which attest to the knowledge of a tourism student or professional in specialized subjects.
Examinations consist in 250 to 500 multiple-choice questions and several case studies. This enables students and professionals to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses as well as giving educational institutions an overall view of the effectiveness of their curriculum in different areas. GTAT exams are currently available on Tourism Policy and Strategy, Rural Tourism Development, Strategic Positioning and Communication in Tourism and Re-engineering of Processes in Tourism. These exams may be taken at centres members of the UNWTO Education Council.
GTAT Courses. The GTAT courses are available for those who wish to further their knowledge in a specific area, want to prepare for a GTAT exam or are seeking GTAT Certification.
The courses are designed to be given in several formats -in the classroom, a combination of distance and classroom or totally distance, ranging in length from 20 to 300 lective hours depending on the degree of preparation required.
GTAT Courses are divided in:
Academic GTAT Courses
GTAT "Master in Hotel Administration."
GTAT.TPS PhD "Política Turística y Estrategia"
Long Tourism Policy Area
Tourism Policy Area:
Tourism Policy and Strategy
Tourism Marketing
Marketing for Cultural Tourism Destinations
Tourism Destinations Re-engineering
Strategic Positioning and Communication in Tourism
Snow and Mountain Tourism
Environmental Tourism Management
Tourism Management Area:
Hotel and Catering Marketing
Museum Marketing
Organization and Structuring of Hotels
Quality Service in Tourism, Hotels and Catering
Customer Service in Tourism
Information Technology in Tourism
Short GTAT Courses
Tourism Policy and Strategy
Rural Tourism Development
Strategic Positioning and Communication in Tourism
Re-engineering of Tourism Processes
Quality and Process Re-engineering in Tourism Education and Training
Hotel and Catering Marketing
Museum Marketing
Cultural Tourism Marketing
Strategic Innovation
Information Technology in Tourism
Courses can be requested by national, regional and local authorities for their tourism officials, by the private sector for the strategic development of their staff and by others interested in human resource development on these subjects.
GTAT Certification. Upon obtaining the results of a GTAT exam, an individual who so desires can record these in the UNWTO.Themis GTAT Certification Registry to be made available to present or future employers, and to get the corresponding Certificate of Proficiency in this area.
GTAT Diagnosis. The GTAT Diagnosis is a software designed so that it may be taken by individuals or by groups in a tourism education institution to diagnose their strong and weak areas in a certain subject. If deficiencies are found, a course can be tailored to emphasize those areas which need strengthening and a subsequent exam can be given to obtain better results. GTAT diagnosis can be offered by institutions belonging to the UNWTO Education Council.
GTAT Curricular Coordination. UNWTO can offer specific advice concerning recommended curricular contents for careers in tourism or some specific areas of knowledge in tourism. This helps institutions to obtain credit transfers for their students, especially with other institutions belonging to the UNWTO Educational Council.
UNWTO.TedProm
This programme encompasses all those activities aimed at disseminating information about quality in tourism through education, training and research programmes. It grants recognition to and promotes those programmes and activities carried out by UNWTO.TedQual Certified institutions.
The actions included in this programme can either be generated by WTO itself by creating prizes, diplomas, rewards, and the corresponding international dissemination (web-sites, TedQual magazine, communications, conferences), or by the Institutions/Entities wishing to carry out certain promotion actions in collaboration with the UNWTO (marketing actions in specific areas, joint participation in significant events).
The main benefit for institutions and entities participating in the TedProm activities is to obtain important competitive advantages deriving directly from:
Receiving recognition form UNWTO for the quality and excellence of the actions taken and prize-winning and/or certified programmes, thus promoting greater confidence in the Institution/Entity actions and programmes among students and within the Tourism Industry.
A major international dissemination of the programmes and activities, therefore generating international collaboration, exchange programmes, and attracting students.
Major satisfaction and motivation of the prize-winning Institution’s / Entity’s Human Resources.
Who can apply for the UNWTO.TedProm?
Education and Training Institutions with at least one TedQual Certified Programme.
Institutions, entities and organizations that have been awarded the UNWTO. Sbest certification
UNWTO Members States and Affiliate Members.
UNWTO Tourism Policy Forum
The continuation of the highly successful UNWTO Tourism Policy Forum held in 2004 in Washington D.C.
For more information about this initiative: http://www.dantei.org/wto-forum/index.html
UNWTO.SIS
The World Tourism Organization Short International Seminars (WTO.SIS) offer a
programme of intensive courses on specific topics for the specialization and
up-dating of Tourism and Hospitality Professionals and Students
These seminars are offered by WTO through UNWTO.TedQual certified Education Institutions and can be organized at the initiative of these Institutions, UNWTO Member States or tourism destinations from these countries.
Characteristics of the Courses
The Seminars are proposed by the Education Institutions
Specialized subject matters
Supported by WTO and UNWTO.TedQual Certified Institutions
Close contact with the professors
Extra-curricula programmes for the participants
Short term: one or two weeks (20 to 40 classroom hours)
Management of the Programme
1. The organizing institution must notify the UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation at least six months before the beginning of the seminar that it is interested in holding a seminar and attach an initial proposal which should indicate:
Content of the seminar
Dates and venue
Accommodation Details
Teaching staff
Social Programme
Course Secretariat details
Cost of the programme
Standard application deadline
Services included in the programme
Number of scholarships awarded for WTO Members
2. After studying the request, the UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation will respond favourably or unfavourably, making any comments it deems pertinent.
3. Once the final format of the seminar has been determined, the organizing institution will send to the UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation a document (four pages long maximum) containing general information about the Institution and some photographs.
4. The UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation will then disseminate information on the seminar internationally via printed material and the websites to the UNWTO Member States and Affiliate Members, TedQual Institutions and collaborating entities.
5. The UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation will carry out all pre-registrations of interested students, although the organizing Institution can also accept pre-registrations directly. It must however notify the UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation of such pre-registrations within the week of having registered the student.
6. At least one month before the beginning of the seminar the Institution and the UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation will have to decide whether to go ahead with the course if there are enough registered students or to announce its cancellation if it is foreseen that there will not be a sufficient number of students.
7. At least one week before the beginning of the seminar all the course’s financial arrangements must be finalized between the UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation and the organising Institution.
8. The Education Institution will proceed to impart the seminar.
9. The UNWTO·THEMIS Foundation will send the Education Institution the accrediting certificates for the students who have satisfactorily completed al least 75% of the course.
Benefits of the UNWTO.SIS
Acquiring specific knowledge on specialized Tourism and Hospitality areas in record time.
Establishing direct contact with leading instructors and professionals specialized in these different areas.
Meeting other participants interested in the same areas and sharing points of view.
This programme is a valuable resource for creating and disseminating tourism knowledge. It consist of an annual nomination of three outstanding tourism researchers worldwide to form a distinguished network and who can be called upon to contribute their knowledge and expertise to UNWTO programmes.
