Roots Tourism EU is an Erasmus+ project (2025–2027) focused on bringing a new type of tourism into vocational education. The Roots Tourism EU Erasmus+ partnership works on roots tourism — also known as diaspora or ancestry tourism — the practice of travelling to reconnect with the places your family originally came from.
Despite growing demand, most VET schools across Europe have no curriculum for this sector. At the same time, many rural areas face depopulation and weak links between education and local development. This project connects both problems: train young people for jobs that help communities thrive.
PROJECT PARTNERS
The project brings together six organisations from five European countries — VET schools, a university, local public authorities, and tourism specialists. The partnership is composed by the project coordinator Tudás Alapítvány from Hungary, ECOCLUB from Greece, ATEP from Portugal, Uniwersytet Slaski W Katowicach from Poland, Euphoria Net and Provincia di Campobasso from Italy.
WHAT THE PROJECT AIMS TO DO (OBJECTIVES)
The Roots Tourism EU Erasmus+ project aims to equip young people with a real, employable skill set in an emerging tourism sector, support rural and less-visited areas through sustainable tourism, and build lasting links among VET schools, local institutions, and the tourism industry.
WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON (RESULTS)
During the project lifetime, we will develop the following results:
- A new VET curriculum for the figure of “Roots Tourism Operator” — a professional profile that doesn’t formally exist yet
- Training materials and online modules for teachers and students
- A practical booklet on roots tourism: what it is, why it matters, and where the job opportunities are
- Sustainable Tourism Action Plans, built together with schools, local authorities and community groups
All results will be available in English, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, and Greek.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Project n° Project code: 2025-1-HU01-KA220-VET-000354851