Strategic Analysis and Organisational Development, Tourism Training Academy Russia

Tourism is an important component of global economic growth. In the former Soviet Union, and Russia in particular, both incoming and outbound tourism have seen steady growth, with increasing visitor numbers in both directions.

​

This rapid growth creates the need for modern, competitive, customer-focussed training institutions to prepare the tourism managers and professionals of tomorrow.

​

Navigator Consulting was commissioned to implement a strategic analysis of a national Academy of Tourism, a training organisation with 30,000 students, 4,000 trainers and 40 sites in the former Soviet Union.

​

Our objective was to:

​

• Assess the existing academic curriculum in light of changing occupational skills needs and employer demand for tourism professions with 2003 as a starting point and 2010 as a final horizon.

​

• Review the financial, organisational and management structure to determine basic competitiveness and relevance to the rapidly-transforming economic and social environment of the country.

​

• Determine the role of the internet as a means of distance learning, alumni relations and marketing recruitment services to the tourism sector.

​

• Develop a long-term financial and development plan to enable the expansion of the tourism training organisation, the renewal of curricula, the proper compensation of academic and support staff, and general financial competitiveness.

​

A detailed analysis was implemented taking to account training sites in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Following a presentation of current findings, a strategic visioning workshop was held to develop the basic elements of a new organisational strategy.

​

This was then translated into a strategic development plan, which included:

​

• Review of the international tourism and travel market and the likely impact sectoral and technological growth would have on tourism employees by category: hotel professions (front office, marketing, management, etc), travel agency staff, tour guides, restaurants, airlines, etc. 
   

• Mission, vision, core values

​

• Strategic objectives to 2010

​

• Financial plan to 2010

​

• Main recommendations in business process development, structure and staff

​

• New educational staff competency profiles

​

• Recommendations for tourism curriculum renewal

​

• Recommendations for enhanced cooperation with private tourism employers.

​

The process of strategic development in the tourism sector is continual, given the constant innovation and challenges faced by the tourism sector. In recent years, online marketing and ancillary services for tourism have intensified. The recommendations made in 2003 have stood the training organisation in good stead.