The importance of digital technologies in tourism, providing opportunities for innovation and preparing the sector for the future of work, is at the centre of World Tourism Day 2018, to be celebrated in Budapest, Hungary (27 September 2018).
World Tourism Day is a unique opportunity to raise awareness on tourism’s actual and potential contribution to sustainable development and there is no better way than teaching the next generation who are the future leaders in this industry and others. The Land & Life Foundation, the charitable arm of Elewana Collection, recently took on the challenge of Digital Literacy Training within the schools we support with the vision that providing a good foundation and understanding of Technology anything is possible.
The Kenyan government distributed tablets, projectors, teacher’s digital devices (TDD) and content access point (CAP) to public primary schools across the country under the Digital Literacy Program. The aim of the program is to advance Information and Communication Technology in the schools, and is a great initiative from the Kenyan Ministry of Education.
Land & Life’s supported schools were amongst the schools that received these devices. Land & Life discovered that many children and most teaching staff had no background in technology and did not know how to operate the devices. Training had been provided in some places by the government but it had not reached all areas and many schools were left with devices they could not operate gathering dust in locked cupboards.
Therefore in addition to the training facilitated by the government, the Land & Life team partnered with the Lewa Digital Literacy Team to provide an extensive and thorough training workshop in their supported schools. Its focus was the training of all teachers and the lower class students (Grade 1-4). The aim of the program was to offer training on the best practices of integrating ICT in their day to day learning. The training has left both the teachers and learners looking forward to their ICT essons.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) sees digital advances and innovation as part of the solution to the challenge of marrying continued growth with a more sustainable and responsible tourism sector. It is therefore essential that organisations within the industry empower the communities where we operate and work together for the future success of tourism, not only in East Africa but everywhere.
Join the celebration: #WTD2018
