The IV Meeting on Tourist Talent Management organized by Asolan, in collaboration with the Tourist Federation of Lanzarote, the Cabildo de Lanzarote, and Turismo Lanzarote, brought together more than 200 attendees last Friday.
The new Canarias es Talento event brought together professionals from the sector, institutional representatives, teaching staff, students, and specialists in people management at the Hotel Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa, and also counted with the attendance of members of the Balearic Islands Tourist Strategy Agency, interested in learning about this initiative and its focus on one of the sector's biggest challenges.
The president of Asolan and FTL, Susana Pérez, emphasized that tourism "has helped us build our present" and sent a message to all parties represented at the meeting: "The new generations will have the opportunity and the responsibility to build the tourism of the future; and companies and institutions, the responsibility to create the conditions for them to do so in the Canary Islands." Pérez highlighted that Canarias es Talento works precisely to build that tourism of the future: "a tourism of people for people."
The vice-counselor of Tourism of the Government of the Canary Islands, José Manuel Sanabria, also spoke at the opening of the conference, emphasizing that the Archipelago has "professionals of enormous value" and that "the challenge is to offer them opportunities to develop their careers here and put their talent at the service of the Canary Islands."
For his part, the director of the Canarian Agency for Research, Innovation, and Information Society (ACIISI), Javier Franco, pointed out that "The future of tourism depends on our ability to offer learning opportunities, professional development, and work environments where people feel valued. Innovation and technology are important tools, but the human factor is what makes the difference," he defended.
The councilor of the Cabildo, Ascensión Toledo, also highlighted that "Lanzarote must differentiate itself through a business culture that cares for those who work in the tourism sector, generates quality, inclusive, and innovative employment, and recognizes talent"; and she thanked the organizing entity and the participating companies and professionals.
Vocations, AI, and loyalty
The presentations and round tables held during the day made it possible to address the main challenges of tourism companies to attract, train, develop, and retain their professionals. The vocations of new generations, career paths, the transformation of people management through technology, leadership, and team well-being were the focus of many of the interventions.
The head of CaixaBank Dualiza for the Canary Islands, Eva Aguado, warned of the risk posed by the lack of vocations for the hospitality sector. “While enrollments in vocational training have increased by 56% in the last decade nationwide, these same enrollments have fallen by almost 30% in the Canary Islands for degrees related to the hospitality sector, on which nearly 40% of the Canary Islands' GDP depends,” she stressed.
Faced with this situation, she highlighted the launch of Vocaciones Dualiza, together with the Sergio Alonso Foundation, “to awaken vocations among young Canary Islanders in a sector that guarantees them a future career without having to leave their homeland.”
The application of new tools to training and professional development was another of the central issues. “Artificial intelligence is already radically transforming and improving how we deliver and absorb training,” highlighted Bernat Cañellas, co-founder and CEO of Schôolers. Furthermore, the Director of People at Landmar Hotels, Juan Pedro Marrero, defended the need to adapt human resources practices to technological and social changes: “Technology has reinvented work, but management remains stuck in the past. Rethinking HR invites us to take the next step: transform the way we manage people areas.”
For her part, Katja Jensen, HR Director at Acttiv, focused on young talent and the need to adapt companies to the expectations of new generations; while international speaker and TEDx Speaker Sergio de la Calle addressed “the most underestimated ingredient of the employee experience: fun.” To this end, he provided examples of companies that have incorporated this element into their value proposition to differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract and retain talent.
In addition, two round tables were held at the meeting, in which professionals and executives from leading tourism companies participated. The first, “Professional careers in the tourism sector,” included representatives from Acttiv, Viajes Girasol (a graduate of EUTL), Bungalows Playa Limones, Lanzarote Limusina–VIPO, and Restaurante Lilium. The second, “Tourism companies, management, and talent loyalty,” brought together professionals from Landmar Hotels, W2M, Cordial Hotels & Resorts, Baleària Canarias, and CIFP Zonzamas, who shared their experiences and perspectives on the challenges of talent management in the tourism sector.
With this fourth edition, Canarias es Talento reinforces its role as a meeting place for companies, institutions, and training centers to share experiences and seek answers to one of the main challenges of the tourism sector: having prepared, motivated professionals with opportunities to develop their careers in the Canary Islands.
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