From November 29 to December 10 ViA team - Agita Livina, Edmunds Jansons, Lauris Taube, Arnis Cirulis, Mārīte Balaņuka, and Galina Bukovska - are visiting the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM) in Hyderabad, India, to continue work on the ErasmusPlus capacity-building project in higher education, SIPAS (“Advancing Sustainability and Technology in Tourism, Hospitality and Service Studies through Strategic Industry Partnership”).
During the visit, ViA colleagues are organizing and participating in a tourism-focused conference, a virtual reality hackathon, and conducting ICT training sessions for Indian academic staff. The project’s steering committee is also meeting to review and evaluate the first year of the project and to strategically plan the next steps.
Profesor Dr.oec. Agita Līviņa, in her opening speech at the conference, called for elevating the prestige of tourism through professionalization, better training, and recognition of tourism workers as skilled professionals. She emphasized that sustainability, innovation, and meaningful, culturally rich experiences must shape the future of the industry. Tourism is portrayed not only as an economic sector, but as a source of national pride and cultural exchange. By delivering exceptional experiences and valuing the people who make them possible, the industry can build long-term respect, trust, and admiration for generations to come.
