New Research Identifies Green Skills & Strong Governance as Keys to Sustainable Tourism in CEE

A new study published in the journal Economies (Scopus Q2) and conducted with the participation of Dr. Erdoğan Ekiz, Dean of the Hospitality Management & Tourism School at Central Asian University examines how a combination of environmental policies, institutional resilience, and the development of “green” skills shapes the potential for sustainable tourism in rural regions of six Central and Eastern European countries.

In the paper “A Multi-Criteria Assessment of Green Tourism Potential in Rural Regions: The Role of Green Skills and Institutional Readiness,” the authors apply a hybrid assessment model that allows them to compare countries’ readiness across four key areas—environmental performance, infrastructure, governance quality, and the level of development of professional green competencies.

The study shows that strong environmental protection policies and reliable institutions serve as the foundation for transitioning to green tourism. Slovenia and Croatia demonstrated the most convincing results, outperforming the region thanks to consistent implementation of environmental standards and effective public governance. At the same time, even with lower statistical weight, green skills significantly enhance overall readiness, especially in countries where educational systems are already adapted to environmental priorities.

The authors emphasize that their approach can serve as a practical tool for developing sustainable tourism policies and aligning educational, environmental, and tourism strategies within the framework of the European Green Transition.

Commenting on the results, Dr. Ekiz and his colleagues Vladimir Ristanović and Berislav Andrlić note that sustainable tourism requires a multidimensional approach based on the development of human capital and strong institutions—and that this combination can ensure a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for the industry.