Meet Partner CETT: Where Barcelona’s Heritage Meets Tourism Innovation

Picture this: Liisa, a 31-year-old from Finland, arrived in Barcelona ten years ago as an Erasmus student in tourism. She fell in love with the city—and never left. Over the years, she worked her way through the local hospitality scene: hotel reception, food tours, conference logistics, and summer festivals.

When COVID hit, many of her job opportunities disappeared.

Rather than give up, Liisa enrolled in online business and digital marketing courses. But even with a decade of hands-on experience, breaking into a more strategic, salaried role felt out of reach—until she discovered CETT’s RESKILL program.

Six months later, she emerges with industry-recognized microcredentials in sustainable tourism and digital strategy, plus a mentor from CETT’s vast professional network. Today, she works in marketing for a Barcelona-based travel company that connects international visitors with local cultural experiences.

This is the kind of practical, career-changing transformation CETT-Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy makes possible through the RESKILL project.

The Barcelona Effect: Barcelona doesn’t just preserve culture—it reimagines it.

From Catalonia’s cultural ecosystem comes CETT-Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, University of Barcelona. An institution with 56 years of leadership in tourism, hospitality, and gastronomy education. CETT-UB is where UNESCO heritage meets sustainable tourism and hospitality, and where academic training merges with real-world innovation through strategic industry partnerships.

🌍 Spain:

🇪🇸 Cultural tourism leader – Home to 48 UNESCO World Heritage sites and a globally renowned food scene

🍅 Gastronomy innovator – Barcelona is a Mediterranean culinary capital blending tradition with global flavors, part of the World Gastronomy Region 2025

🧠 Inclusive education trailblazer – CETT-UB trains traditional students and individuals at risk of exclusion through socially responsive programs

🧑‍💻 Tech-forward curriculum – From digital storytelling to immersive guest experiences, CETT-UB embraces smart tourism

🤝 Community-focused tourism – Committed to authentic, sustainable, and socially just tourism ecosystems

“We don’t just train professionals—we cultivate cultural ambassadors,” says Dra. Maria del Pilar Leal Londoño, RESKILL Project Manager and senior researcher in CETT’s TURCiT Research Group – Tourism, Culture & Territory. “Our Mediterranean heritage teaches us that hospitality is about purposeful connections. Through RESKILL, we build inclusive pathways for people like Laura who want to create meaningful tourism careers that celebrate diversity and foster community.”

CETT-UB: Where Innovation Is Rooted in Culture

CETT-Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, is a center affiliated with the University of Barcelona, located in Barcelona’s Horta-Guinardó district.

Its reputation as Spain’s most distinctive school of tourism and gastronomy stems from:

🔬 Applied research centers like TURCiT (Tourism, Culture & Territory)

🏨 Strategic industry synergy with ALIMARA Hotel Barcelona – an affiliated research and training partner in RESKILL project providing real-world laboratory experiences

🌐 Over 1,000 institutional agreements worldwide, giving students global reach

🌍 A campus representing 75+ nationalities

CETT’s approach integrates academic rigor with social responsibility through strategic partnerships. Their programs extend beyond the classroom, engaging in projects that advance cultural heritage, inclusion, and sustainable practices—perfectly aligned with RESKILL’s goals.

Why Tourism Needs the Barcelona Effect

Europe’s tourism sector doesn’t just need recovery—it needs a cultural renaissance. CETT-UB embodies this transformation through its unique academic-industry collaboration model.

As European tourism moves toward digital and green transitions, CETT-UB offers what few others can: a heritage-based, innovation-forward model that centers on people. From training people at risk of social exclusion in culinary entrepreneurship to helping local and international students build cultural tourism ventures, CETT-UB actively shapes the future of the industry through real-world partnerships.

📊 Spain’s approach includes:

🏛️ Cultural preservation that goes beyond monuments—into food, language, and daily life

💻 Digital tourism integration that enhances—not replaces—authentic human experiences

🌱 Sustainable business models aligned with UNESCO’s Creative Cities network

🤲 Inclusive vocational pathways for Learners from diverse backgrounds.

“Barcelona’s greatest asset is not just its beauty—it’s the living culture of its communities,” says Eva Viciano Juana, General Manager at ALIMARA Hotel and CETT’s affiliated partner in RESKILL. “Through our collaboration with CETT and the RESKILL project, we support people who want to shape the next chapter of tourism in Europe—not as workers, but as storytellers, innovators, and cultural leaders.”