Launching in January 2025, we’re delighted to announce our partnership in FUTOURWORK, a new Horizon Europe Project aiming to transform the future of work in tourism and hospitality. 

The 3.5-year project will research and promote inclusive social dialogue and address the growing concerns related to gig work, job insecurity, and the well-being of workers. This ambitious intersectional feminist initiative seeks to bring systemic change to how labour issues are addressed across the industry. 

Tourism and hospitality is a vital European economic sector employing 13 million people (11.7% of all jobs), with a high proportion of women, migrants and youth, and an alarming 1.2 million vacancies. FUTOURWORK will bring meaningful improvements in how industry workers are engaging with social dialogue processes to develop a more equitable and sustainable future for tourism and hospitality.

Logos for all partners in the Horizon Europe FUTOURWORK project

Led by Dr. Stroma Cole at the University of Westminster (UK), the project brings together a dynamic consortium of eight partners from six countries: CoLABOR (Portugal), Lusófona University (Portugal), Babeş-Bolyai University (Romania), The American College of Greece (Greece), Dalarna University (Sweden), Zangador Research Institute (Bulgaria), and Equality in Tourism International (UK).

FUTOURWORK will directly engage with workers, employers, and social dialogue organisations through a range of activities, including surveys, interviews, storytelling initiatives, and multi-stakeholder learning dialogues. 

The project will produce a worker wellbeing index for industry benchmarking and a documentary showcasing the stories of tourism and hospitality workers. It will also establish an observatory platform to provide a one-stop shop for workers’ rights and facilitate ongoing discussions among stakeholders. 

Black female barista with a ponytail using coffee machine in a cafe

These initiatives will significantly contribute to scientific knowledge, raise public awareness, and promote policy changes that enhance working conditions in tourism and hospitality. 

Equality in Tourism will lead on FUTOURWORK’s Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication activity, responsible for the communication of the project’s progress and results to maximise its impacts. 

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