On June 16, 2022, the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management of the Faculty of Economics and Business Management of the University of Prešov in Prešov organized a workshop within the framework of the project KEGA 005PU-4/2022 "Innovation of the study program Tourism, hotel and spa industry in the first degree of study in the study program Economics and Management ".

The workshop was attended by members of the research team from the Faculty of Management, Economics and Business, representatives of the partner university from the Czech Republic, namely the Business School, the Prague Ing. Iveta Hamarneh, Ph.D, vice-rector for studies and Ing. Petr Houška, PhD. from the Department of Tourism. The special guest of the workshop was the president of the Tourism Association of the Slovak Republic and the president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Slovakia Mgr. Marek Harbuľák.

The workshop was opened and welcomed by doc. Ing. Anna Šenková, PhD., head of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management and also project leader. In her opening speech, she introduced the participants to the goals of the project, its focus, planned activities and outputs. She particularly emphasized the need to innovate the bachelor's study program Tourism, Hospitality and Spa with an accent on the current situation in the tourism industry, which was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and in the interest of its sustainable development in the future.

Mgr. Marek Harbuľák gave a professional lecture on the topic: "Strategy for the development of human resources in the trade, marketing, gastronomy and tourism sector until 2030 - development trends and sectoral measures, changes in the educational content in the study fields of secondary schools and universities in Slovakia". Among other things, he emphasized the need for real cooperation between universities and tourism actors in Slovakia, and in this regard he highlighted the active approach of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management FMEO PU in Prešov.

Ing. Iveta Hamarneh, Ph.D. presented the topic: "Procedures and methods of application of the issue of sustainable development of tourism in the study programs of the Business School, foundation, Prague".

Ing. Petr Houška, PhD. focused on issues related to the research part of the project and presented: "ETIS indicators for managing and evaluating the sustainability of a tourism destination".

There was a rich professional discussion on all the presented topics, in which the participants could express their opinion and also suggestions for involvement in the solution of the project's tasks. They agreed on the need for new solutions and approaches in the field of tourism in Slovakia, the necessary connection between schools and practice for the purpose of its sustainable development in the period after the Covid-19 pandemic and the end of the war conflict in Ukraine. The main publication output of the first year of the project solution will be a peer-reviewed electronic collection of scientific works under the title: "Sustainable development of tourism from the perspective of theory and practice".

doc. Ing. Anna Šenková, PhD.

head of KTHM and project leader