The training model was developed and tested to provide an international standard of education for tourism SMEs in the direction of increasing their ability to implement the principles of circular economy in business. The user (trainer, self-learning or during workshops) can navigate a chosen educational path.

We suggest the following paths:

• at the very beginning, the non-technological path provides general knowledge about the circular economy and its prospects in tourism. We show why it is worth and how you can create goodwill based on CE. This path is marked by the way companies (the tourism industry) think about their services, as these services can effectively change in the spirit of future standards expected by customers.
  For this purpose, we also provide support for the design thinking (DT) workshop, which in this case focuses on designing services. We also join this method of modern marketing to indicate how to promote new closed-loop tourism services, but also to involve clients primarily in these activities.
  Innovations in the business model (BMI) are at the interface of paths. A revolution in the approach to the services offered can also bring reflection in the structure of the organization – what resources do we use, but above all: how? We ask the question: Do we need resources or effects of energy, devices, people?
  Through this module, we aim to get your own answer to this question.
• the technological path introduces you to the world of energy feeding your companies. It is also a source of costs charged to organizations. The module dedicated to energy efficiency gives the opportunity to rationalize the consumption of gas, electricity, water and other energy carriers – towards greater efficiency and greater independence of the organization from external suppliers.

Below is a table over the structure of the training.

We offer a training in circular economy for SMEs in tourism.

This training is composed of a set of modules that can be studied each one on their own, or as a set of consecutive modules. The objective for each module is to increase the awareness on circular economy and how it can be implemented in a tourism business resulting in a more circular approach to the business, its products and/or services. Although the focus is on businesses providing accommodation (hotels), food (restaurants) and spa services, businesses in other fields of tourism may also benefit from the training material.

The training can be self-studied using the module texts and videos, the training material can be found here (link). However, each module also comes with a set of supportive material that can be offered by any actor in the form of workshops.

For the workshops there is for each module the following material: a guide for trainers (proposed agenda, script and exercises), a power point presentation and, a video related to the module content (see table below). There is also a management guide (see table below) that may assist in arranging such workshops customized for national conditions in Sweden, Lithuania and Poland.

If the complete training will be offered, or a set of modules, the suggested order of studying the modules are as follows:

1) Introduction to Circular Economy

2) Business Model Innovation applying a circular approach

3) The use of Design Thinking process to develop circular solutions for your business

4) Energy– how to become more circular in terms of energy use

5) Marketing of circular products and services.