Participation in the H.I.R.E. Project

Aegean Echoes towards Enpowerment and Sustainability in collaboration with Syros4seasons, proudly and responsibly participated in the European Erasmus+ VET project “Hotel Inclusive Recruitment Education (H.I.R.E.)”, actively supporting the effort for a more open, fair and inclusive hotel industry.

As part of our collaboration, we designed and promoted a research questionnaire addressed to employers and tourism professionals, creating space for honest voices and real-life experiences from everyday practice in the sector.

The H.I.R.E. project, led by the organization Dobre Kadry (Poland) and partnered with the Hellenic Institute of Sign Language, the Larnaka Tourism Board, and Sandy Beach Hotel, focuses on addressing staff shortages in the HORECA sector through diversity, equality, and inclusion. The study explores the true scale of the problem, the skills employers are seeking, as well as perceptions around employing Deaf individuals and people over 50 without prior experience.

For us this participation is directly linked to a broader philosophy: raising social awareness, highlighting the need for education on accessibility and inclusion, and strengthening a tourism model that leaves no one behind. We believe that the visibility of Sign Language Interpreting, accessible public and private spaces, reliable dissemination of information, and systematic training of employees are essential steps toward a tourism sector that is open to all.

Through our collaboration in the H.I.R.E. project, we contributed to the collection of valuable data and insights from industry professionals, aiming to develop practical, humane, and sustainable solutions.

Because tourism can—and must—be inclusive, for both employees and visitors alike.