There is a major paradigm shift going on that ordinary people probably don't realise, but tourism professionals do. The pace of change is so fierce that managers and specialists in tourism, either from business, government and non-government organisations, understand that the only way to keep up is to literally go back to school.

So what exactly is going on?

First of all, active travelling is on the rise. There is a significant increase in tourists seeking active adventure trips that include gettingout intonature, attending cultural events and focusing more on physical activity.

Secondly, with all the information about Europe's population getting older, one may not think about the fact that elders, especially in Europe, can afford and actually do a lot of travelling. We are talking about the 1.3bn - 1.6bn of the so-called "unstoppable elders". Just imagine that number!

Thirdly, globalisation! The internet, the opening of international travel and shipment has brought an increase in business trips. However, 72% of business travellers today are using their available spare time within business trips for leisure activities.

Moreover, millions of millionaires from the U.S., Japan and Europe are dominating the luxury travel market. Last but not least, niche tourism with creative or culinary aspects is booming.

These are only a few of the trends, according to Professor Moutinho from the University of Glasgow in the UK, that are significantly affecting the tourism sector and making field professionals seek additional education to fill a growing gap in knowledge and skills.

IEDC-Bled School of Management, in Slovenia, is ready to offer managers and professionals from Central and Eastern Europe and beyond, its new program called "Advanced Management in Tourism". A team of international specialists, led by Professor Moutinho, have developed a five week modular program that reflects the latest innovations and trends in Virtual Technology, Operations, Marketing, Strategy, Sustainability and muchmore"

The first group of professionals from across the region will start their studies on 19 January 2015.