Subsidised management and leadership training is being offered to travel companies in England.
Companies with between five and 249 employees can obtain £1,000 to develop a director or senior manager.
Those eligible for the funding under the Train to Gain scheme can also access training programmes provided by Stonebow, the training division of People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism.
Up to £500 is fully funded and a further £500 is available if it is matched pound-for-pound by the company.
Leadership and management has been identified as a key skills shortage area for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, according to People 1st.
A recent report found that 39% of employers feel that management skills need improving within their business. Previous research has shown that half of managers do not possess the minimum level of qualifications required for their position.
People 1st sector compact manager Chris Jefferies said: “Employers have told us that they want to boost the management skills within their businesses, but for many small and medium-sized businesses, the recession made it difficult to invest in this area.
“This offer provides forward-thinking businesses with a great opportunity to get a head-start on their competition, and benefit from training in this crucial skills area at a fraction of the usual cost.
“The hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector will require an additional 58,000 managerial jobs by 2017, and management skills will be essential to make the most of the economic upturn. I would encourage businesses to get in touch and take advantage of this timely offer.”