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Open research questions in Hospitality and Tourism Education

75 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 2,101 Hospitality and Tourism Education papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • • Strengthen the relationship between lecturers and industry The primary objective of technical and vocational education is to provide graduates with the appropriate skills and abilities required by industry and the economy. Partnerships with the industry provide curriculum relevance and currency. • Tourism industry-focused seminars for TVET universities Regular workshops might serve as a forum for dialogue as part of efforts to develop ties between TVET institutions and the business sector. The workshops might be utilised for information sharing and exchange. • Examining tourism syllabi at predetermined periods Revising the curriculum at least once every five years might be beneficial. The procedure should involve discussing how the topics may be taught and evaluated most effectively, and could address the problem of time allocation for the many courses provided in the program. The review process should include all stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the DHET, TVET management, lecturers, former students working in the industry, curriculum designers, examiners, representatives from the various tourism industry sectors, book publishers, SETAs, and the various tourism industry professional bodies. 53 Gita Subrahmanyam, “UNESCO-UNEVOC Study on the Trends Shaping the Future of TVET Teaching.,” UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 2020. 54 Yogesh K. Dwivedi et al., “Opinion Paper: ‘So What If ChatGPT Wrote It?’ Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Opportunities, Challenges and Implications of Generative Conversational AI for Research, Practice and Policy,” International Journal of Information Management 71 (August 2023): 102642, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102642. 55 Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET), White Paper on Post–School Education and Training (Pretoria: DHET, 2013). Journal of Education and Learning Technology (JELT) 262 Adebola, O. O. & Hoffman, G. T. / Journal of Education and Learning Technology / Vol.7 No.2 Special Issue (2026) pp 251 – 266 • Educational visits to tourist attractions Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the tourist business through educational field trips to diverse sectors. When tourism students on an educational trip observe industry professionals fulfilling their responsibilities, they are likely motivated to develop specific skills.

    Bridging the gap between theory and practice: TVET lecturers’ views on tourism education and labour market readiness in South Africa · 2026 · DOI

  • The influence of such demographic and psychographic variables on complaint types and response perceptions could be explored in future, more detailed studies. Despite its limitations, this study offers a multidimensional perspective on digital complaint management and addresses a significant gap in the literature.

    Managing Online Reputation amid Polarized Guest Experiences: Evidence from Luxury Hotel Reviews in Turkiye · 2026 · DOI

  • While conducting a panel data analysis on the reflections of skilled and unskilled labor on the tourism sector in developing and middle-income countries, several limitations must be 16 Öztürk, I., Altunöz, U., & Tankuş, E. (2026). Reflections of skilled and unskilled labor on the tourism sector: panel data analysis in developing and middle-income countries, 18(00), e026002. http://dx.doi.org/10.18226/21789061.v18ip026002 acknowledged. The availability and quality of data pose challenges, as not all nations may possess comprehensive and consistent datasets for labor types and tourism metrics. Establishing causality between labor and tourism outcomes is intricate, introducing uncertainties in drawing definitive conclusions. Endogeneity concerns may persist, given the potential bidirectional relationship between skilled/unskilled labor and tourism, and addressing these issues may not entirely eliminate their impact. The heterogeneity across countries, dynamic nature of the tourism sector, policy changes, variations in labor definitions, and the influence of external shocks collectively contribute to the complexity of the analysis, limiting the generalizability of findings to a broader context. Model selection and specification challenges further add to the intricacies of accurately capturing the multifaceted relationship between labor dynamics and the tourism sector in diverse economic environments. Recognizing these limitations is paramount for a nuanced interpretation of results and for offering cautious policy recommendations. The tourism sector must maintain high standards of professionalism and competence to attract and retain quality labour. This will help businesses gain a competitive advantage and become more influential in the global market. Increased professionalism in the workforce improves the quality of tourism services, which in turn delivers more satisfying experiences to travelling consumers. Valuing professional competence, upskilling, and rewarding achievement in the workplace can significantly increase employee motivation and productivity. Supporting career development is also crucial in increasing employees' long-term commitment and reducing job turnover. This has a positive impact on the image of employment in the sector, giving organizations a clear advantage in attracting and retaining qualified professionals. According to Stacey (2015), it can be argued that the competitiveness of businesses and destinations is closely linked to the continuous development and satisfaction of their employees. This approach can raise standards in the industry, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately contribute to achieving sustainable success. By prioritizing these principles, businesses can build a stronger workforce, leading to an overall healthier competitive environment in the sector. REFERÊNCIAS Adler, P. A., Adler, P. E. (2004). Paradise Laborers. Hotel Work in the Global Economy, Ithaca, Cornell University Press, pp:328. 17 Öztürk, I., Altunöz, U., & Tankuş, E. (2026). Reflections of skilled and unskilled labor on the tourism sector: panel data analysis in developing and middle-income countries, 18(00), e026002. http://dx.doi.org/10.18226/21789061.v18ip026002 Akbostanci, E. (2004). Dynamics of the trade balance: The Turkish J-curve. Emerging Markets Finance & Trade, 57-73. Link Alhussami, A. M. (2017). The Contribution of Workplace Social Interactions to Employees Retention in Travel and Tourism Industry: A Theoretical Construct. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Research, 7(4), 45-52. Link Aykac, A. (2010). Tourism employment: Towards an integrated policy approach. Anatolia, 21(1), 11-27. Link Baltagi, B. H. (2005). Econometric Analysis of Panel Data (3. edition) John Wiley & Sons, pp:424. Baum, T. (1994). National tourism policies: implementing the human resource dimension. Tourism Management, 15(4), 259-266. Link Blake, A., Sinclair, M. T., & Soria, J. A. C. (2006). Tourism Productivity Evidence from the United Kingdom. Annals of Tourism Research, 33(4), 1099–1120. Link Blomme, R. J., Van Rheede, A., & Tromp, D. M. (2010). The use of the psychological contract to explain turnover intentions in the hospitality industry: A research study on the impact of gender on the turnover intentions of highly educated employees. The International Journal 18 of Human Resource Management, 21(1), 144-162. Link Buechel, F. (2002). The effects of overeducation on productivity in Germany – the firms’ viewpoint. Economics of Education Review, 21 (3), 263-275. Link Burns, P. M. (1993). Sustaining tourism employment.

    Reflections of skilled and unskilled labor on the tourism sector · 2026 · DOI

  • Although work-integrated learning (WIL) through internships and workplace learning is established in hospitality curricula within the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) environment, the application of PjBL remains unexplored.

    Student Perceptions of Project-Based Learning in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Hospitality Education: A Case of a TVET College in Gauteng · 2023 · DOI

  • The paper represents the first endeavour to examine the management of resort Mini Clubs, proposes to fill a gap in the literature aimed to recognise the increasing role of children activities in the leisure and hospitality sector, and contributes to the study of ambidextrous management in leisure research.

    Proposed framework for the management of resorts Mini Clubs: an ambidextrous approach · 2019 · DOI

  • However, there is generally limited literature on OCB in Zimbabwe as there are few studies that were carried out especially on the Zimbabwean hospitality industry.

    Assessing the impact of the predictors of organisational citizenship behaviour in the hospitality industry in Zimbabwe · 2016

  • Abstract Despite the rapid growth in the provision of tourism higher education over the past 40 years, there remain uncertainties relating to the content and nature of tourism degrees, and challenges in aligning tourism education with the needs of the tourism industry.

    Is Tourism Education Meeting the Needs of the Tourism Industry? An Australian case study · 2010 · DOI

  • The inspectors expressed the assessment specificity of 65 important hotel selection attributes, indicating those which could be assessed by observation, those which could not be assessed and those which could be specifically assessed.

    Do Hotel Grading Inspections Assess What Customers and Hotel Managers Perceive to Be Important? An Innovative Assertion · 2000 · DOI

  • A further study of the same department is currently being under- taken, to test the validity of selection procedures introduced in 1964 and to investigate the career expectations of undergraduates who registered for the course between 1967 and t970.

    Success, failure and wastage in a Department of Hotel and Catering Management · 1972 · DOI

  • Research engagement in hospitality management education remains a persistently underexplored dimension of academic preparation, despite the discipline’s growing emphasis on evidence-based innovation and industry-responsive knowledge production.

    Addressing Research Anxieties and Skill Deficiencies Among Hospitality Management Faculty and Students: Evidence from a Public Higher EducationInstitution in the Philippines · 2026 · DOI

  • At the same time, the research highlights the importance of the internal experience of architecture and its impact on guests' emotional needs, an area that has so far been insufficiently researched in scientific circles.

    Contemporary Challenges in Hotel Design and Architecture: Sustainability, Emotional Experience, and Architectural Preferences in Hotel Selection · 2026 · DOI

  • The study may be food for thought for all practitioners in the hospitality industry, especially in restaurant SMEs that are an under-researched part of the industry.

    Hospitality Human Capital process model in crisis management: Managing human capital and revealing employees’ hidden capabilities · 2025 · DOI

  • However, limited knowledge exists about what motivates hospitality establishments to adopt sustainable practices and the barriers they face, especially in the Global South.

    Sustainability Drivers and Challenges in the Hospitality Sector in Zimbabwe · 2023 · DOI

  • Despite the European Union's current interest in promoting global skill development for hospitality and tourism professionals, international internships for European students remains an under-investigated topic.

    A European student perspective of international internship value · 2022 · DOI

  • Despite the flourishing tourism activities and businesses in Latin America, few studies have been documented to understand how the hospitality and tourism programs in higher education have been educating their students to cater to the tourism industry’s needs.

    Hospitality and Tourism Education in Five Latin American Countries: Its Reviews and Suggestions for Educational Improvement · 2021 · DOI

  • Previous studies show that minimizing the gap between students’ expectations and perceptions of internships is essential to attract students to enter the same industry upon graduation, but research on the concerns in retail tourism internships is lacking.

    Expectations and Perceptions of the Internship Program: A Case Study of Tourism Retail and Marketing Students in Macao · 2021 · DOI

  • The situation with the application of the concept of business excellence in the practice of hotel companies in B&H is not particularly favourable, since this issue has not been addressed at all.

    Research on the importance of performance of business excellence of hotel companies in the time of globalization and regionalization · 2021 · DOI

  • The limitations of this study include the focus on restaurants, cafes and take-aways - a wider hospitality industry study would provide a more industry representative perspective.

    Hospitality business longevity under COVID-19: The impact of COVID-19 on New Zealand’s hospitality industry · 2021 · DOI

  • Although academic papers on MOOCs have mushroomed over the past ten years, few studies have focused on MOOC dropout and retention.

    The MOOC dropout phenomenon and retention strategies · 2020 · DOI

  • However, insights about how tourists perceive the hospitality of touristic service providers and how these perceptions vary between guests of different origins are still scarce.

    Feeling (un)welcome in Switzerland: The perception of commercial hospitality by domestic and international tourists · 2020 · DOI

  • Little is known about students’ evaluations of instructors on public, online teacher-rating websites, especially in the hospitality and tourism field.

    Rapport, rigor, and rate my professor: students’ perceptions of hospitality and tourism professors · 2018 · DOI

  • Even though several researchers have studied Millennials as hospitality employees, limited research has explored the importance of the quality of relationships Millennials have with colleagues and customers; in addition, gender differences among Millennials have not been extensively examined.

    Investigating the Impact of Relationship Quality During an Internship on Millennials’ Career Decisions and Gender Differences · 2018 · DOI

  • The paper recommends that the government seeks to address the noted concerns and notes the need for further research on the efficacy of the different investment promotion initiatives in view of the amount of resources that the government commits in terms of incentives to the sector.

    Appraising the role of public sector in Kenya’s competitiveness as a tourism investment destination: Hotel investors’ perspectives · 2016 · DOI

  • This study makes an initial attempt to fill this gap in the literature by involving all three stakeholder groups—student interns, industry organizations, and academic institutions—in the discussion.

    The Determinants of Hospitality Internship Quality From the Perspectives of Three Stakeholders: A Case From Taiwan · 2014 · DOI

  • The globalization and expansion of multinationals has led to various studies on expatriation management, but literature regarding this issue in the hotel industry is still scarce, especially in Romania.

    EXPATRIATE HOTEL MANAGERS' PERSPECTIVE ON CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS · 2014

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75 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 2,101 Hospitality and Tourism Education papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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