International Handbook of Skill, Education, Learning, and Research Development in Tourism and Hospitality

Book excerpt: This handbook provides new dimensions and directions to design tourism education curriculums and transform students' learning. It delves into issues such as job opportunities, business opportunities, required skill sets, and the role of critical and creative thinking in tourism education, and focuses on a shift in mindset from R&D (research and development) to L&D (learning and development), to aid in gaining in-the-field knowledge. It presents a global perspective on the latest trends, innovative curriculum, research, and skill needs in the travel, tourism, and hotel industry via empirical, theoretical, and conceptual chapters, as well as through global case studies. This handbook explores how to develop the skills, attributes and prospects for employment in these competitive industries, and also highlights what employers in the tourism and hospitality sectors expect from graduate and/or post-graduate candidates. Besides examining the contribution of tourism education towards a better society, this handbook introduces a new way of designing curriculums, and examines the past practices, current trends, and future opportunities in the field.