Recognizing the challenges of tourism education via stakeholders' viewpoints (case study: Kurdistan Province)

Extended Abstract



Objectives

Today, tourism is considered one of the top and most dynamic industries globally, attracting the attention of numerous stakeholders. In this regard, planners, governments, and various destinations have emphasized the preservation and sustainability of their development through this industry. Human resources are the most important asset of the tourism industry and are vital for success. Therefore, trained and specialized human resources are considered a source of competitive advantage for businesses and destinations. Given these circumstances, one of the key success strategies that most destinations focus on is education. Incorporating education into tourism can lead to better understanding of tourism and, at the same time, enhancement of human capital development, which is the most crucial asset of any destination. The importance of this issue is to the extent that one of the main reasons for Iran's lack of success in tourism despite its abundant resources and potentials is attributed to the weakness in education and consequently the introduced human resources. Based on this, it can be expected that this challenge exists in most tourist destinations in Iran, such as Kurdistan province as an emerging destination in the Iranian tourism market. Although some measures have been taken towards education development in the province, such as the expansion of short-term education institutions and the approval of tourism major in university of Kurdistan, challenges still exist. Identifying these challenges can contribute to improving the quality of tourism education, enhancing skills and knowledge, increasing competitiveness, and developing effective human resources. In this regard, this research intends to address the discussion of tourism education in Kurdistan province as the first study considering the perspectives of all stakeholders. Therefore, this research aims to identify the challenges of tourism education with a specific focus on this province and its economic, socio-cultural, and geographical realities, considering the perspectives of all stakeholders.

Method

The present research is classified as applied in terms of its objective and qualitative-exploratory in terms of the nature of the data. Since the aim of this research is to identify the challenges facing tourism education in Kurdistan province, a qualitative method will enable a deep exploration of the phenomenon under study, facilitating the answer to the research question. In this study, the most important stakeholders in tourism education will be identified, and then various subgroups of these stakeholders will be enumerated, and the challenges of tourism education will be addressed through the collection of primary data from all stakeholder groups. The sampling strategy of this research employs purposive sampling, a type of non-probability sampling, within six groups: learners, educational institutions, tourists, government, tourism education experts, and businesses. The most common method of data collection in this research will be through interviews with selected individuals and groups or cases under study. Content analysis will be utilized as the method for data analysis.

Results

Based on the criteria mentioned regarding the sufficiency of the number of interviews and the validity and reliability of the data, 75 semi-structured, context-centered interviews were conducted face-to-face, by telephone, or online (via Google Meet) individually or in groups. Each interview lasted an average of 50 minutes. After completing the coding process, conceptual statements were categorized, and through the process of thematic analysis, challenges in tourism education (the main theme) were classified into three main themes (challenges related to education itself, challenges related to ineffective external mechanisms, and challenges related to the nature of tourism), and 31 sub-themes were extracted. The analysis of the findings indicates that in tourism education, we face three key categories of challenges: challenges related to education itself, challenges related to ineffective external mechanisms, and challenges related to the nature of tourism. Each of these challenges encompasses subsidiary dimensions, which we will elaborate on below.

Discussion

Regarding the challenges of the tourism education process, we are faced with challenges such as the presence of non-specialists, lack of targeted education, shortage of specialized workforce, lack of systematic view, inappropriate curriculum, experience-centered or theory-centered teaching, internal knowledge, educational aversion, and trade-oriented education. Beyond the challenges related to education and its complexities, part of the inefficiency of education extends to external environments and ineffective mechanisms associated with organizations involved in tourism. Concerning challenges related to relational aspects, we encounter island-like activities, non-observance of supervision, lack of independent budget, quantity-oriented education, lack of infrastructure, and top-down policymaking. Finally, the unique nature of tourism imposes complexities on education, such as its international nature, service orientation, human-centeredness, interactive nature, experience orientation, customized services, cross-sectionalism, and susceptibility to crises. Overall, the findings of this research reveal a comprehensive view of the challenges facing tourism education. Undoubtedly, identifying these challenges will provide a basis for redesigning educational programs and policies at the local and regional levels to enhance the quality and effectiveness of education.

Conclusion

This research falls into the category of few studies attempting to provide a comprehensive view of the challenges facing education in tourism. The findings of this research will not only benefit educational institutions but also various stakeholders in tourism, such as learners in various fields, businesses, tourists, and local communities. Addressing these challenges will not only enhance the effectiveness of education but also affect the satisfaction of the recipients.

Funding

This research has been carried out with financial support from Kurdistan Science and Technology Park.

Authors contribution

The first author was responsible for the methodology, data collection, and analysis section. The second author drafted the introduction, discussion, and conclusion sections. The third author gathered and formulated the theoretical foundations of the research. Additionally, the fourth author contributed to drafting the discussion and conclusion sections as well as the final editing of the article.



Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the authorship and/or publication of this article.



Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all individuals and groups who contributed to making this research possible in any way, especially the actors in the tourism ecosystem who, by sharing their experiences, made it possible to access the necessary research data. . . . .