A Quality Assessment of Education and for Kenya's Tour-operating Sector

Abstract

This study examines the provision of tourism education and training in Kenya in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa and developing countries. Specifically the paper examines the human resource skills needed by Kenya's tour-operating sector and the extent to which current training provision is adequate. The approach used in the present study is a modified version of WTO's Tourism Education and Quality (TEDQUAL) methodology. The results indicate considerable convergence between the perceptions of industry operators and education providers concerning quality gaps in the development of skills. A number of systemic training shortcomings are identified including curriculum deficiencies and the inadequate development and enhancement of workplace skills. In view of the resource constraints facing most developing countries, it is argued that tourism training and education should consciously address the needs of the locally-based industry and that such an approach should result in a more effective education and training system.

Systems approach to tourism training and education: The Kenyan case study

“…There are many challenges that confront the development of systematic and well-coordinated tourism training initiatives both as a field of study and as a means of acquiring vocational skills (Airey & Nightingale, 1981;Baum, 2002;Collins, Sweeney, & Geen, 1994;Cooper, 2000;Cooper & Westlake, 1992;Koh, 1995;Mayaka & King, 2002;Saayman, 2005;WTO, 1997). Existing challenges as relates to the type and quality of tourism training and education revolve around the following principle issues.…”

“…This has led to the proliferation of public and private tourism training institutions that offer certificate and middle level training. Currently, there are over 200 training institutions situated in different parts of the country that offer tourism training (Mayaka, 1999;Mayaka & King, 2002). However, the quality and relevance of training programmes that are offered in most of these institutions is increasingly being put in dispute and there is clamour for urgent intervention to rectify the situation (Kenya Government, 1994;Mayaka, 1999Mayaka, , 2005Mayaka & King, 2002;Sindiga, 1994).…”

“…This is critical in view of the high number of students joining the job market from the various certificate and middle level colleges and concomitant low level of training of most of the workforce in Kenya's tourism industry (Mayaka, 2005;Mayaka & King, 2002).…”

Developing small firms in Township Tourism: Emerging tour operators in Gauteng, South Africa

“…In terms of the kinds of tourism small firms that have been under investigation, the central focus has been upon issues that challenge the development of the small accommodation sub-sector. The transport sub-sector is little researched with the most relevant studies concerning houseboats in Kerala as a means of achieving sustainable tourism in India (Kokkranikal and Morrison, 2002) and the education and training needs for Kenya's tour operating sector (Mayaka and King, 2002).…”

Yiyecek İçecek İşletmelerinde İşte Varolamama (Presenteeism) (Absence at Work (Presenteeism) in Food and Beverage Business)

“…Turizm işletmelerinde çalışanların davranışları, performansları, başarısı, verilen hizmetin kalitesi ve çalışanın kalitesi turizm işletmelerinin başarısını belirlemekte ve rekabet avantajı sağlamaktadır. (Kelley, 1992;Leslie ve Richardson 2000;Mattila ve Enz, 2002;Mayaka ve King 2002;Baum ve Szivas 2007;Singh, Hu ve Roehl, 2007;Solnet, 2007;Lee-Ross ve Pryce, 2010). Ayrıca hizmet karşılaşmalarındaki misafir çalışan etkileşiminin ve iletişiminin kalitesi, misafirlerdeki memnuniyet ve sadakat oluşumunda belirleyici olmaktadır (Kusluvan ve Kusluvan 2000;Solnet 2007).…”