“…Therefore, because the transition to a BL model marks a significant change in the South African educational system, taking student perspectives into consideration is critical, as they are the directly affected by the learning environment, and lecturers cannot provide students with personalised and rich content to achieve learning outcomes unless they understand student perceptions (Chizhik & Chizhik, 2018). The tourism industry, especially hospitality sector (Deale, 2023), aims to attract young graduates who are dynamic and possess knowledge, skills, and competencies that match sector trends and demands (Ezeuduji, Chibe & Nyathela, 2017;Luka, 2023). The university educators must therefore develop critical and reflective thinkers to manage this dynamic environment in the tourism industry (Ezeuduji, Chibe & Nyathela, 2017).…”