Is tourism and hospitality education supporting sustainability?

Abstract

PurposeEducation can provide learners with the necessary awareness, values and skills to understand the complexity of sustainability. This study aims to analyse the extent to which sustainability concepts have been implemented in higher education programmes in the tourism and hospitality fields.Design/methodology/approachFor the purpose of the current study, data on all tourism and hospitality programmes offered in Cyprus higher education institutions (HEIs) at the Bachelor level was obtained. Analysis was conducted on publicly available programme descriptions, learning outcomes, program content and syllabi and course descriptions.FindingsThe study finds that sustainability concept implementation in undergraduate hospitality and tourism degree programmes is at a developing stage. The majority of the HEI follow trends and offer sustainability courses either as compulsory or elective courses, but concept implementation in programme learning outcomes and programme descriptions is relatively limited.Originality/valueThis paper presents a review of data and evidence on sustainability concept implementation in tourism and hospitality education in Cyprus.

Sustainability in hospitality education: research trends and future directions

“…The industry encompasses various sub-sectors, including lodging, food service, meeting, events, attractions and transportation. However, due to the diverse nature of the industry with a complex system and interaction between different stakeholders, a few sectors' impacts are undesirable and pose a major challenge to sustainability (Berjozkina and Melanthiou, 2021;Liu et al, 2017). As students are future managers, policymakers, academicians and citizens, HEIs must inculcate the right attitude and behaviour towards sustainability through sustainable hospitality education (SHE) whilst moving forward to achieve SDGs.…”

“…Whilst ESD is considered a formal commitment to making HEIs themselves more sustainable through initiatives such as sustainable campus, sustainable procurement and so on, EE denotes the initiatives that aim to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum (Boley, 2011;Figueir o and Raufflet, 2015;Kohl et al, 2022;Th€ urer et al, 2018;Wu and Shen, 2016). Although SHE is frequently used in the literature, no comprehensive definition is available (Berjozkina and Melanthiou, 2021;Boley et al, 2014;Deale, 2013;Deale and Barber, 2012;Liu et al, 2017;Millar and Park, 2013). Whilst authors from hospitality restricted sustainable education to the practices specific to teaching, learning, pedagogy, curriculum, leadership and collaborative research, researchers from other disciplines used it to denote the whole institutional approach towards sustainability (Albareda-Tiana et al, 2020;Franco et al, 2019;Kohl et al, 2022;Velazquez et al, 2005; Zal_ enien_ e and Pereira, 2021).…”

Opening the path of gastro-tourism cluster development: the case of Cyprus

“…There is a growing need for qualified personnel to work in hotels, restaurants, tour operations and other related businesses to provide the best service for the tourist. These future industry professionals are prepared by the ever-increasing number of tourism and hospitality schools and faculties in Cyprus higher education institutions (Berjozkina and Melanthiou, 2021), and collaboration would ensure that educational institutions respond to the changing nature and needs of these businesses, preparing the students with the right sets of skills, knowledge, and competencies. Research in the field also supports the need for a culinary cluster, not just in terms of researching and highlighting heritage, local cuisine and traditions, but also in understanding the evolving needs and expectations of tourists and contributing to the innovativeness of the cluster.…”

Adoption of sustainable practices by Asian hotels: gaps in academia

“…Wilson and von der Heidt (2013) reveal that while institutional and systematic pressures help to inculcate sustainability values in the hospitality curricula, enabling such capacities in the higher education context remains challenging. In the same vein, Berjozkina and Melanthiou (2021), in their study of Higher Education Institutions providing hospitality education based in Cyprus, noted that sustainability as a concept in the curricula was still at its nascent stage. Similarly, Boley (2013) and Hussain et al (2020) call for action regarding the integration of sustainability in tourism and hospitality education programs, as this is needed to counter exigencies like mass tourism and environmental degeneration in the Asian context.…”