The Routledge Handbook of Tourism and Hospitality Education (Hardcover)

The changing higher education policy context, increased global competition, pressures on the academic workforce and the dynamic nature of student markets are some of the challenges currently facing worldwide tourism and hospitality education. Skills shortages are also a significant issue that affect the capacity of the tourism industry to develop and innovate. Tourism and hospitality education programs have an important role in addressing this issue, by producing graduates with the knowledge, skills, creative problem solving and adaptive capacities to operate in increasingly complex and challenging environments. This book examines such current debates, controversies and questions in the field of tourism and hospitality education. It takes as its central focus a dynamic curriculum space shaped by internal and external factors from global to local scales, a variety of values and perspectives contributed by a range of stakeholders, and shifting philosophies about education policy, pedagogy and teaching practice. Developed from specifically commissioned original contributions from recognised authors in the field the Handbook is interdisciplinary in coverage and is also international in scope through its authorship and content. The 'start of the art' critical review of the development of conceptual and theoretical approaches to tourism and hospitality education using the depth and breadth of the curriculum space as a central theme means that the book will be a benchmark for future curriculum design and development. Providing a systematic guide to the current state of knowledge on tourism and hospitality education and its future direction this is essential reading for students, researches and academics if Tourism, Hospitality, Events, Recreation and Leisure Studies.