M. Tech. Tourism and Hospitality Management / The tourism industry has received a great deal of attention where economic development issues are discussed. South Africa is not an exception to this trend. The country places a high premium on tourism in terms of economic growth. As the attention paid to the tourism industry has increased, attempts to resource the tourism industry through tourism education have also increased. In spite of the increased provision of tourism education, it still faces criticism for its limited ability to meet the needs of the tourism industry. Tourism employers complain about skills mismatch resulting in the inability of tourism students to perform tourism jobs once they have qualified from a tourism programme. A host of studies have investigated the content and the relevance of tourism education. However, these studies are concentrated on first world countries, particularly the United Kingdom and Australia. Very little is yet known about the South African curriculum content for tourism higher education. The primary aim of this research is to determine whether students with a National Diploma: Tourism Management meet the Human Resource requirements of tourism employers using the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Gauteng as a case study. TUT is a public higher education institution located in Gauteng, South Africa.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 2004 / The research is aimed at achieving a conceptual analysis of tourism training. Training initiatives in the Western Cape province are frequently mentioned by way of example, while the respective roles of tertiary institutions, the future Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the Sector Education and Training Authority for the Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority (THETA) are extensively explored in the research. An investigation is undertaken to determine the gaps between the output of the tourism education and training system and the real demand of tourism employers. The research report will delineate the issues that need to be covered in the research study to determine the gaps between the output of the tourism education and training system and the real demand of tourism employers. A pilot study, commissioned by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), reveal gaps in tourism training worldwide, especially in the occupational category of front-line workers. In this category, the most common gaps relate to interpersonal communication skills, languages, computing and elementary knowledge of business techniques. The conclusions of the pilot study are noted and explained by pointing out the need to incorporate the changes in education regarding learnerships, skills programmes and work-based qualifications, as set out by the Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority (THETA) for the tourism industry. The research proceed to highlight the role of other major stakeholders, for example, that of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) with the view that tourism must be understood in a global, national and provincial context.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology, (Tourism Management) in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / There is a growing demand for professionally educated and trained staff in the tourism sector. However, current literature reveals a significant disparity between the tourism education provided by institutions and the skills required by the industry. A major challenge facing tourism education institutions is the identification of industry needs and requirements and the involvement of industry in curriculum design. The aim of this research is to examine the education, skills and training required of tourism employees and whether the provisions of higher education tourism courses are adequately meeting industry needs. Identifying this „gap‟ will assist in improving the development of tourism education programmes to meet the needs of industry. The research examines the relevance of the tourisms qualification from three stakeholders‟ perspectives, namely, managers from the tourism sector, tourism graduate employees, and tourism academics. Surveys, in the form of structured questionnaires, were used to obtain information from the three groups. The overall findings of the study revealed that gaps do exist in the tourism curriculum according to the perceptions of stakeholder groups that participated in this study. The recommendations are that closer collaboration is required between academics, managers from the industry when designing tourism curriculum and also to sustain the relevance of the curriculum to meet the needs of industry.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology, (Tourism Management) in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / There is a growing demand for professionally educated and trained staff in the tourism sector. However, current literature reveals a significant disparity between the tourism education provided by institutions and the skills required by the industry. A major challenge facing tourism education institutions is the identification of industry needs and requirements and the involvement of industry in curriculum design. The aim of this research is to examine the education, skills and training required of tourism employees and whether the provisions of higher education tourism courses are adequately meeting industry needs. Identifying this „gap‟ will assist in improving the development of tourism education programmes to meet the needs of industry. The research examines the relevance of the tourisms qualification from three stakeholders‟ perspectives, namely, managers from the tourism sector, tourism graduate employees, and tourism academics. Surveys, in the form of structured questionnaires, were used to obtain information from the three groups. The overall findings of the study revealed that gaps do exist in the tourism curriculum according to the perceptions of stakeholder groups that participated in this study. The recommendations are that closer collaboration is required between academics, managers from the industry when designing tourism curriculum and also to sustain the relevance of the curriculum to meet the needs of industry.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The 2011 National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) adopted the concept of sustainable development towards decent work as a strategic objective of priority in the South African tourism industry (South African National Department of Tourism (SA.NDT), 2011a). The objective operates to address unfavourable aspects associated with work in tourism, and is relevant to tourism graduates as their susceptibility to decent work deficits contributes to a shortage of professionals with industry-related skills in the tourism industry. Over four years have passed since the SA.NDT declared priority interest on the decent work objective in 2011. Yet no noticeable progress has yet been made. This has raised a need to expand the knowledge base on decent work in tourism so as to retain skilled tourism professionals and sustainably develop the industry, as it is a priority sector for the country’s sustainable growth. The focus of this study was to establish tourism graduates’ perceptions (and experiences) of decent work in the tourism industry, as they are susceptible to decent work deficits and are abandoning the labour sector for which they created expectations and were highly trained. Due to the exploratory nature of the study, a qualitative research approach was adopted using a structured interview guide to collect primary data. The target population was limited to the 135 tourism graduates of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s BTech in Tourism Management programme, who completed their studies between the years 2010 and 2014. Stratified sampling and snowball sampling techniques were used to obtain a representative sample of 40 tourism graduates. Primary data were analysed using Leximancer software. The key findings of the study reveal the majority of the respondents surveyed to be mainly single females which reflect the population of the local tourism industry, of an average age of 27 years, and earning an average monthly salary of R7 007.35. In relation to historical race categories, Africans were the most noticeable compared to other races. The working career of the majority of these tourism graduates was on average four to five years before exiting the industry to pursue a different career. This was attributed to a predominance of precarious tourism work conditions and inaccessibility of decent work as tourism qualifications are apparently not valued in the tourism labour market. The findings underlined that work in tourism covers present financial needs and does not protect employees against possible future unemployment, illness, or old age. Tourism role players should collaborate to establish decent work focus areas as a step towards addressing unfavourable work conditions in the tourism industry. This should mitigate shortages of skilled tourism human resources. The study suggested eight decent work focus areas for addressing poor working conditions and sustainable development towards decent work in the South African tourism industry.

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of destination marketing organization CEO's/Executive Directors towards the disabled. The study uses Wolfensberger's (1983) Social Role Valorization Theory as a basis for examining these attitudes. This theory proposes that when society gives value to the disabled person, then the society as a whole gains. First, the literature was reviewed to find out the relevant information about the disabled in the tourism industry. Second, Wolfensberger's Social Role Valorization Theory was assessed to see if his model actually worked. Third, a test was administered to see if individual attitudes would affect the hiring of disabled workers in destination marketing organizations. The findings showed that Wolfensberger's model of Social Role Valorization did not work within this group of individuals. The findings also showed that many of the destination marketing managers would not hire the disabled in their organizations due to the problem of the disabled having a "poor appearance" to their customers. The data suggested that the respondents were not fully forthcoming because of the issue of "political correctness" in the destination marketing organization. Because of this the issue was raised that it may be difficult in the future to do this kind of research dealing with issues of discrimination toward disabled persons. / Ph. D.

by Wan Man-fong Sylvia. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1988. / Bibliography: leaves 58-59.

Submitted in full requirement of Degree of Master of Management Sciences Specialising in Hospitality and Tourism , Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Faculty of Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Sfrica. 2015. / There is a considerable gap between what is provided by tourism education providers and the needs expressed by the industry. Literature pertaining to private higher education institutions based in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) curriculum provision is very limited. Therefore, this study sought to determine whether tourism qualifications offered at registered private higher education institutions in KZN are aligned with the needs of the local tourism industry. This study accordingly identified and investigated the gaps between the needs of the local tourism industry and the core tourism curriculum offered at private institutions. In addition, the study closely examined the curricula offered by analysing and comparing the similarities and differences between the tourism curriculums of each private institution. In order to provide solutions and recommendations for future curriculum development, stakeholder’s views on what a tourism curriculum offered at private higher education institutions should entail was evaluated. Respondents comprised of managers from selected sectors of the local tourism industry, tourism graduates, tourism curriculum designers and tourism academics of the selected private higher education institutions. To achieve the first and third objective, a mixed-methods approach was adapted. This empirical study utilised electronic surveys to obtain a sample of 164 participants. A document analysis entailing thematic analysis was also complied to address the second objective. The findings revealed that there are more similarities amongst the education providers’ formal curriculum content than differences. However, the tourism curricula on offer by all the sampled private higher education institutions were observed not to align with the needs of the local tourism industry. Therefore, this study identified numerous gaps between the needs of the local tourism industry and the provisions by private higher education institutions. The misalignment was found to be attributable to multiple factors for which recommendations are made. / M

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Students graduate from Boland College after obtaining the National Certificates N4 – N6 in Tourism. I have been working at Boland College Stellenbosch Campus as a tourism lecturer for 12 years and over the past few years I have found that students have been struggling to find employment in the tourism industry on completion of their studies. The national tourism curriculum offered at FET colleges was implemented in 1995 with the last renewal in 2001 for selected subjects. The tourism industry, however, is a vibrant, ever-changing industry which stands in direct contrast with a static, needs-insensitive and unchanging curriculum. The aim of this study was to establish in which respects the current national tourism curriculum corresponds, or does not correspond, with what the tourism industry in Stellenbosch requires from entry-level employees in terms of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes. Qualitative methods were used to generate data from employers representing the tourism industry in Stellenbosch, graduates and lecturers from Boland College. Research participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed by doing verbatim transcriptions of the interviews, using coding and an Excel spread sheet analysis. The results revealed specific areas where the current national tourism curriculum does not correspond with the expectations and needs that the tourism industry in Stellenbosch has from entry-level employees in terms of expected skills, knowledge and attitudes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studente ontvang ‘n kwalifikasie in Toerisme nadat hulle die Nasionale Sertifikate N4 – N6 in Toerisme voltooi het. Ek werk die afgelope 12 jaar as toerismedosent by Boland Kollege Stellenbosch Kampus. Gedurende die afgelope paar jaar het ek gevind dat studente sukkel om werk te kry in die toerismebedryf nadat hulle hul studies voltooi het. Die nasionale toerisme-kurrikulum wat by VOO Kolleges aangebied word, is in 1995 geïmplementeer en die laaste keer in 2001 hernu en boonop slegs in sekere vakke. Die toerismebedryf is egter ‘n lewendige, vinnig-veranderende industrie in direkte teenstelling met die statiese, onveranderde kurrikulum wat oënskynlik nie sensitief genoeg is vir die behoeftes van die toerismebedryf nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel in watter mate die huidige nasionale toerisme-kurrikulum ooreenstem, of nie ooreenstem nie, met wat die toerismebedryf in Stellenbosch verwag van intreevlak-werknemers in terme van verwagte vaardighede, kennis en houdings. Kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data te genereer en onderhoude is gevoer met werkgewers wat die toerismebedryf in Stellenbosch verteenwoordig asook gegradueerdes en dosente van Boland Kollege. Daar is hoofsaaklik gebruik gemaak van semi-gestruktueerde onderhoude. Die data-analise het bestaan uit verbatim getranskribeerde onderhoude, die kodering daarvan asook ‘n genoteerde Excel-ontledingstaat. Die resultate van die studie dui op spesifieke aspekte van die nasionale toerisme kurrikulum wat nie ooreenstem met die verwagtinge en behoeftes wat die toerisme-industrie in Stellenbosch het van intreevlak werknemers in terme van vaardighede, kennis en houdings nie.