Understanding aspirations in tourism students

Tourism education is frequently challenged with lower quality student intake, disjointed engagement, and poorer academic performance leading to uncertain career aspirations. Low aspirations tend to predominate among tourism students, with many having little interest in the industry as a long-term career option. This, in turn, affects employer perceptions and graduate employability. We use capability and uncertainty theory in this qualitative study to understand the aspirations, employment perceptions, barriers, and expectations of graduate students of a tourism programme at a post-92 British university. We find marked differences in aspirations and in clarity and appreciation of opportunities within the sample and suggest suitable recommendations that can lead to greater engagement with the tourism industry and long-term employability.