Stakeholders and Tourism Education: Curriculum Planning Using a Quality Management Framework

Abstract

This paper outlines three new approaches which demonstrate the emergence of a new paradigm for tourism and hospitality education. Analysis of stakeholders provides insights into the legitimacy of those who seek to influence the educational process, in particular the tourism and hospitality sector, government, faculty members and students. Stakeholders can be seen to have two main roles in the educational process: first to influence the strategic direction of education via curriculum planning; and second, to measure performance, in particular through the quality management process. This paper details the main issues and stages involved in the adoption of these new concepts for tourism and hospitality education and the implications for the relationship between industry and higher education.