Making a career of it? Hospitality students’ future perspectives: an Anglo‐Dutch study

TLDR

The study aims to assess hospitality students’ perceptions of the international industry, their likelihood of employment, preferred regions, functional areas, and expected positions five and ten years post‑graduation, while also examining industry image and curriculum development. Data were collected via a questionnaire administered at two universities—one in the UK and one in the Netherlands—offering hospitality management degrees. Students show distinct preferences for particular hotel departments, chains, and industry sectors; most foresee becoming general or corporate managers in ten years, yet their perception of the industry deteriorates as the degree progresses.

Abstract

The aim of this research is to establish students’ perceptions of the international hospitality industry and, specifically, to establish the likelihood of the student seeking employment in the industry after graduating, the region/country where the student intends seeking employment, the functional area/sector which is most attractive to the student and the position which the student expects to hold five and ten years after graduating. The research is based on a questionnaire administered at two universities offering hospitality management degrees, one in the UK, the other in The Netherlands. The main findings are that students have a distinct preference for certain hotel departments, hotel chains and sectors of the industry. Most expect to be general manager/corporate manager ten years after graduating. As the degree progresses, the students’ perception of the industry deteriorates. The paper concludes by examining issues relating to the image of the industry and the development of hospitality curricula.