Do Personality Traits Predict Students’ Interest and Intentions Toward Working in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry? Evidence from a Developing Country

Abstract

Drawing upon the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study aimed at predicting students’ interests and intentions to pursue a career in the tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry. Specifically, the study hypothesized that personality traits would have significant impacts on students’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations, which would further influence their interests and intentions toward working in the T&H industry. The results of the structural model showed that Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness significantly influence students’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations. However, Neuroticism and Agreeableness do only influence outcome expectations. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations were both significantly associated with students’ intentions to work in the industry. Implications for T&H educationalists and careers researchers, and directions for future research are also discussed.