Tourism and Hospitality institutes need to upgrade their curriculum regularly

The hospitality industry was one of the worst-hit sectors during covid and the resulting lockdown. The upshot of what we learnt from the recent pandemic was, that:-

1. Customers want to feel safe at the hotels; meaning standardised health and safety measures have to be followed where all the operations are compliant with the protocols including the use of UV lights air-cleaning technologies, etc.
2. Hospitality operators need to adapt to a contactless era, where mobile apps now serve as a self service option for hotel guests in terms of check-in / out, making dinner reservations, ordering in-room dining, operating in-room features, online payments and a host of other possibilities.
3. Properties re-model their architecture to make it safer and flexible for the guests - particularly in the lobbies, foyers and public areas where guests congregate in numbers and meet according to their needs.

Comparatively, now that the industry is back on its feet, the skills required have also changed, with greater focus on health and safety, digitalisation and certain structural transformations, where there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What it foretells us is that, skilling and re-skilling of the staff and the new students, by both hotels and hospitality management schools is required to address the evolving new normal.

Technology will continue to influence the hospitality industry, which means digital skills must be integrated into the curriculum of hospitality programmes in addition to the practical, soft skills and business management acumen.

The expeditious integration of AI and automation into the workforce is one of the driving forces behind changes in educational curricula. Colleges and universities around the world will be tasked with the frequent redesign of curriculum to prepare students for entry-level positions while bringing current managers up-to-speed for operational success in the revitalized tourism industry.

That change is coming is well known but the speed at which it is occurring is unexpected. Education, which is sometimes perceived as a sector which is resistant to change, may soon face a crisis of relevance, productivity and efficiency - unless hotel management colleges constantly restructure their curriculum to meet the current needs, and introduce courses on digitalisation, health and safety, revenue management business models, etc.

The average age of a hospitality worker is between 34 – 36 years, and this is set to skew even younger over the coming years. By 2030, it’s estimated that millennials (those aged between 18 and 34) will make up a greater proportion of the workforce. That’s why it’s so important to start introducing training technology for them now. They are the generations that have thrived on smartphones, YouTube, Netflix, Uber, Airbnb and Spotify. Learning techniques must focus on how to engage the millennial generation and create interest.

The challenges facing hospitality education are diverse. Historically, hospitality and tourism education has evolved in a heterogeneous and ad-hoc manner and does not often meet the needs of the industry.

Curricula may become outdated rapidly in today's fast-paced hospitality environment and institutions that fail to keep up with industry trends risk losing their competitive edge and failing to meet the demands of the job market. Ever so often, educational institutions have been accused by those in the hospitality industry that they are failing to bridge the gap between academia and the workforce.

Partnerships with outside organizations will help institutions design curricula that reflect the skills and knowledge needed in the real world.

In the words of Martin Luther King Junior: “We may have all come from different ships, but we are in the same boat now. It would be a win -win situation for all if the stakeholder can work together in cooperation and mutual understanding”.

Shafeek Wahab- Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Customer Service Trainer and Ex-Hotelier

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