Article: Tourism education policy and student choice: undergraduates' perceptions of education and career pathways across two program tracks Journal: International Journal of Tourism Policy (IJTP) 2026 Vol.16 No.3 pp.261 - 275 Abstract: This study examines the academic and career-related attitudes of undergraduate students in two tourism programs in Türkiye: tourism management and tour guiding. A qualitative research methodology was used, including semi-structured interviews with students. The results reveal that while tourism management students highlighted considerations such as a variety of job opportunities, tour-guidance students emphasised self-development and financial viability as primary motivators. Despite these motives, participants expressed considerable career-related concerns, including unstable work conditions, occupational discrimination, and, particularly among tour-guiding students, concerns about licensure and job security. Although undergraduate-level tourism education is offered at many institutions in Türkiye, a significant number of graduates do not choose to remain in the tourism sector, which is a critical issue. Moreover, the fact that tour guiding education is provided at the undergraduate level in Türkiye, unlike in many other countries, makes this field a relatively new and under-researched topic in the literature, offering potential for scholarly contributions. Furthermore, it examines the impact of recent policy amendments on students' future perspectives and the development of their professional identities. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Tourism education policy and student choice: undergraduates' perceptions of education and career pathways across two program tracks

Authors: Pembe Ülker; Nazlı Aysin Örnek

Addresses: Faculty of Tourism, Erciyes University, Kayseri, 38030, Türkiye ' Faculty of Tourism, Erciyes University, Kayseri, 38030, Türkiye

Abstract: This study examines the academic and career-related attitudes of undergraduate students in two tourism programs in Türkiye: tourism management and tour guiding. A qualitative research methodology was used, including semi-structured interviews with students. The results reveal that while tourism management students highlighted considerations such as a variety of job opportunities, tour-guidance students emphasised self-development and financial viability as primary motivators. Despite these motives, participants expressed considerable career-related concerns, including unstable work conditions, occupational discrimination, and, particularly among tour-guiding students, concerns about licensure and job security. Although undergraduate-level tourism education is offered at many institutions in Türkiye, a significant number of graduates do not choose to remain in the tourism sector, which is a critical issue. Moreover, the fact that tour guiding education is provided at the undergraduate level in Türkiye, unlike in many other countries, makes this field a relatively new and under-researched topic in the literature, offering potential for scholarly contributions. Furthermore, it examines the impact of recent policy amendments on students' future perspectives and the development of their professional identities.

Keywords: tourism education; tour guidance; tourism management; tourism profession; tourism education policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2026.154180

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2026 Vol.16 No.3, pp.261 - 275

Received: 28 Oct 2025
Accepted: 01 Feb 2026
Published online: 15 Jun 2026 *

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Title: Tourism education policy and student choice: undergraduates' perceptions of education and career pathways across two program tracks

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