Hospitality and Tourism Education in Five Latin American Countries: Its Reviews and Suggestions for Educational Improvement

ABSTRACT Many countries in Latin America have been offering hospitality and tourism programs in higher education, as tourism is becoming a major source of their gross domestic products (GDP). Despite the flourishing tourism activities and businesses in Latin America, few studies have been documented to understand how the hospitality and tourism programs in higher education have been educating their students to cater to the tourism industry’s needs. This study aims to assess the current status of hospitality and tourism education (H&TE) in five Latin American countries (i.e., Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru) by identifying the characteristics of each program that offers the bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management. The findings of this study provide hospitality and tourism educators in these countries with pedagogical suggestions and directions for program enhancement.