Experiences with emergency distance education: A dilemma between face-to-face education and distance education in tour guiding

Abstract

Universities switched from face-to-face to emergency distance education as a solution to the crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic. This enabled face-to-face students to experience distance education. This study examined these experiences for tour guiding education. Distance education was available in tour guiding departments at a few Türkiye universities before the pandemic, and this was a discussion topic in academic. However, emergency distance education presented a dilemma for students: distance education or face-to-face education. Thus, the research includes students in the face-to-face tour guiding departments. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was employed to collect data using semi-structured interviews and an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings revealed that students preferred face-to-face education while being uncertain about the pros and cons of distance education. However, this decision should be underlined as not definitive. The study emphasizes that distance education is ineffective for tour guiding education due to the absence of practical courses, which are crucial for tour guiding, as well as effective communication. The study provides theoretical insights into the educational strategies used in tourism during crises and offers practical implications for enhancing distance education in higher education institutions.