Hospitality Education in Tanzania: Is There a Need to Develop Environmental Awareness?

Abstract

Tanzania is well placed to offer tourists a unique experience centred on wildlife, unique landforms and a rich culture centred on the island of Zanzibar. This potential is recognised by the current Tanzanian government which is actively encouraging tourism development. Some of the responsibility for maintaining the balance between conservation of the nation's natural assets and profit must fall, ultimately, on the educators of future hospitality and tourism managers. After reviewing tourism development in Tanzania, this article discusses the operation of one of the few hospitality educators in the important Northern Wildlife Area of the country and highlights current attitudes regarding environmental awareness held by staff and students. The results suggest a lack of environmental awareness by members of staff, resulting in the absence of such issues in the curriculum. As a consequence, graduates complete their qualification with short term attitudes to tourism and are therefore unaware of the importance of protecting their country's environment. The article concludes with several suggestions as to how hospitality and tourism educators in developed nations could become involved with the direction of tourism in Tanzania.