Management Development Skills in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector: Needs and Issues from a Regional Perspective

Abstract

Skills development, training and continuing professional education are perceived as critical factors leading to competitiveness of destinations and improvements to quality of tourist experiences. However, they are a perennial issue facing the hospitality and tourism sectors, which are perceived as low-skilled, and where management development is driven by internal promotion. However, most research in this area has focused on skills generally, whereas this study focuses on gaps in, and the need for, management skills specifically. Management skills and training development needs in the sector are analysed in a regional context to highlight barriers and drivers of training uptake locally. The research informs policy on provision of training and concludes for the need to increase communication and routes to training within the sector.