Situation Analysis of Tourism and Hospitality Management Education in Nepal

Abstract

Tourism is a major industry in Nepal and is viewed as a tool for economic development especially in rural regions that depend on parks and protected areas. The country’s natural and cultural resources are major assets that further develop and promote tourism, but the lack of skilled human resources remains as a major barrier. There is a critical need to prepare individuals to become leaders, decision-makers and entrepreneurs in the private and public sectors. Tourism and hospitality management education is a new field and gaining in importance as various institutions become involved in training and degree programmes. The purpose of the research described in this chapter was to conduct a situational analysis of tourism and hospitality management education in Nepal based on four categories: availability, affordability, accessibility and accountability. Thematic analysis was used to explore the educational content, skills and employment prospects for human resource development. The analysis revealed that formal education, training and capacity-building programmes in Nepal were limited to a small number of higher-education institutions with restricted enrolment quotas, located in only a few cities. Also, programmes were largely offered by private institutions, which limited accessibility and affordability for poor and marginalised individuals, notably in rural areas. A system for national quality assessment, accreditation and standardisation of curricula was absent. In such a context, coordination between the national government, tourism industry and academic institutions for modification of curricula and training could aid in building and strengthening the human resources that will be necessary to meet Nepal’s goals for tourism development.