Sustainable educational tourism and the acculturation of international students from the Global South

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of this study is to understand the acculturation experiences of international students in order to maximize their academic and social experiences which, in turn, can facilitate the development of sustainable educational tourism in the host country.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative methodology and semi-structured interview techniques, 40 international postgraduate tourism students from the Global South were interviewed.FindingsThe findings in this study demonstrated that the main problems faced by these students are inadequate funds and language difficulties.Originality/valueThis study highlighted the fact that although the number of international students is growing all over the world, for most of the students from poorer parts of the world, being an international student is fraught with difficulties. It also demonstrated that although acculturation stress is a serious concern, lack of adequate funding assumes greater importance for students from a poor background.