Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Tourism Education and Asia pp 227–242Cite as

Patterns of Tourism and Hospitality Education in India and Malaysia: A Critical Reflection

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Perspectives on Asian Tourism ((PAT))

Abstract

This chapter presents a comparative analysis of tourism higher education in India and Malaysia, two developing countries located in Asia. Based on an extensive review of literature and in light of the experiences of the authors as tourism educators in the countries selected for this study, the trends of past, present and future development, curriculum design, pedagogical innovations, popular demand for tourism and hospitality programmes, industry-academia gaps and government higher education policies are analysed. The chapter also examines public versus private institution-led tourism education in terms of differences in policy, faculty expertise and the scope of their activities. Finally, the socio-political, socio-economic and government ideology influences on tourism and hospitality education in these countries are discussed. While tourism education in India needs a boost in terms of professionalism and market orientation, Malaysian tourism education suffers from the overemphasis of these very same things – an extreme focus on employment can lead to the neglect of some of the exalted ideals that should be part of the objectives of a university education.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahmed, R., & Scott, N. (2014). Managing the front office department: Staffing issues in Malaysian hotels. Anatolia: A Multi-Disciplinary Journal, 25(1), 24–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Airey, D., Tribe, J., Benckendorff, P., & Xiao, H. (2015). The managerial gaze: The long tail of tourism education and research. Journal of Travel Research, 54(2), 139–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becket, N., & Brookes, M. (2008). Quality management practice in higher education: What quality are we actually enhancing? Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sports and Tourism Education, 7(1), 40–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouchon, F., Hussain, K., & Konar, R. (2015). Event management education and event industry: A case of Malaysia. Malaysian Online Journal of Education Management, 3(1), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, N. (2016). What is the fourth industrial revolution? Retrieved March 2, 2018, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/what-is-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/

  • Ernawati, D. (2003). Stakeholders’ views on higher tourism education. Annals of Tourism Research, 30(1), 255–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • George, B. P. (2013). A critical peep into tourism education in India: An ex-insider’s reflections. Retrieved 8 Aug 2017, from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2227986.

  • George, B. P. (2017). Innovation and change in tourism education with special focus on India. In P. Benckendorff & A. Zehrer (Eds.), Handbook of teaching and learning in tourism (pp. 575–590). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ghani, G. M. (2016). Tourists arrivals to Malaysia from Muslim countries. Tourism Management Perspectives, 20, 1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, A., & Zahari, M. S. M. (1994). Hospitality education in Malaysia: Filling the skill gap. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 6(6), 27–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • India regains title of world’s fastest-growing major economy (2017, March 1). Financial Times. Retrieved May 20, 2018, from https://www.ft.com/content/cb5a4668-1c84-11e8-956a-43db76e69936

  • Jauhari, V. (2006). Competencies for a career in the hospitality industry: An Indian perspective. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 18(2), 123–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jithendran, K. J., & Baum, T. (2000). Human resources development and sustainability – The case of Indian tourism. International Journal of Tourism Research, 2, 403–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joo-Ee, G. (2016). Minimum wage and the hospitality industry in Malaysia: An analysis of employee perceptions. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 15(1), 29–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jusoh, D. S. I. (2017). Turning the world towards Malaysian education. Retrieved 4 Mar 2018, from https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/05/237032/turning-world-towards-malaysian-education.

  • Khalil, H., Tajudin, A., Tajuddin, A. F. A., Mamat, N. H., & Hadi, N. F. A. (2014). The impact of cooperative learning for academic achievement among Malaysian hospitality students. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 3(1), 43–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan, M. B., & Narayanan, S. V. (1998). Human resource development for the promotion of domestic tourism in India. Domestic Tourism in India, 1(1), 169–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Km, K., & Sharma, P. (2011). Gap analysis of skills provided in hotel management education with respect to skills required in the hospitality industry: The Indian scenario. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Systems, 4(1), 31–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, M. (2014). Hospitality education in India – Present status, challenges and opportunities. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 3(2), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, S. (2013). Tourism and hospitality education: Issues, challenges and opportunities in India. International Journal of Management Research and Review, 3(56), 2881–2889.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, A., & Liu, J. H. (2008). Tourism employment issues in Malaysia. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 7(2), 163–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmud, Z., Amat, S., Rahman, S., & Ishak, N. M. (2010). Challenges for international students in Malaysia: Culture, climate and care. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 7, 289–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menon, S. (2018). Four Malaysian varsities do us proud. Retrieved March 31, 2018, from https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/03/01/four-malaysian-varsities-do-us-proud-they-make-it-to-worlds-top-50-rankings-by-subjects/

  • Morshidi, S. (2006). Transnational higher education in Malaysia: Balancing benefits and concerns through regulations. In F. Huang (Ed.), Transnational higher education in Asia and the Pacific region (pp. 109–126). Hiroshima, Japan: RIHE International Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosbah, A., & Khuja, M. S. A. A. (2014). A review of tourism development in Malaysia. European Journal of Business and Management, 6(5), 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nair, R., & George, B. P. (2016). E-learning adoption in education: An analysis with special focus on Singapore. Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing, 2(1), 3–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nair, V., & Whitelaw, P. A. (2008). Hospitality & tourism vocation: Program selection in a private institution of higher learning in Malaysia. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 20(3), 30–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2017). The next production revolution: Implications for governments and business. Paris: OECD Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pak, J. (2013). Is Malaysia university entry a level playing field? Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-23841888

  • Raman, S. R., & Sua, T. Y. (2010). Ethnic segregation in Malaysia’s education system: Enrolment choices, preferential policies and desegregation. Paedagogica Historica: International Journal of the History of Education, 46(1–2), 117–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao, S. (2014). Emerging trends in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of Research – Granthaalayah, 1(1), 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sallis, E. (2014). Total quality management in education. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Shamim, S., Cang, S., Yu, H., & Li, Y. (2017). Exploring the feasibilities of industry 4.0 for the hospitality sector with the lens of management practice. Energies, 10(4), 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shan, B. Y., Shah, N. A. R. T., & Suat, O. B. (2013). International student’s perception on Malaysia as a destination for hospitality and tourism education. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 5(5), 435–456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shariff, N. M. (2013). Reforming the hospitality education to fulfill the industry expectations: A case of Universiti Utara Malaysia. Social Sciences and Humanities, 4, 243–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shariff, N. M., & Abidin, A. Z. (2014). Malaysian tourism and hospitality graduates’ competencies: Exploring the human resource managers’ perceptions. Educational Research International, 3(3, June).

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddhanti, V. V., & Agadi, R. (2011). Tourism in India: Vision 2020. International Journal of Research in Commerce and Management, 2(6), 39–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. K. N., Schapper, J., & Jack, G. (2014). The importance of place for international students’ choice of university: A case study at a Malaysian university. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18(5), 463–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, S. (1997). Developing human resources for the tourism industry with reference to India. Tourism Management, 18(5), 299–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Subbarao, P. S. (2008). Issues and constraints in manpower supply in Indian hospitality industry (Working Paper Series No. 2008-02-03). Ahmedabad, India: Indian Institute of Management.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thitthongkam, T., & Walsh, J. (2011). Tourism education at the tertiary level and competitive advantage: A comparison between Thailand and Malaysia. Journal of Education and Vocational Research, 1(1), 26–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Top 30 in the world for hospitality. (2017, March 15). New Straits Times. Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/221006/top-30-world-hospitality

  • UGC grants full autonomy to 62 higher educational institutes. (2018, March 20). The Times of India. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/ugc-grants-full-autonomy-to-62-higher-educational-institutes-jnu-bhu-amu-in-the-list/articleshow/63387456.cms.

  • World Bank. (2018). World Bank country and lending groups. Retrieved February 28, 2018, from https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups

  • World Travel and Tourism Council. (2017a). India is the world’s 7th largest tourism economy in terms of GDP, says WTTC. Retrieved February 28, 2018, from https://www.wttc.org/media-centre/press-releases/press-releases/2017/indias-is-the-worlds-7th-largest-tourism-economy-in-terms-of-gdp-says-wttc/

  • World Travel and Tourism Council. (2017b). Malaysia: How does travel & tourism compare to other sectors (Benchmark report). London: Author.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sol International Hospitality Management Department, Woosong University, Daejeon, South Korea

    Sudipta Kiran Sarkar

  2. Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS, USA

    Babu George

Authors
  1. Sudipta Kiran Sarkar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Babu George
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Hospitality & Tourism, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

    Claire Liu  & Heike Schänzel  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sarkar, S.K., George, B. (2019). Patterns of Tourism and Hospitality Education in India and Malaysia: A Critical Reflection. In: Liu, C., Schänzel, H. (eds) Tourism Education and Asia. Perspectives on Asian Tourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2613-4_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation