Towards a hospitality management curriculum of the future: adressing ecuador´s student and industry needs

Abstract

This article presents a new perspective on the design of a hospitality management curriculum in Ecuador that not only addresses the needs of incoming students but also meets the needs of the hospitality industry of the future. The article contends that, as Ecuadorian society undergoes massive and rapid changes and as the needs of the hospitality industry in the country are changing with it, future management talent needs to exhibit solid technical abilities, analytical and critical thinking skills and a global awareness, qualities that might not always be present in today’s graduates. The article contends that students need structure and clarity as they progress through their programs of study and as they move from the applied, hands-on experiences in the first two years of their studies to theory and critical thinking exercises in the latter part of their studies. Ecuador’s hospitality management programs should adjust their thinking about what an ideal graduate looks like and modify their programs of study accordingly. Professors should act as role models to future generations of students who will then in turn be motivated to take on leadership roles in the country’s rapidly changing hospitality and tourism industries.