Bridging the Gap: Competency Alignment in Tourism and Hospitality Education Across South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong

The accelerating transformation of the tourism and hospitality industry requires higher education institutions to equip graduates with market-aligned competencies, yet the effectiveness of hospitality education programs across national contexts remains underexplored. This study examines the alignment between students’ perceived competencies and curricular emphasis in tourism and hospitality education in South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Data were collected from 650 final-year undergraduate students using a structured questionnaire based on the Student Competency Self Evaluation Scale (SCSES). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified five core competency domains: Financial Management, Strategic Planning, Leadership, Communication, and Cultural Awareness. Curriculum structures were examined by classifying institutional course offerings into standardized competency clusters. The findings show that students in Singapore reported the highest levels of self-perceived competencies, particularly in financial management and strategic planning, while South Korean students reported the lowest across all domains. Curriculum analysis indicates that programs in South Korea emphasize operational training, those in Singapore focus on managerial and interdisciplinary competencies, and those in Hong Kong prioritize business management, with limited emphasis on personal and soft skills. These findings highlight gaps in competency alignment and provide practical implications for curriculum enhancement, particularly in South Korean tourism and hospitality education programs.