Perceptions of degrees in tourism and professional goals: a comparative analysis between the University of Girona (Spain) and the State University of Milagro (Ecuador)

Several universities worldwide offer degrees in tourism studies to meet the demand of students interested in pursuing tourism as a career. Researching whether this academic offer meets the expectations of future tourism professionals is important, as this is pivotal to the students’ decision on whether to enter this sector, or not. Taking a quantitative approach, the aim of this paper is to examine and compare the perceptions of tourism degree studies, and their goals to pursue further education and a career in the tourism sector. Two universities in two countries are analyzed: the University of Girona (Spain) and the State University of Milagro (Ecuador). The questionnaire design includes questions related to professional perceptions and students' short- and long-term career goals. An Exploratory Factor Analysis of tourism career perceptions has been carried out in both universities to determine the underlying factors determining the students’ career perceptions. The findings show differences in perceptions of tourism studies between the two countries. In Ecuador, the studies are perceived as a single factor: “General perception about the career”, while in Spain they are perceived as two factors: “Perception of social pressure”, based on what society expects, and “Personal perception”, based on individual achievements or goals related to a tourism degree and the profession. These findings will enable higher education curriculum developers, tourism employers and the government to work together to offer programs that reduce the gap between expectations and the reality of the labor market by examining the personal, professional, and social perceptions of future tourism professionals.