Developing geospatial competence in tourism higher education through project-based learning with qgis and qfield

Introduction: Geospatial competence is essential for sustainable tourism planning; however, GIS remains marginal in tourism higher education. This study addresses this gap by exploring project-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical approach to foster geospatial competence through applied GIS tasks. Objective: Examine how the application of project-based learning with mobile GIS applications promotes technical GIS skills, spatial thinking skills, and student engagement. Methods: A project-based learning activity was conducted with 19 third-year tourism students at the University of Zaragoza. Students used QGIS and QField to collect and process geospatial data of Zaragoza’s historic centre and create and interpret thematic maps based on the resulting datasets. Skill development was assessed using two sources: a final report (including maps and written analyses) and a post-project questionnaire. Results: Most students showed development in GIS skills and understanding of urban tourism dynamics. However, the development of critical spatial thinking skills varied, revealing the need for stronger pedagogical support to foster reflective abilities. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that integrating GIS with project-based learning enhances the development of geospatial competence in tourism education. Despite some challenges, the approach promoted technical skills, spatial thinking, and motivation.