This study examines the integration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within South Africa’s Tourism Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Grades 10–12. While higher education has prioritized sustainability, secondary-level vocational curricula remain under-researched, potentially creating a foundational knowledge gap for future industry professionals. Employing qualitative document analysis, the study systematically mapped the Tourism CAPS and Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs) against SDG targets. Analysis was grounded in a target-level alignment matrix informed by UNESCO’s ESD competencies, using both deductive and inductive thematic coding to evaluate vertical and horizontal curricular progression. Results reveal a fragmented and uneven integration of SDGs across the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. While strong alignment exists in Grades 10 and 12 with targets 8.9 (sustainable tourism jobs), 12.b (impact monitoring), and 13.3 (climate education), significant gaps in Grade 11 disrupt the curriculum’s vertical continuity. Only seven of the 17 SDGs are addressed at the strong target level, limiting the development of systems thinking and holistic sustainability competencies. The study contributes a replicable SDG-target-level mapping framework for secondary education. It identifies structural and pedagogical barriers, specifically the disconnect between policy aspirations and instructional documentation, and recommends adopting a spiral curriculum model to ensure transformative tourism education.
Zaca et al. (Sun,) studied this question.