Alternative forms of learning and contemporary trends in hospitality and tourism training

Abstract

In this paper the authors argue that traditional training courses in Tourism and Hospitality need to be reviewed to keep pace with emerging trends in the tourist Market. By comparing the structure and content of courses of National Training Packages offered by the Northern Territory University with a 1998 survey of backpackers in Darwin, Australia, the authors conclude that the growing economic importance of the backpacker market, its characteristic demands and ways of servicing them are not reflected in current course offerings. Study of transformative tourism to be considered in course offerings to organise tourism that leads to a positive change in attitudes and values among those who provide experiences to tourists.