Contemporary challenges for hospitality tourism and events management educators: reclaiming identity, purpose and practice.

Abstract

Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management (HTE) education is navigating a period of significant upheaval, shaped by managerialist imperatives, escalating academic workloads, evolving student expectations, and a gradual displacement of applied, practice-centred pedagogy. In contributing to the CHME 2026 Conference debates, this paper synthesises the contemporary pressures redefining the academic landscape of HTE and critically interrogates their implications for educators, learners, and the discipline at large. Drawing on established scholarship and emerging sectoral commentary, the paper illuminates how these forces are reshaping the ethos, identity, and purpose of HTE education. It argues that the field must reassert its humanistic and practice-rooted foundations through a revitalised pedagogical identity, deeper and more authentic engagement with industry, and leadership cultures that support rather than restrict academic creativity and professional autonomy. The paper concludes by articulating a future-oriented vision that positions HTE education as a rigorous, relevant, and socially responsive domain capable of meeting the complex demands of a rapidly changing world.