Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were required to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, integrating online and blended learning approaches to sustain teaching and learning provision. However, limited evidence exists to understand the student experience and perception of the various methods of online learning, in particular across different levels of study (new and continuing students). Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the experiences of online learning transition, between new first year undergraduate students and continuing second and third year students, enrolled on various undergraduate sport programmes. A total of 182 students responded to an online survey, which investigated the students' perceptions of online learning approaches. Participants were split according to level of study; [Level 3 (Foundation Year) and 4 (First Year Undergraduate) combined N = 62, Level 5 (Second Year Undergraduate), N = 51 and Level 6 (Third Year Undergraduate), N = 69]. Key findings highlight that both new and continuing students had an overall negative perception of online learning but did acknowledge that online learning provided a more flexible approach to their overall learning experience compared to face-to-face. Face-to-face teaching was deemed more engaging and sociable, in particular for the practical aspects of the programmes. Overall, there were no significant differences between the different levels of study for any of the questions asked. Although continuing students raised the difficulties of conducting practical sessions online, whereas this was not mentioned by new students. To conclude, this study provides novel insights into the experience of new and continuing students, and we advise that future blended learning strategies should consider the programme as a whole, rather than tailoring pedagogic strategies based on the level of study.

Career expectations contribute to job satisfaction and worker persistence. The tourism industry is characterized by high staff turnover. The industry was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic causing widespread unemployment and transforming working conditions, while radically altering educational conditions for hospitality and tourism students. We assessed how the pandemic influenced students' expectations, comparing undergraduate opinions before and during the pandemic. While Pandemic-Students were more pessimistic about working conditions, they revealed an increased desire to provide personal interactive service and a greater tendency towards entrepreneurialism. These results contrast with previous research; highlighting students' resilience and suggesting a positive vision of pandemic-related opportunities.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak impacted hospitality and tourism management (HTM) program offerings that typically attract students, such as experiential learning courses, field trips, and internships, which were canceled or postponed. This transition has raised concerns about whether student satisfaction with their major and their perceived career readiness were impacted by the modified curriculum. Therefore, this study investigates how perceived curriculum, campus support, and self-efficacy affect HTM student satisfaction with the major and career readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, perceived curriculum, campus support, and self-efficacy positively influenced student satisfaction with their major. Self-efficacy has a positive impact on career readiness.

First-year international tertiary students face numerous challenges, with the COVID-19 pandemic shifting many to online learning. These challenges can lead to higher than ideal stress and anxiety, negatively impacting mental health. Applying a 'writing across curriculum' approach this study examines whether a 'writing in discipline' intervention influences stress/anxiety for such students studying Tourism, Hospitality and Events in Australia. A modified DASS was administered to four cohorts during 2020 and 2021, and pre-post-tests conducted. The intervention helped buffer significant increases in stress, promoted skill development, and enhanced academic confidence. This scaffolded-learning approach is applicable at course/subject, degree, and university levels.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the majority of higher education programs were delivered online and programs involving practical sessions were unable to deliver these activities on campus. This study explores the perspectives of students and staff from the sport department at a United Kingdom (UK) university. Undergraduate students (N = 21) and members of staff (N = 10) who taught on the same programs took part in online focus groups and one-to-one semi-structured interviews respectively. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the qualitative data. These themes are discussed in the context of pedagogical research and future practical recommendations.

The inevitable disruptions caused by COVID-19 in the hospitality and tourism education sector have made online learning a necessity rather than an option. This study employs the user experience questionnaire (UEQ) to examine students' online learning experiences specifically in the context of COVID-19. Data collection involved a Qualtrics online survey with a convenience sample of 216 tourism and hospitality students in Macau. Overall, results point to a generally positive appraisal of online attributes, but satisfaction is marginal. Initial principal component factor analysis generated three orthogonal factors of online learning attributes: "Perspicuity and dependability"; "Stimulation and attractiveness"; and "Usability and innovation". Further regression analysis reveals that "Stimulation and attractiveness" is the strongest predictor of the students' satisfaction regarding online learning during the COVID-19 disruptions. This novel finding points to the need for hospitality and tourism education institutions to develop an attractive and motivating visual environment for online course delivery since a stimulating online learning atmosphere is crucial in the context of the pedagogical disruptions caused by COVID-19. Nonetheless, these findings are specific to Chinese students and reflect their learning satisfaction which may differ in other contexts.

The serious impact of the COVID-19 pandemic also affected educational institutions offering tourism programs and students' perceptions of their future career in the industry. The study determined and compared the career perceptions of Tourism Management students in Far Eastern University Manila, Philippines before and during the COVID-19 pandemic with the end view of providing significant inputs to the development of programs for the tourism students in relation to their career opportunities. Using the mixed methods approach and the simple random and purposive sampling techniques, 196 third year tourism management students enrolled in AY 2020-2021 in a private Institution in Manila, Philippines completed the researcher-made survey questionnaire to gather quantitative data. On the other hand, focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted on six pre-selected student-participants to collect qualitative data. The use of a paired sample T-Test proved that there is a significant difference in the student career perception before and during the pandemic. The qualitative findings revealed that: 1) the Tourism Industry as a major business sector was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) the students perceive their career opportunities in the Tourism Industry during this pandemic as full of uncertainties; 3) implementing a relevant and timely program that will address the students' wants and needs must be put into action to help the students adapt to the current situation. Accordingly, Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are encouraged to provide the students a more comprehensive student career opportunity program that will address the changes in student career perceptions and uncertainties on their future career opportunities in the Tourism Industry.

This study explores the role and benefits of game-based learning activities in tourism higher education in the context of COVID-19-induced disruptions. Interpretive paradigm guided by qualitative research design was adopted. Data were collected through a combination of semi-structured interviews, online questionnaires and participant observation. The study findings identified five main advantages of gamification: a) Enhancing student engagement, participation, and motivation; b) Adding learning-experience value; c) Embracing diversity and inclusion; d) Simplifying assessment and feedback; e) Nurturing employability skills. These findings underline the effectiveness of using game-based learning in vocational disciplines like tourism technologies to enhance the quality of teaching. They also identify gamification as a multifaceted tool for a great learning experience amid the disruptions of the pandemic in the higher-education sector.

This study aims to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affects career anxiety of tourism students, who are the potential future employees of tourism and hospitality industry. Data was collected using an online survey with 1097 undergraduate students in the field of tourism in Turkey. The results of the study revealed that perceived risk of infection and fear of COVID-19 significantly impact students' career anxiety, and fear of COVID-19 mediate the relationship between perceived infection risk and career anxiety. In addition, the results indicated that psychological resilience, which is an individual resource against difficulties, represents a factor that reduces career anxieties of students in the face of pandemic-related negative impacts. The findings contribute to the understanding of how pandemic diseases affect career anxiety in students, who are the future workforce of the tourism sector, and to determine the role of individual resources such as psychological resilience in this process.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are regarded as smart and digital technologies that made their impact in many industries and settings. On the other hand, the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 raises a series of issues and challenges for the tourism education, one of the main being the shift from the conventional/face-to-face to digital/hybrid learning forms and tools. The adoption and usage of these digital technologies raise a series of challenges for all stakeholders involved. The research question and study's aim were the influencing factors that determine the acceptance of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality applications in the tertiary tourism education within the context of current pandemic. To address this aim, the study was drawn on the theoretical basis of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). It takes a students' perspective to suggest a research model that was empirically investigated within the Chinese context (tourism departments in Chinese universities). The sample population consisted of 604 Chinese students and data was collected during February 2021. The data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Findings indicated that perceived usefulness, hedonic motivation and price value are important predicting factors for Chinese students' adoption and use of these applications. These findings contribute to the extension of the TAM theory and the effective implementation of digital technologies in university settings. The study is completed by summarizing theoretical and practical implications of findings.

Despite dissertation's significance in enhancing the quality of scholarly outputs in tourism and hospitality fields, insufficient research investigates the challenges and disruptions students experience amidst a public health crisis. This study aims to fill the research gaps and integrate attribution and self-efficacy theories to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic influences students' decision-making and behaviours during the dissertation writing process. Qualitative exploration with 15 graduate students was conducted. The results indicate that adjustment of data collection approaches was the most shared external challenge, while students' religious background and desire for publishing COVID related topics were primary internal motivations.

Real-time online courses (RTOCs), a new online learning mode, have been developed because of a longitudinal suspension of classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. We explore an information model to review the learning process and outcomes of RTOCs, which conducted educational activities via social media. Results show that social media can be a potent mediation factor with the moderation of structural differentiation to facilitate online learning outcomes. Conclusions imply that the life-changing impact of COVID-19 has caused an evolutionary online education mode that can be hybridized with face-to-face education and massive open online courses to flourish education approaches and pedagogies.

This study identified stressors and relevant coping strategies used by the hospitality & tourism lectures (N = 369) during Covid-19 around the globe. It also intended to reveal how intensely the coping strategies of scale contribute to forecasting the significant positive and negative result constructs. Stressors and coping strategies were measured by grouping them into -avoidant and approach coping. Results of correlations found that significant positive emotional results (well-being, resilience, post-traumatic growth, happiness, and health) linked negatively with avoidant coping and positively with approach coping. However, avoidant coping was found to be constantly associated with negative results (stress, frustration, anxiety, etc.).

Academic research in tourism and hospitality sector adds value directly to the way the industry grows and develops. Scholars in this area struggle with the pressures to publish in high ranking journals. The present study attempts to help doctoral students and tourism educators in identifying emerging themes in the tourism and hospitality arising out after COVID-19 pandemic. Using bibliometric analysis, five broad areas of emerging research themes are identified. Such research would further help managers, tourism related state administrators, and firm owners to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the industry across the world.

During the 2020/21 academic year most UK universities rapidly developed learning material as part of a move to blended learning, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was interspersed with periods of virtual-only delivery, aligning with national lockdowns. The previous literature suggests there are both advantages and disadvantages to virtual-only and blended learning approaches, which may impact on student satisfaction. Student satisfaction scores may be especially insightful in a student cohort enrolled on an applied sport programme, whereby practical seminars and assessments would be severely impacted by social restrictions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of virtual and blended learning approaches in an undergraduate sport and exercise sciences cohort, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study aimed to explore whether student perceptions of both learning modes differed between and within-year groups. Students completed an adapted version of the national student survey (NSS), pertaining to periods of virtual learning-only (n = 81) and blended learning (n = 62). When all students were considered, blended learning yielded consistently higher satisfaction scores across all survey sub-sections (teaching on my course, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, learning community and student voice) resulting in a significantly higher overall course satisfaction score (3.93 ± 0.99 vs 3.55 ± 1.11; p = 0.33; ES = 0.36). When comparing Year 1 and Year 2 students, the former had significantly higher (p < 0.005) perception scores for teaching on my course, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources and learning community, but not learning opportunities, student voice or Covid-19-specific, for the virtual learning survey. Additionally, within-year group (Year 2) differences were found in assessment and feedback, academic support and learning community, with higher perception scores reported in the blended learning survey. No significant within-year group differences were observed in Year 1 students. This study provides the first data on student perceptions of a sport and exercise science programme during blended and virtual learning, amidst a global pandemic. The clear preference for blended learning in the current study, suggests sport and exercise science students appreciated the access to face-to-face teaching, despite the social distancing measures in place. Broadly, the findings may assist in governmental and institutional decision making, and in the designing of learning material during periods of social restrictions. These findings may be more beneficial to the design and implementation of face-to-face and/or online components for more applied, science-based courses.

Our study adopts the Theory of Transactional Distance (TTD) as the theoretical framework to investigate the impact of the four interaction levels: content, instructors, peers, and technology on perceived learning among hospitality students with self-efficacy as the moderating factor. The data sample for the study includes responses from 461 hospitality students from various institutes in India. Our findings reveal that all the four-point of interactions, content, instructors, peers, and technology, have a significant positive impact on perceived learning. Further, learners' interaction with the content was emerged as the most significant predictor of perceived learning. The data was put to moderation analysis, with results suggesting that self-efficacy has a conditional effect only on the interaction between content and perceived learning.

Chinese students' issues and concerns of studying abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been largely neglected in the tourism and hospitality education research. Based on the actor-network perspective, this paper explores the network of issues and concerns of Chinese students who have planned to study abroad. In-depth interviews, observations, and open-ended questionnaires are employed with a purposive sample of 16 hospitality students from a university in Macau. We identify five major concerns and issues namely health risk, dissatisfaction with online study, feeling difficult to get into a top university, discrimination of Chinese in the West, and perception of restricted opportunity to make a cross-cultural exchange.

The general process of learning in educational institutions around the globe has changed since the advent of the COVID-19 virus. Educational sectors in all nations are forced to adapt and rearrange their compositions and systems as the virus spreads. The current study considers the characteristics and issues related to universities moving towards online and blended learning during this period of universal isolation. Through focus group interviews conducted in South Korea and Malaysia, the study provides recommendation for the improvement of online classes and blended learning. The use of student focus groups gives the research an alternative perspective with which to assess the satisfaction level, success, and quality of online learning programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the focus groups show that for the success of online learning to become a reality, blended education should be considered to bolster learning. Further, results show that communication between lecturers and students remains a fundamental factor for success, regardless of the class category incorporated. Consequently, the results of the study provide further insight into matters experienced by students during the pandemic, and how educators may heed the opinions of students when improving future related blended learning programs.

This study investigates the antecedents and effects of hospitality students' coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between career adaptability, hope, resilience, and life satisfaction are explored to unveil students' adaptability during times of crisis. The findings confirmed that hope is an important driver of resilience and life satisfaction. Despite all the negativity and uncertainty about jobs and careers during the COVID-19 pandemic, resilience has a double acting effect on the students' life satisfaction via individual and community resilience. Critical implications for academic institutions and the hospitality industry are presented. As the industry recovers from the pandemic and moves toward normality, the potential impact of career adaptability, hope, resilience, and life satisfaction on future job pursuit and career magnetism towards particular industry or organizations should be considered.

School closures follows the sudden outbreak of COVID-19. In order to minimize the negative impact on learning and teaching, MOOCs, SPOC and live broadcasting have been taken as the responsive measures of universities in China. Taking tourism education of Nankai University as an example, the paper illustrates the operation of distance and online teaching during the epidemic, and analyzes the prons and cons of adopted approaches in order to provide practical reference to online education in other countries as well.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has forced all teaching and learning activities to shift to online platforms. Hospitality students are not exempted from this transition even though they are used to offline learning environment and often take a blended learning of theoretical and practical components. This sudden change has caused disruptions in their learning process and created all kinds of anxieties. Thus, this study aimed to explore how the personality traits of hospitality students are associated with their level of anxieties and how their learning experience is affected. A survey was conducted in Hong Kong shortly after the affected semester ended. Results showed that students with high levels of agreeableness and openness to experience perceive a high degree of learning, technical, and financial anxiety. By contrast, students with high levels of conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism partially sense a low degree of these anxieties. Results also revealed that a low degree of learning and financial anxiety can enhance students' perceived online learning and consequently improve student satisfaction. Theoretical development and managerial implications are further discussed.