The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Tourism Education: A Case Study of Higher Education Students

Abstract

Tourism education is introduced as a formal program of study which enhances the economic contribution of the tourism industry to both public and private sectors. The ICT is one of the success tools in tourism in the future and the way it enhances the destinations of tourist. The proposed research aims to represent the impacts of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), as a pedagogical support tool, in tourism teaching, at Eastern Mediterranean University, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (THM). Nevertheless, ICT is still considered as a limited tool to be integrated as an instructional tool. Based on the recent research, very limited academic research has been carried out on tourism subject at universities particularly in Northern Cyprus. The aim of this study is to find the perceptions of students regarding to use technology in tourism education. The research is designed as a quantitative study. The undergraduate students are participating in this research along with tourism instructors. Data is accumulated with close-ended questions during this study. According to the result the learners’ perceptions about using ICT in tourism education was quite positive. Majority of students approved that using ICT and computing devices could enhance their learning positively.