Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The tourism industry is one of the biggest economic contributors in South Africa and it is predicted that the industry will grow significantly over the years to come.This growth pressures South Africa to stay competitive and adhere to the needs of the visitors.The latter being one of the core functions of any tourism establishment.Labour structures in the tourism industry are constantly changing and to deliver quality products, employees should be well skilled and prepared for the demands of the industry.The accommodation sector, one of the biggest sectors in the tourism industry, provides a variety of services to tourists when visiting this country.It was determined in the literature review that the skills needed by an accommodation manager, to provide the expected services include flexibility, people skills, the ability to train other employees and the ability to explore the ever changing needs of the tourist.Higher education organisations in South Africa educate potential tourism employees in a variety of skills and knowledge.However, some employees are still of the opinion that these students are not adequately prepared for the demands of the industry and therefore complain.Added to this, there is very little communication between the industry and higher education organisations.Therefore the tourism industry feels that students are not employable which creates challenges for students, higher education organisations and the tourism industry.Education and skills development should contribute directly to the economic growth of South Africa and the government, a very important role player in the tourism industry, encourages education opportunities in South Africa.Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine, through industry participitation, what the management skills required within graded establishments in South Africa are.To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: To analyse the literature available regarding the managerial theories, managerial levels, managerial processes and universal skills needed by managers, to analyse the tourism industry and hospitality sector, identify the important role played by managerial skills within this sector and to identify higher education programmes available in South Africa that vi | P a g e differences was identified for larger establishments, age, position of the respondents and the duration of employment.The results of this study can be used by higher education organisations to adapt their current tourism management qualifications, and by accommodation establishments to understand the training needs of employees.It did however voice the concerns of industry role players when it comes to new graduates and their employability.
Author: Walter Wessels
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1748516538