Business as Usual? Barriers to Education for Sustainability in the Tourism Curriculum

Abstract

There is little research on how “sustainability” is embedded within tourism programs. This article draws on findings from a study of education for sustainability within the 1st-year business/tourism curriculum at an Australian regional university. Using an interpretive methodology, interviews took place with 16 academics regarding the barriers in trying to incorporate sustainability. Three key themes were revealed: (1) a crowded curriculum; (2) staff and student resistance to sustainability; and (3) the realities of a complex, multicampus institution. These impediments will be important to consider if we want to engender a more transformational approach to sustainability leadership in tourism education.

Keywords:

• tourism studies
• higher education
• transformational leadership
• curriculum
• sustainable development
• sustainable education

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge that the study on which this article is based was funded through a Southern Cross University Vice Chancellor's Small Grant Award for Teaching and Learning, 2011. They would also like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful and constructive feedback.