Title: Commitment factors and career intentions of tourism undergraduate students to a career path in the tourism industry

Authors: Nermin A. Khasawneh; Ramzi Al Rousan; Malek Bader; Hussein Ibrahim

Addresses: Queen Rania Faculty of Tourism and Heritage, Department of Sustainable Tourism, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan ' Queen Rania Faculty of Tourism and Heritage, Department of Sustainable Tourism, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan ' Queen Rania Faculty of Tourism and Heritage, Department of Sustainable Tourism, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan ' Department of Tourism Management, School of Archaeology and Tourism, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan

Abstract: This study analyses the commitment factors and career intentions of Jordanian undergraduate students in tourism management programs. To collect the data, a self-administered questionnaire was used. Data were tested for normality of distribution, and then the mean was used for ranking. Afterward, the independent sample t-test was used to test the significant differences between males and females. The study reveals that the life-threatening COVID-19 is not efficient in determining students' career intentions or commitment factors. Their commitment to employment in the tourism industry is shaped by four main categories: industry, personality, education, and society. Significant differences between male and female commitment factors and career intentions toward the tourism industry may be due to cultural, social reservations, and traditional social norms. The findings of the study can help tourism educators, employers, and policymakers better understand students' commitment factors and career intentions.

Keywords: Jordan; tourism industry; commitment factors; career intentions; undergraduate tourism students.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2024.138399

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2024 Vol.14 No.3, pp.241 - 256

Received: 29 Nov 2022
Accepted: 29 Jul 2023
Published online: 02 May 2024 *

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