Rethinking hospitality and tourism education: Beyond tradition and transformation.

This article critically examines the current challenges and future directions of hospitality and tourism (H&T) education amid rapid technological change and evolving industry demands. It highlights tensions between maintaining academic rigour and adapting to disruptions such as artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization, and shifting workforce expectations, emphasizing the need for curricula that integrate technical skills, human-centric competencies, and ethical reflection. The paper advocates for flexible, modular credentials and innovative, practice-based assessments that balance industry relevance with academic integrity. Ultimately, it calls for a reimagined H&T education model that serves diverse learners, fosters lifelong learning, and positions the field as a transformative public good committed to social responsibility and intellectual depth.