Digital Competencies for Future Tourism and Hospitality Professionals: A Higher Education Perspective

Abstract

The digitalisation of the tourism sector includes both traditional tools, such as global distribution systems (GDS) and metasearch engines, and more recent disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Due to the widening gap between the adoption of new technologies by tourism organisations and the digital skills of their workforces, this study aims to evaluate the digital literacy of future tourism and hospitality professionals. The specific objectives are to (1) assess students’ digital skills required for responsible interaction with digital content; and (2) identify any differences in digital competencies based on sociodemographic and fields of education and training. In 2025, a survey was conducted to collect 267 responses from tourism and hospitality undergraduates regarding their perceptions of their own digital skills. Results show that participants feel confident in basic digital tasks (e.g., searching, communicating, storing and assessing information). Over 50% of respondents indicated they had created playlists and videos and posted reviews, while a smaller proportion had designed websites. However, lower proficiency was reported in more advanced tasks (e.g., website design and document anonymisation). These findings highlight the importance of enhancing digital literacy training - particularly in practical, industry-relevant tools - to facilitate greater collaboration between suppliers and customers.