Applying Entrepreneurship Education in Hospitality and Tourism School: Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

It is no doubt that hospitality and tourism sectors are significantly a part of creative Industry. This means that the area needs more creative approach to develop the business. In terms of developing hospitality and tourism industry in Indonesia, we need more creative human resources, who will be the innovator in our tourism industry in Indonesia. Human resource is directly related with the process of our education system, especially tourism education. As one of the young universities in Indonesia, Universitas Ciputra is established to enrich the education system in Indonesia. Focusing on entrepreneurship, Universitas Ciputra uses creative and innovative approach to educate the students. In this regards, International Hospitality and Tourism Business program in Universitas Ciputra is also applying entrepreneurship in running the program. There are four major pillars that influence the application of entrepreneurship on tourism education; those factors are the curriculum, the delivery method, the lecturer profile and the educational environment. This paper aims to discuss those four pillars by using qualitative descriptive approach, which combined primary data and the secondary data. The primary data mainly are taken from the observation on the curriculum, delivery methods, lecturer profiles and the environment of Universitas Ciputra. On the other hand, the secondary data are taken from the previous research, journal and publication about entrepreneurship and tourism education. The discussion will mainly on the process of education, from providing the professional skill up to idea generation that lead to start up business in hospitality and tourism area. Moreover, this paper will also analyze the benefits and the challenges that faced by International Hospitality and Tourism Business program in applying entrepreneurship in tourism education in Indonesia.