Fostering professional readiness among tourism students through contextualized English language learning

Abstract

This article examines theoretical and practical foundations for developing professional competence in tourism students through English instruction. Competence is viewed as a combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and effective action in professional situations. The article outlines linguistic, sociocultural, pragmatic, technological, and interpersonal components needed to communicate with international visitors. It reviews teaching approaches connecting classroom learning with tourism workplace demands, including experiential learning, case-based instruction, role-play, authentic materials, and digital platforms. The study used a mixed-methods design with 58 undergraduate tourism students during an eight-week intervention. Needs-analysis questionnaires, classroom observations, and performance-based assessments examined changes in communication and professional task performance. Average assessment results increased from 56% before instruction to 81% afterward. Improvements were reported in handling guest inquiries, explaining itineraries, resolving complaints, and adapting language to intercultural contexts. The article recommends aligning English curricula with tourism-industry communication needs and creating authentic, practice-oriented learning environments to strengthen students’ professional readiness and employability.