E-Learning Practices in Hospitality Education: A Thematic Review of Emerging Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.114.15

Abstract:
Digital transformation has reshaped how hospitality management competencies are taught, assessed, and translated into industry-ready skills. This paper presents a thematic review of the academic literature on e-learning practices in hospitality education, synthesizing empirical and conceptual studies published between 1999 and 2025. Following the six-phase thematic analysis approach of Braun and Clarke (2006), 22 peer-reviewed sources were coded, clustered, and mapped into six overarching themes: (1) the evolution and institutional adoption of e-learning; (2) pedagogical models such as blended, flipped, and online practicum learning; (3) immersive and simulation-based technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and gamification; (4) artificial intelligence and generative AI in curriculum design; (5) the COVID-19 pandemic as an inflection point for emergency remote teaching; and (6) industry-academia alignment in competency-based curricula. The review finds that while e-learning enhances flexibility, reach, and engagement, its capacity to replicate the tacit, sensory, and interpersonal competencies central to hospitality service delivery remains contested. Persistent challenges include the digital divide, faculty readiness, assessment integrity, and the erosion of experiential learning. The paper concludes with a future research agenda centred on hybrid immersive technologies, adaptive and AI-mediated learning, and competency-based micro-credentialing, offering implications for hospitality educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers.

Keywords:
e-learning, hospitality education, thematic review, online learning, virtual reality, generative artificial intelligence, blended learning, tourism education

Article Info:
Received: 20 Jun 2026; Received in revised form: 14 Jul 2026; Accepted: 17 Jul 2026; Available online: 25 Jul 2026

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