Promotion of Education for Sustainable Development among Hospitality and Tourism Students: Results and Challenges during COVID-19
This paper reports the initial results and challenges of implementing education for sustainable development (ESD) in a tertiary education centre with a majority of students studying hospitality and tourism, amid the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. A youth-led sustainable development workshop was conducted by the youth ambassadors of the Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) in ESD, Kuching. The workshop participants were university students who were enrolled in the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Overall, the participants of the workshop showed a clear understanding of the level of skills and commitment needed to be involved as youth leaders in sustainable education. The resultant model of RCE-university collaboration to affect attainment of sustainable development goals among university students could potentially bring positive outcomes in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Keywords: responsible tourism; education for sustainable development; perception; awareness; knowledge