Bridging the Digital Divide in Tourism Education: Infrastructural Realities and Academic Perspectives in Indian Government Universities.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the current state of tourism education in Indian government universities by assessing the adequacy of departmental infrastructure and analyzing the perceptions of tourism academicians. Design/Methodology/Approach: An exploratory quantitative approach was employed, surveying 129 tourism academicians across Indian public universities. Primary data concerning institutional affiliation, teaching experience, course nature, and 11 key infrastructural parameters were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings: The results reveal that while foundational infrastructure (e.g., computer labs and departmental libraries) is reasonably established (over 71%), there is a critical deficit in specialized digital infrastructure. Notably, access to tourism software (34.12%) and dedicated student support cells (15.5%) remains inadequate. Additionally, most programs offer generalized curricula, and the majority of faculty possess less than five years of teaching experience. Practical Implications: To bridge the gap between academic output and industry demands, higher education institutions must urgently upgrade their digital capabilities, integrate specialized tourism software training into the curriculum, and foster targeted student support mechanisms. Originality/Value: This study provides a foundational empirical assessment of infrastructural bottlenecks in Indian public tourism education, offering actionable insights for educational administrators and policymakers to enhance the global competitiveness of India's tourism workforce.