Abstract
Higher education institutions (HEIs) are under increasing pressure to equip graduates
with the
necessary knowledge, skills, and attributes that would make them employable and highly versatile in
various tourism sectors. This means that the various qualifications in tourism that are awarded by
HEIs should reflect the tourism industry’s needs and expectations. Consequently, it is important to
identify the kind of knowledge skills that need to be developed in tourism graduates to prepare
them for the working world. The purpose of this article is to identify the perceptions of tourism
graduates and the tourism industry on the important knowledge and skills required in the tourism
industry. The research adopted a sequential explanatory mixed method, which entailed combining
quantitative and qualitative methods. However the findings, both from the quantitative and
qualitative phases highlight the important knowledge and skills required. In terms of important
knowledge and skill, both parties seem to be at par in their perception. The study found that the
most important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry are customer
service/awareness, ethical conduct at work, verbal communication, acceptance of responsibility,
attention to detail, ability to work under pressure, time management skills, and motivation.
Significant differences existed between the perceptions of tourism graduates and those of the
tourism industry regarding professional, operational, knowledge and skills attributes. However, no
significant differences existed between the perceptions of tourism graduates and those of the
tourism industry regarding personality traits. This paper is hopefully useful for the development
of important knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry. As such it has meaning for
higher education institutions that offer tourism qualifications as well as the tourism industry who
employs tourism graduates. This paper is original, as the study contributes to the body of
knowledge and skills required in the tourism industry since no other paper as far as could be
assessed, has taken up the topic of the perception of tourism graduates and the tourism industry on
the important knowledge and skills required
in the tourism industry in South Africa.