Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of the Benefits and Barriers of Using GenAI Technologies to Support Tourism Management Competencies Based on Sandwith’s Model

Abstract

In an era where technology is reshaping education, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has emerged as a powerful tool for transforming educational practices across disciplines. Tourism Management, as an applied field requiring a blend of conceptual, interpersonal, and technical competencies, can greatly benefit from the integration of GenAI tools. However, the application of these technologies within tourism education—particularly in Arab contexts—remains limited, and few studies have examined their role in supporting domain-specific competencies through structured evaluation models. This study aims to examine the role of GenAI tools in supporting competencies for Tourism Management, based on Sandwith's Model, among undergraduate students in Jordan. It also investigates challenges students may encounter when using GenAI as a learning tool. A quantitative approach was employed, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to a purposive sample of 259 undergraduate students at the participating universities in Jordan. Findings reveal high mean scores across all competency domains, indicating strong student agreement that GenAI tools significantly contribute to the development of both academic and practical skills. The technical domain received the highest average, followed by the conceptual and administrative domains. Students highlighted the value of GenAI in delivering personalized content, supporting real-time decision-making, and enabling creative, strategic thinking. Nevertheless, despite these benefits, students reported moderate challenges, particularly with internet connectivity, validating AI-generated content, and limited relevance to local tourism topics. These findings, however, should encourage decision-makers in higher education institutions to integrate GenAI tools into tourism education curricula, thereby enhancing students’ competencies and preparing them for the evolving demands of the tourism industry.