Introduction
The appearance of COVID-19, a fatal disease, has resulted in significant financial losses as well as global
health and economic issues. Seasonal influenza outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics, and natural disasters
cause a steep decrease in the travel and tourist industry, which is a major contributor to the service
economy. Pandemics have a negative impact on tourists' behavior and mental health. As a result, novel
viruses can spread at any time and cause epidemics or pandemics. Infected people spread the virus by
droplets, coughs, and smear contaminations to others in their near contact. Travel limitations are the most
useful and successful interventions in the early and late stages of infectious disease to minimize its spread
and regulate transmission rates in communities, according to an earlier finding.
The coronavirus 2019 pandemic was started by a serious infection caused by the COVID-19 viral disease
(SARS-CoV-2). This virus was initially discovered in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, by health
professionals. In January, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency of
worldwide concern, with a global pandemic expected in March 2020. This pandemic had infected more
than 119 million people as of March 15, 2021, with more than 2.66 million people dying from the
devastating infectious disease. This deadly virus has become one of the deadliest pandemics in human
history as a result. The symptoms of coronavirus infection range from non-fatal to extremely severe and
life-threatening disorders. The virus is primarily transferred through the air when people approach one
other. It enters another person through the mouth, nose, or eyes of the infected individual who is
breathing, coughing, sneezing, or talking. It can also spread through surfaces that have been polluted.
Individuals can be infected with the virus for up to two weeks, and they can spread it even if they don't
show any symptoms.
Career choice is a multidimensional and complex phenomenon that is difficult to comprehend and
anticipate. There are a variety of competing theoretical approaches to occupational selection or career
choice, but it is best understood as the interaction of individual agency with structural and cultural
elements that improve or construct one's social world. Many of the new generation's products and
management disciplines are progressively encompassing the specializations of tourism, hospitality, sport,
and event management, as well as recreation management in some circumstances. As students seek to
study applied business principles and practices in their industry or sector of interest, these courses become
increasingly popular. In general, these sectors or industries are less well-defined than, say, nursing or
teaching, thus understanding what qualities are crucial to persons seeking career opportunities among
them is even more vital. Tourism and hospitality as a career choice for postgraduate students has gotten
some attention in recent research.
Tourism and hospitality graduates have negative perceptions of their careers as a result of the "social
stigma" associated with tourism jobs, which has a negative impact on self-esteem. Employees or potential
employees who are stigmatized will not pursue careers in the industry and will not recommend it to their
colleagues.
Students in the tourism and hospitality industry also have negative perceptions and attitudes about the
industry, according to research. They see it as a career with a lack of parenthood environment,
unappreciated jobs, unequal promotion opportunities, unskilled managers, poor employee relations, long
working hours, unsuitable physical working environments, and seasonal and part-time jobs.
Background of the Study
Travel and tourism are one of the most significant sectors in the global economy, contributing $2.9
trillion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019 (the biggest contribution by sector to GDP), 29% of
global service exports, and 300 million employments globally. The tourism sector contributes the most to
the economy in both developing and developed countries, and it is one of the fastest-growing economic
sectors on the world; in 2018, 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded worldwide.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the travel and tourism industry is one of the most seriously affected
sectors of the economy as a result of the pandemic's health and economic crises. Due to the wider spread
of the novel coronavirus, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates a loss of
roughly 1.1 billion international tourist arrivals, a loss of US$ 910 billion to US$ 1.1 trillion in export
revenues, and a loss of 100-120 million jobs.
The important goal of this research is to figure out how the COVID-19 outbreak affects the career in the
future of Tourism and Hospitality Management students in STI College Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The research
focuses on challenges the student’s faced and the strategies to overcome those challenges. The impact of
other major sub-services supporting tourist sector development, such as hospitality, air travel, food and
beverages, transportation, and communication, is also explored. As a result, the focus of this research is
on the effect of COVID-19 on tourism students and the challenges they encounter.
Research Questions
1.
2.
3.
Significance of the Study
To the Future Tourism and Hospitality Students
This study would help the future tourism and hospitality students on how to pursue their careers
in this Industry during this time of pandemic.
To the Tourism and Hospitality Students and Graduates:
This study will help the students and graduates learn more about their future in this career they
have chosen.
To the Government:
To the Future Researchers:
This study would help the future researcher as the basis of their study, and this study is also open
for development.
