Adventure Tourism Education and Graduate Competitiveness: A Qualitative Study from Pokhara, Nepal

Abstract

Adventure tourism is among the fastest-growing sectors of the global tourism industry, generating employment, enhancing destination competitiveness, and promoting sustainable economic development. Nepal, particularly Pokhara as the gateway to the Annapurna region and the Tourism Capital of Nepal, possesses exceptional potential for adventure tourism. Despite this potential, tourism higher education in Nepal remains predominantly theory-oriented, with limited integration of practical adventure tourism competencies required by the industry. This study examines the extent to which adventure tourism skills are integrated into tourism and hospitality higher education programs in Pokhara and explores collaboration between academic institutions and the tourism industry. It also assesses the alignment of curricula with industry competency requirements, identifies existing gaps, and proposes strategies to strengthen competency-based tourism education. A qualitative research design was employed using purposive sampling. Data were collected from 105 respondents, including tourism faculty members, academic administrators, adventure tourism entrepreneurs, tourism graduates, and tourists, through semi-structured interviews, curriculum reviews, informal discussions, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis supported by descriptive frequency distributions. The findings reveal that while tourism institutions provide a sound theoretical foundation, they inadequately address practical competencies such as adventure operations, outdoor leadership, risk management, and technical skills, resulting in a significant mismatch between academic preparation and industry expectations. The study concludes that competency-based curricula, experiential learning, industry-oriented internships, professional certification, and stronger academic–industry collaboration are essential to bridge this gap. The findings offer practical implications for universities, policymakers, and tourism stakeholders by providing strategic directions for curriculum reform and strengthening workforce readiness, thereby enhancing the global competitiveness and sustainability of Nepal’s adventure tourism sector.