Problematic issues in tourism and hospitality scholarship

Purpose This study canvasses a range of problematic issues in tourism and hospitality scholarship. Problematic issues include ideas, models and frameworks that remain popular even though they have been proven to produce misleading or inaccurate results. Alternately, other frameworks and models are more efficacious. Design/methodology/approach The method of study used involves the identification of issues the author and others have written about challenging tourism and hospitality orthodoxy. An evidence-based approach citing relevant literature highlights the issues. Findings This commentary alleges that many accepted models and frameworks in tourism and hospitality research need to be reconsidered. The paper calls for a more critical review of approaches used in our research. Research limitations/implications The paper represents the personal opinions of the author who has questioned empirically some ideas and struggled to teach others who have been identified as problematic by academics who have tested them and found them wanting. Practical implications The commentary calls for the academic community to think more critically about a framework’s merits when conducting research. Social implications A call to action by the academic community. Originality/value The paper calls for further research to question the veracity of a range of concepts and models in tourism and hospitality studies.