Enhancing Hospitality Competencies: The Role of Mobile Augmented Reality In Indonesian Vocational Schools

The integration of immersive technologies such as augmented reality (AR) in tourism and hospitality education remains limited, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia, where textbook-based instruction often restricts student engagement and practical skill development, leaving gaps in spatial, procedural, and conceptual competencies. This study examined the effectiveness of mobile AR applications in improving hospitality competencies and explored gender-based differences in learning outcomes among vocational school students. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with 420 eleventh-grade students from four vocational schools over eight weeks, where the experimental group used AR to simulate hotel operations while the control group received textbook-based instruction. Hospitality Competency Test scores were analyzed using ANCOVA controlling for pre-test scores, and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were thematically analyzed to complement the quantitative results. Findings showed a significant positive effect of AR on overall competency (F(1,417)=175.36, p<.001, ηp²=.296; Cohen’s d=1.18), with higher post-test performance in spatial awareness, procedural knowledge, and conceptual understanding. A significant gender-by-intervention interaction (F(1,415)=5.04, p=.025, ηp²=.012) indicated that females in the AR group achieved greater gains in procedural knowledge (d=0.43) and spatial learning. Qualitative findings reinforced these outcomes, revealing increased engagement, collaboration, and comprehension of complex service processes, with only minor technical challenges. These results suggest that AR can be effectively integrated into competency-based vocational curricula to accelerate skill acquisition, enhance engagement, and promote gender equity in hospitality training, provided that adequate infrastructure and teacher professional development are ensured. Future research should include multi-site longitudinal studies to assess retention, workplace transfer, cost-effectiveness, and the potential benefits of integrating AR with VR, AI, and learning analytics for scalable implementation.