Entrepreneurial intentions, career expectations, and life satisfaction of hospitality and tourism students

Ensuring sustainable growth of the tourism industry, which is strategically important for the economy and employment in many countries, critically depends on understanding the life satisfaction, career expectations, and entrepreneurial intentions of future tourism industry professionals. Accordingly, this study examines the relationships between entrepreneurial intentions, life satisfaction, and career expectations of university students planning to pursue a career in the tourism industry. It also examines the role of gender in the relationships between entrepreneurial intentions, life satisfaction, and career expectations. Data were collected from 466 students in tourism and hospitality departments using questionnaires. The collected quantitative data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results show that students with high entrepreneurial intentions have significantly higher life satisfaction and career expectations while life satisfaction affects career expectations, both directly and indirectly. The gender analyses revealed that the effect of entrepreneurial intentions on life satisfaction and career expectations is stronger for male than female students. These findings highlight the importance of approaches that encourage entrepreneurship and practices that strengthen career expectations in tourism and hospitality programmes. The findings also suggest strategic directions that can support the career development of future tourism professionals.