Practical training in tourism at middle school and an application in process at the vocational high schools that teach Hotel Management and Tourism in the Province of İzmir

ABSTRACTThesis With Higher License ThesisPractical Training in Tourism at Middle School and An Application inProcess at the Vocational High Schools that teach hotel management andTourism in the Province of IzmirMakbule TASKINUniversity of Ninth SeptemberInstitute of Social SciencesMajor Branch in Tourism AdministrationTourism Administration ProgramThe fact that tourism makes considerable amounts of contributions tothe country?s economy has gradually increased the emphasis placed on thisindustry and has brought up the issue of the international competition. One ofthe essential conditions of existence in the prevailing market conditions isproducing strategies that will reinforce the power of competition. In order tocompete in tourism it is important to use qualified staff and hence it will only bepossible to achieve this through new and qualified education and training oftourism.The Anatolian Hotel and Tourism Vocational High Schools in Turkeyplay an important role in the country?s educational system. In this researchthat is conducted, the education of skills of the students receiving education atthe Anatolian Hotel and Tourism Vocational High Schools has been examined.With the said objective, the students enrolled in the academic year of2005-2006 in the above mentioned schools have been given questionnaires andthe stated research hypothesis has been tested statistically.In the first part of the thesis; Tourism has been focused on in terms ofthe historical development, the features of the sector, the stance of tourism inthe world and in Turkey, the concept of education, the aim and the necessity ofthe education of tourism, and the tourism education in some developedcountries.In the second part; the issues focused on are the development ofeducation of tourism in Turkey, the importance of teaching tourism in regardsto the country?s development plan, the structure of the said education and theconcerns have been taken up with the the career teaching models. AnatolianHotel and Tourism Vocational High School students? training of skills has beenexamined.The third and the last part of the thesis focuses on the applications of theteaching. Those students who attend the eleventh grade at schools like KonakNevvar Salih Isgoren Anatolian Hotel and Tourism High School, Foca HalimFocali Anatolian Tourism High School, Cesme Anatolian Tourism High Schooland Ozdere Tahir Camur Anatolian Hotel Management High School that all fallwithin the province of Izmir are included in this research. The experiencesthese students have gone through during the stages like before the skillstraining, during the skills training and after the skills training have beenexamined. Finally, there are the presentations of the results of the applicationsand the suggestions (recommendations) that have been established.Key words: Teaching Tourism, Anatolian Hotel and Tourism Vocationalschools, vocational education, teaching of skills.