TITLE:
Development of a Hospitality Management Curriculum Module Using Virtual Reality for TVET Higher Education in China
AUTHORS:
Lei Ding
KEYWORDS:
Virtual Reality, Hospitality Management Curriculum, TVET, Chinese Higher Education, Curriculum Development
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.9,
September
3,
2026
ABSTRACT: Amidst the rapid growth and digital transformation of China’s hospitality industry, there is a surging demand for professionals with advanced practical skills. However, Hospitality Management education within Chinese Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) higher institutions faces a significant challenge: a widening gap between curriculum design and industry needs. This is manifested in a theory-practice imbalance, internships that fail to enhance career commitment, and a low direct employment rate of only 15% for graduates. To address this, this study aims to develop a Virtual Reality (VR)-based curriculum module and assess its feasibility for Chinese TVET institutions. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzes official statistics, industry reports, and observational data to systematically investigate the characteristics and problems of current curricula and the factors influencing VR adoption. The findings reveal that curricula lag in content updates (particularly in digitalization and AI), career mobility cultivation, and facility modernization. Concurrently, empirical evidence demonstrates that VR can significantly enhance learning outcomes (e.g., improving operational precision by 102%) and substantially reduce practical training risks. The study concludes that, despite challenges related to technology, faculty, and cost, the systematic integration of VR into the Hospitality Management curriculum is pedagogically, technologically, and institutionally feasible. It presents a viable pathway to bridge the theory-practice divide and enhance the quality of talent cultivation in China’s TVET higher education.