Evaluating Tourism Marketing Skills among Tourism Management Students in the Philippines

Abstract

This study evaluated the tourism marketing skills of Tourism Management students in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, focusing on their proficiency in core marketing competencies, digital marketing skills, and the challenges encountered in skill development. Utilizing a descriptive–quantitative research design, data were collected from 276 higher-year students through a researcher-developed questionnaire measured on a four-point Likert scale. Findings indicate that students demonstrate moderate proficiency in core marketing skills, excelling in customer engagement but showing gaps in market trend interpretation and campaign evaluation. In digital marketing, strengths were observed in content creation and social media management, while analytics, storytelling, and strategic campaign alignment were notably weak. Challenges such as limited access to technological resources, inadequate hands-on training, and incomplete theory-practice integration further constrained skill development. A discrepancy was also observed between students’ self-assessed competencies and industry expectations, particularly in advanced digital and analytical skills. Based on these results, curriculum enhancement, structured skills training programs, and strengthened industry collaboration are recommended to bridge competency gaps and prepare students for professional roles in a technology-driven tourism sector.