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A Study on the Current Status and Influencing Factors of Professional Identity among Undergraduates Majoring in Tourism Management in Ethnic-Oriented Universities: A Case Study of Sichuan Minzu College

Author(s)

Li Huang*

Affiliation(s)

School of History, Culture and Tourism, Sichuan Minzu College, Kangding, Sichuan, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The high-quality development of cultural and tourism industries in ethnic minority regions has generated a pressing demand for locally rooted, culturally competent tourism management professionals. Yet, tourism management programs at ethnic minority universities continue to grapple with persistent challenges such as insufficient professional identity among undergraduates, low industry-oriented career intentions, and substantial graduate attrition from the sector. Grounded in professional identity theory, this study conducts an empirical investigation—using a structured questionnaire survey—among undergraduate students enrolled in the tourism management program at Sichuan Minzu College. Findings reveal that professional identity comprises four interrelated dimensions: professional cognition, professional emotion, professional behavior, and professional fit, with an overall level rated as moderate. The hierarchical order of identification strength across dimensions is: professional behavior > professional cognition > professional emotion > professional fit. Moreover, professional identity is shaped by a constellation of individual-level and social-level factors, with dimension-specific variation in the salience and direction of influence. Accordingly, this study proposes five pathways for improvement—professional culture development, personalized talent cultivation, shaping accurate industry perspectives, activating alumni resources, and strengthening school-family collaboration—to provide practical references for tourism management undergraduate education at ethnic institutions.

Keywords

Ethnic-Oriented Universities; Professional Identity; Influencing Factors; Tourism Management

References

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