Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

Abstract

Educational Tourism Empowerment: Implications for Flexible Learning and Digital Equity

Joyce Pittman

This paper discusses the main characteristics of critical factors commonly associated with how educational tourism foundations might empower individuals and economies in global communities in a digital age society. Educational tourism is a lifeline to empowering individuals, world economies and educational communities. What factors or conditions are associated with supporting empowerment through educational tourism? The central question is what is the empowering connection between educational tourism, flexible learning and digital equity? The purpose of this narrative is to describe critical factors commonly associated with how educational tourism empowers individuals and economies in world communities in a digital age society. This affirmation is expanded in this article to include a potentially disenfranchised segment of groups who may be unintentionally cut-off from the benefits of educational tourism in an increasingly digital society. Before digital equity can evolve, basic access to information technology must flow to or be diffused into educational tourism systems and communities within poorer societies, thus emerges the conceptual role of educational tourism. Educational tourism involves events that are aligned with the World Tourism Organization definition. Educational tourism enables flexible learning, which in turn empowers individuals by enacting the principles of digital equity. Transformational leadership and resource management are fundamental to expand flexible learning and equity through educational tourism in a digital society.