Development of Opinions of Tourism Students at the Prague University of Economics and Business on the COVID-19 Pandemic

The main purpose of the research was to evaluate the development of opinions of students in the Tourism study programme at the Prague University of Economics and Business (hereinafter also “VŠE†) in relation to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, COVID-19 has hit the life of tourism students on several levels: education - online teaching; private life – health, work, living standard; career prospects in tourism. Online questionnaire surveys were conducted among tourism students in April 2020 and in April 2021. The questionnaires comprised two parts: students’ opinions on online teaching during the corona crisis, opinions on the further development of tourism and their perception of the career prospects in the field of tourism. Data evaluation was performed by mathematical and statistical methods. The main outcomes of the survey: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on students’ lives, they lost their part-time jobs, cancelled student’s mobility plans at foreign universities and private trips. Despite that, students see their future in the field of tourism. Students expect an increase in domestic tourism and a decrease in outgoing and incoming tourism in the next few years as well. When comparing students´ answers obtained in 2020 and 2021, there was a significant difference in two issues: 80% of students disliked online teaching in 2020, while in 2021, only 50% of students expressed their negative attitude. In 2021, more students admitted that they might find a job outside the field of tourism. The results of the investigation are important for future planning of the higher education system (implementation of the online teaching method in relevant study situations). Students also pointed out the need to communicate the tourism development perspective with students and focus on promoting their belief in the prospect of working in the field of tourism.