The alignment of hospitality and tourism management student research to the United Nations sustainable development goals: A 2024–2025 institutional analysis

Abstract

Sustainability has become a significant research area in higher education institutions (HEIs) as they strive to address mega-issues such as environmental degradation, world hunger, and social inequalities, which heavily impact humanity. This paper explores the relationship between student research projects in hospitality and tourism courses and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN in the academic year 2024-2025. The content analysis of these projects revealed several interesting trends, including the most popular SDGs and the contributions of different sectors to the research. SDG 12, which focuses on responsible consumption and production, ranks first. Themes such as resource sustainability, waste reduction, and the transition to a circular economy are significant in hospitality research. The second is SDG 2, which aims to end hunger. Students are seeking new food solutions, protein alternatives, and nutritious products to solve food security and nutrition problems. SDG 8, on the establishment of decent jobs and economic growth, is also a priority, particularly in the study of tourism. Students are considering how tourism can generate employment, enhance entrepreneurship, and improve local economies. Student research is making significant contributions to sustainability across food systems, economic development, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation. Hospitality and tourism research are inherently interdisciplinary and address sustainability challenges at both local and global levels. However, the study found that research mainly focuses on a few SDGs, highlighting the need for greater attention to underrepresented goals such as climate action, equality, and sustainable infrastructure.