Abstract:
Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic development, and higher education plays
an important role in preparing students with the skills and mind set needed to pursue
entrepreneurial careers. However, limited research exists on how tourism education,
especially its learning approaches such as tasks, resources, and support, influences
students’ entrepreneurial intentions. This gap is more pronounced in developing
countries, where tourism holds great economic potential. The study addresses this gap
by examining how tourism education influences the entrepreneurial intentions of
undergraduate students in selected Kenyan universities. The specific objectives were to
examine the influence of learning tasks on the entrepreneurial intention of tourism
student’s, to examine the influence of access to learning resources on the
entrepreneurial intention of tourism students and to examine the influence of learning
support on the entrepreneurial intention of tourism students. The theoretical framework
was based on the Learning Design Framework and Entrepreneurial Event Model
(EEM). The study was grounded in the positivist philosophy and employed explanatory
research design. The target population included 164 fourth-year tourism students from
four Kenyan universities offering tourism programs. A sample of 113 students was
drawn from this population using a formula-based method to ensure a representative
group for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the
participants in the study. Data were collected through questionnaires. Multiple linear
regression was used to analyze the data. The regression models had a coefficient of
determination R2 of .554 indicating that 55.4% variation in learning designs was
explained by entrepreneurial intention. The findings indicated that there was a positive
significant influence of learning tasks (β1=0.422, p=0.001) and learning resources
(β2=0.332, p=0.001) designs on entrepreneurial intention. Learning support (β3=0.184,
p=0.006) had a negative but significant influence on entrepreneurial intention. The
study concludes that learning tasks, resources and support all influence entrepreneurial
intentions of tourism students. The study recommended that universities improve
learning tasks by making them clear, structured, and closely aligned with
entrepreneurial goals; enhance learning resources by providing up-to- date, practical
materials and tools that support entrepreneurial skill development; and rethink learning
support strategies to ensure they offer personalized, empowering guidance that fosters
student independence and confidence in pursuing entrepreneurship
