Abstract:

English has become a global language, and the main language used in every domain of communication, including most professional areas and industries worldwide. In the tourism and hospitality industry, English proficiency is no longer a competitive advantage, but a key requirement and so higher education institutions have increased the number of subjects of English for Tourism and Hospitality Purposes (ETHP) in their curricula.

ETHP has been categorized as a branch of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), which differs from general English as it consists of specialization in English language teaching and learning based on needs analysis. The inclusion of ETHP into ESP implies a deep understanding of its practical implications.

In Portuguese higher education, there is not a set policy concerning the design of syllabi for foreign languages which, particularly what concerns to ESP, requires from the teaching staff a growing effort to design syllabi that meet both students’ and stakeholders’ needs.

In this work, we focus on ESP concepts, characteristics, and requirements to provide a conceptual framework for the development of ETHP in higher education courses. Our goal is to present some guidelines concerning ETHP syllabus design, materials, learning approaches, and activities.

Keywords:

English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English for Tourism and Hospitality Purposes, English Language Teaching, Higher Education.