ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of travel and tourism education in the Netherlands. In this it focuses particularly on the institutes preparing mainly young people for jobs in the travel and tourism industry at secondary and higher levels of vocational education. The chapter starts with a brief overview of the Dutch educational system. This is followed by a short description of the first institute for tourism and leisure education in the country and a broad description of tourism education at secondary vocational and higher vocational levels, as well in the universities. Attention is also given to the new models of competency-based learning, both at the secondary and higher levels; to the relations with the industry and the organisations who regulate this involvement; and to teacher training and teacher organisations. The chapter also includes some comments on the related study areas of hotel and restaurant education, leisure education and those institutes preparing for media and entertainment management.
