This study describes the students, educators, and programmatic thrusts of travel and tourism education programs at the public high school level in the United States. Specifically, it looked at 39 educators in 30 high school travel and tourism programs. Reviewing literature revealed that descriptions of these programs did not exist. Therefore, this study is exploratory in nature.

The research population included regular members of the Society of Travel and Tourism Educators (STTE) and the Council for Hospitality, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE). Questionnaires were mailed to a total of 87 members who were active in 1994. A total of 39 or 45% of the members were included in the data.

The data were transcribed for statistical analysis; frequency and percentages were employed to describe these students, educators and programmatic thrusts.

Based on the data the following conclusions were reached:

1. Travel and tourism programs at the secondary school level utilize articulation agreements;

2. The location of secondary school travel and tourism programs and significant tourism sites is high;

3. There is a need for ongoing staff development and/or vocational institutes in secondary school travel and tourism programs;

4. There are similarities of mission, structure, and curriculum among travel and tourism educational programs at the secondary school level, and

5. Travel and tourism programs at the secondary school level should be marketed more to the non-college bound, males, minorities, and to students with disabilities.