Chasing the 'fat': chasing a 'fad'? The waxing and waning of tourism and tourism-related programmes in Australian higher education.

This paper discusses the development of tourism and tourism-related degrees in Australia in relation to Commonwealth government higher education policies. The deregulation of the higher education sector, government policies, and decreases in government funding, have resulted in increased competition for niche market degrees. The oversupply of study places has led to quick economic returns, but saturated the market and led to the decline and subsequent abolition of many degrees. Based on data from Australian tertiary admission centre handbooks, this paper argues that the increased competition for students between institutions is not in the long-term interest of the Australian tourism tertiary sector.