The tourism sector heavily relies on the contributions of tourism students to deliver quality services. However, for various reasons, some students seek employment opportunities outside the tourism sector. The current situation in many countries is marked by the loss of skilled workers and the difficulty in retaining new talent. This research explores the impact of crisis perceptions, educational quality, and social influence on students’ work intention in the tourism industry, adopting Vroom’s expectancy theory. Furthermore, this study examines the extent to which differences exist in these variables between students with internship experience and those without. Data were collected from tourism management students in Türkiye using both online and in-person methods. The findings indicate that students’ intentions to work in the tourism industry are positively influenced by social influence. The findings also reveal no significant differences between the groups. Based on the findings, implications are discussed for tourism schools, professionals, and policymakers. © 2025 ICHRIE.
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