To stay or not to stay? The causal effect of interns’ career intention on enhanced employability and retention in the hospitality and tourism industry

Abstract This study examines how the career intention and enhanced employability following an industry internship can affect the career choice of students in Hospitality and Tourism departments. The results of 918 valid questionnaires were tested and supported proposed conceptual models of 9 hypotheses and 5 regression models. The research findings of this study indicated that, in the case of Taiwan's Hospitality and Tourism Education, interns' career intention positively influenced their employability, and both career intention and enhanced employability had a positive impact on students' retention in the H/T industry after graduation. This study contributes to the H/T literature by confirming the mediating effect of employability on the relationship between career intention and retention in the H/T industry. It indicates stakeholders should work to build up students' career planning and confidence and to cultivate interns' positive work attitude.