Tourism educational institutions have been pushed towards implementing virtual learning due to the changing educational landscape and the teaching environment after COVID-19. This paper seeks to discuss the future of
tourism education in the digital transformation age in Namibia post-COVID-19. A qualitative approach was used to collect data using a key informant technique. Interviews were conducted till a saturation level was reached at 20 and the data was then analysed and categorized using themes. The results show that sustainable tourism education should focus on increasing the natural environment, and ecological and cultural sustainability. The development of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology should enable students to engage in realistic simulations of sustainable tourism practices and learn about their effects on local communities and ecosystems. Online forums and international collaborations have fostered cooperation and knowledge-sharing,
allowing Namibian educators and students to absorb global best practices and add their perspectives to the conversation around sustainable tourism. However, the future of tourism education in the digital transformational age requires stable internet connectivity, increased government support and the ability of academics to deal with new students’ demands. The utilisation of digital technology to develop a more inclusive, immersive, data-driven, and globally linked learning experience is crucial for the future of sustainable tourism education in Namibia. The article concludes that sustainable tourism education will require academics to acquire new knowledge and expertise to cope with the new developments in the use of artificial intelligence and expand their area of scholarship
