Determining the professional self-esteem levels of tourism guide students
This study aims to examine the levels of professional self-esteem among students enrolled in a tourism guiding program and to determine whether these levels differ according to selected demographic and educational variables. A quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 198 undergraduate students studying tourism guiding at a public university during the 2024-2025 academic year. Professional self-esteem was measured using an adapted version of the Professional Self-Esteem Scale, and the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The results indicate that students generally exhibit moderate to high levels of professional self-esteem. Significant differences were observed in certain dimensions of professional self-esteem with respect to gender and class level. Furthermore, prior knowledge about the profession and voluntarily choosing the program were found to be significant determinants of students' sense of professional belonging. These findings suggest that professional self-esteem among tourism guiding students is shaped not only by individual characteristics but also by educational experiences and informed career choices. The study contributes to the limited empirical literature on professional self-esteem in tourism education and provides insights for strengthening professional identity development in tourism guiding programs.