Exploring the efficacy of e-Portfolios in developing tourism management undergraduates’ professional English language practice

English language development for tourism management undergraduates is crucial since it is closely related to their professional development and career prospects in an international context. This study explores the efficacy of e-Portfolios on the professional English language practice of first-year tourism management undergraduates at an applied university in Southeast China. Over a 16-week semester, 50 students participated in two weekly 90-minute sessions of a College English course. The research aimed to enhance students’ professional communication and writing skills through the use of e-Portfolios, introduced and managed via WordPress, focusing on planning itineraries in a tourism city. The e-Portfolios incorporated digital writing, multimodal artifacts (videos, pictures, audio), and self- and peer-assessment records. A qualitative study with students’ monthly reflective journals and narrative inquiry was applied. Thematic analysis, conducted using Nvivo (14.0), was employed to assess the efficacy of e-Portfolios. The findings indicate that the incorporation of e-Portfolios empowered students’ professional practice with English language in tourism management. Students demonstrated more active engagement ad greater motivation when working with multimodal artefacts in e-Portfolios. Additionally, students’ self-reflection on language learning and professional development (what they have and what it takes) was stirred and enhanced. The study also underscores the potential of e-Portfolios as a tool for fostering reflective practice and professional growth in higher education. It provides insights into the role of e-Portfolios in developing professional skills among tourism management undergraduates and informs practices for integrating e-Portfolios in similar educational contexts.