New tourism courses at Coffs Harbour in 2015

Southern Cross University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management has announced new degrees will be delivered at the Coffs Harbour campus from February 2015.

Head of School Professor Elizabeth Roberts said the new degrees were developed in response to critical shortages for qualified management professionals in the hotel and tourism industry, both in Australia and internationally.

The courses will be launched at an event at the C.ex Coffs on Tuesday, June 18 at 4.30pm. Anyone interested in hearing about the courses is invited to attend.

“Hospitality and tourism is now the world’s largest industry, employing one in every nine people world-wide and generating around four trillion dollars annually," Professor Roberts said.

"Business at this scale requires managers with highly advanced analytical and management skills, and the demand for these professionals is currently far exceeding the supply of qualified graduates.

“Given the importance of tourism for the Coffs Coast, these degrees have been designed to fill a skills gap. The Coffs Coast attracts 40,000 visitors per annum and offers more than 200 accommodation options. Increased competition and rising customer expectations requires tourism operators to have the business acumen necessary to run successful operations.”

The Bachelor of Business in Tourism and Hospitality Management prepares students for a career in tourism and hospitality, providing a thorough understanding of tourism and hospitality management on both the domestic and international levels, underpinned by core business skills.

The Bachelor of Business in Convention and Event Management positions graduates at the centre of the fast growing events industry. This course offers an optional international exchange program for second-year students to study overseas.

Professor Roberts said another unique feature of these degrees was the required industry placements. The award winning Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units provide opportunities for students to complete a professional development unit in addition to a required 14-week industry internship.

“It is a huge asset for our students to have the opportunity to undertake work placement across a broad spectrum of potential employers throughout the Coffs region,” Professor Roberts said.

“Essentially, our degrees are designed to attract students who seek a career in the hotel and tourism industry and want to stand out from the crowd.”

In addition to the undergraduate degrees, the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management also offers the Master of Tourism and Hospitality Management. The degrees are offered on campus at Coffs Harbour and by distance education.

If you would like to attend the event on Tuesday please email diana.sims@scu.edu.au.