BACKGROUND OF THE PROGRAM 

In the fast-paced and dynamic landscape of the global economy, the pursuit of higher education is increasingly perceived as a gateway to professional success sand personal growth. Among the diverse array of disciplines, the fields of Tourism and Hotel Management stand out as vital contributors to the burgeoning hospitality and tourism sectors. The hotel and tourism industries are the two sides of a coin and they are perhaps among the oldest commercial endeavors in the world. Hospitality industry contributes immensely to a nation’s economic development in many ways, in addition to the immediately apparent prospects of creating jobs and boosting overall income. The industry fosters government revenues from sales taxes and duties and often boosts property-tax receipts. It also brings foreign exchange and stimulates development of the country. Tourist establishments, particularly hotels, purchase supplies from the domestic markets and hence catalyze the development of other sectors of the national economy such as agriculture, fishery, textile industries, etc. The development of the hotel sector also attracts foreign direct investment (FDI) and facilitates the transfer of technology, as in the case of computer-based reservation systems (CRS).

In today’s Ethiopia, there is a large demand call for and a great diversification in higher education, as well as an increased awareness of its importance for socio-cultural, environmental and economic development, for which the upcoming generations will need to be well equipped with new knowledge, attitude and skills. 

Considering the country’s demand of getting well equipped with knowledge, attitude and skills Professionals in diversified fields, university of Gondar and Hawassa university has started the first ever  BA degree program in Tourism Management and Hotel management respectively in 2003/2004. By understanding tourism’s contribution, other Ethiopian universities commenced this program and launching a new program in Tourism and Hotel Management, given the role Tourism and Hotel plays for economic and socio-cultural development of the country. Amongst the universities launch this program are Bahir Dar university was also provide this merge program from 2006. In 2018/2019 the university were conduct the need assessment to split ethos program to lunch separate program (Tourism Management and Hotel management). Debre Tabor University (2015), Haromaya University (2014/2015), Wollo University (2015) and Debark University (2017/2018) and Bahir Dar University (2022/2023) has launch the merged Tourism and Hotel Management program.

These Universities are doing their best to produce well qualified manpower in both theoretical and practical aspects to maximize the contribution of tourism for the GDP & GNP, conservation of culture and environment, improvement of the living standards of the society by creating job opportunities which resolve unemployment problems of the country as well as ensuring sustainable development.

As curriculum has dynamic nature, Bahir Dar University are initiated to change the mode of delivery to harmonize it at national level to envisage and produce more practical oriented candidates and alleviating the current issues of the country to cope up with the contemporary dynamic world. That is why the University has taken the initiative justifiably to fill the gap by training tourism and hotel professionals and possibly conduct problem solving studies and researches that could catalyze the development of the country. 

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES 

General Objectives

The main objective of the BA degree program in Tourism and Hotel Management is to  impart all  the due  knowledge, skills, attitudes, professionalism and  personality  through classroom instruction, practical lab training and industry exposure, whereby students will become competent managerial  work  force in   the  industry.

Specific Objectives

• To produce competent professionals in tourism and hotel management who can advise decision makers and business planners in the industry. 

• To produce specialists trained in tourism and hotel Management who will advocate the practice of professionalism and ethics in the field.

• To produce graduates who will tackle problems pertinent to the industry.

• To augment the nation’s capacity of conduct research on the diverse aspects of the industry and consultancy services so as to enhance the development of the sector. 

• To produce competent and skillful management personnel for tourism and hotel industry who can hold different management positions.

• To produce entrepreneurs who can create and manage small businesses within the tourism and Hotel industry.

• To prepare future professionals to strategically manage and make sustainable and effective decisions in placements of high responsibility in tourism institutions and; 

• To provide future professionals with an integrated knowledge of the dynamics of tourism development, the principles of sustainable management, environmental issues, the role of cultural diversity and creativity for innovation and product development, the governance of tourism networks and the quality management of tourism and      hotel and customer service.

PROFILES

Professional Profile 

• Managers- graduates of BA Degree in Tourism and Hotel Management can work in the industry (both at the public and private sectors) in various managerial positions such as hotel general managers, marketing and promotion managers, customer relation managers, departmental managers in hotels, hotel service experts and supervisors, cruise ship manager, airline customer service manager, luxury hospitality consultant, adventure and eco-tourism specialist.

• Development planners and implementers- graduates can work as development planners in hospitality and hotel and policy implementers so as to transform the sector to a better level. 

• Trainers and consultants – throughout their study, trainees have acquired sound hospitality knowledge and skill which in turn help them to impart the knowledge to others. Furthermore, trainees have been exposed to the real business environment in the sector so that they have acquired the opportunity to impart their knowledge to the business community.   

• Researchers- after their graduation, graduates can conduct research related to hotel and hospitality sector. In other words, since hospitality particularly hotel along tourism is relatively a recent phenomenon, it needs lots of researchers in the sector. 

• Entrepreneurs- develop and run their own small and medium size venture. 

• Tourism service providing experts- work as an expert evaluating and supervising tourism service business.

• Travel Consultant/Agent – Advises clients on travel destinations, accommodations, and itineraries. 

• Destination Manager – Works to develop and market a specific tourism destination. 

• Event and Conference Manager – Plans and coordinates business events, weddings, and conferences. 

• Sustainable Tourism Consultant – Develops eco-friendly tourism initiatives.

• Tourism Policy Analyst – Works with government or organizations to develop tourism strategies.

Graduates Profile 

Graduates of Bachelor of Art in Tourism and Hotel Management will get adequate competency (knowledge, attitude and skills) in the area of Tourism and Hotel Management. Generally, the Tourism and Hotel Management program provides students with the opportunity to pursue career in hospitality industry. Up on the successful completion of the program, graduates will become competent workforce in the different sectors of the economy. Upon completion graduates will be able to:

• Have a strong understanding of tourism and hospitality industry operations, management, and trends. 

• Be familiar with sustainable tourism principles and responsible tourism practices.

• Understand the economic, cultural, and environmental impacts of tourism and hospitality businesses. 

• Have knowledge of marketing, customer service, and business management in the tourism and hospitality sector.

• Manage tourism and hospitality businesses effectively (hotels, resorts, travel agencies, tour operations, airlines, etc.). 

• Develop and implement strategic plans for tourism development and business growth. 

• Apply financial management and revenue optimization techniques in the hospitality industry. 

• Conduct tourism product development, event management, and destination branding. 

•  Utilize digital tools and technologies for tourism marketing and hotel operations.

• Be able to conduct research in tourism, hospitality, and sustainable development. 

• Analyze tourism market trends and customer behavior using data-driven approaches. 

• Develop policy recommendations for tourism planning and management.

• Have excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills. 

• Be proficient in multiple languages (depending on the program). 

• Provide high-quality customer service in hospitality and tourism settings. 

•  Handle guest relations and conflict resolution professionally.

• Be capable of starting and managing their own tourism or hospitality businesses. 

• Innovate new tourism experiences, products, and sustainable business models. 

• Adapt to changing market demands and technological advancements in the industry

Staff Profile

The department owns qualified instructors and supportive staff for major hotel divisions, i.e., front office, housekeeping, and food and beverage service and food and beverage preparation.

Summery 

Supportive staff