| Tourism and commercial recreation is over an $800 | | | | tourism systems planning, resource tourism, |
| billion industry in the United States. Globally, tourism | | | | convention management, meeting planning, marketing |
| accounts for approximately 12% of the Gross | | | | of leisure services, and the legal aspects of |
| Domestic Product, employing 10% of the worldwide | | | | recreation and tourism. The program requires both |
| labor force. It is estimated that by the year 2020, | | | | field experience and a professional internship. |
| more than half of all employed people in the world will | | | | Careers Specific to the Bachelor's Degree are |
| be involved directly or indirectly with the tourism | | | | convention and visitors bureau management, |
| industry. In the United States, travel-related tourism | | | | convention services manager, special event |
| is the first, second or third largest employer in 32 | | | | coordinator, meeting/conference planner, tour |
| states. | | | | operations management, on-site meeting manager, |
| Resort hotels and motels offer luxurious surroundings | | | | travel agent trainee, cruise hospitality, hotel |
| with a variety of recreational facilities, such as | | | | management trainee, resort recreation management, |
| swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, game | | | | tour coordinator, natural or cultural tour guide, and |
| rooms, and health spas, as well as planned social | | | | park manager. |
| activities and entertainment. Resorts typically are | | | | With preparation in tourism management, individuals |
| located in vacation destinations or near natural | | | | have skills related to management and leadership |
| settings, such as mountains, the seashore, theme | | | | which would contribute to any type of position |
| parks, or other attractions. As a result, the business | | | | sought in the tourism industry. The tourism industry is |
| of many resorts fluctuates with the season. Some | | | | within the top three industries of most countries in |
| resort hotels and motels provide additional convention | | | | the world and provides numerous career |
| and conference facilities to encourage customers to | | | | opportunities at a variety of levels of service, |
| combine business with pleasure. During the off | | | | production and management. |
| season, many of these establishments solicit | | | | After finding employment, proving oneself capable |
| conventions, sales meetings, and incentive tours to fill | | | | and making contacts in the industry, a person finds |
| their otherwise empty rooms; some resorts even | | | | that a wide variety of advanced career opportunities |
| close for the off-season. | | | | present themselves. |
| A hospitality management career is high-energy and | | | | The Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management |
| social. You'll meet interesting people and work in | | | | requires a minimum of 120 units for graduation. This |
| some of the most beautiful places on earth - | | | | interdisciplinary program prepares students for |
| anywhere there is a need for resort or hotel | | | | careers in the hospitality industry and includes basic |
| management. | | | | core courses and an area of concentration. The areas |
| The skills and knowledge developed in this field of | | | | of concentration are Commercial Recreation and |
| study are leadership, marketing, qualitative skills, | | | | Resort Management from the College of Health and |
| research and evaluation, programming (recreation, | | | | Human Services; Hotel Management from the College |
| leisure and meetings), planning and policy, legal | | | | of Business; and Restaurant and Institutional |
| aspects, and communications. | | | | Foodservice Management from the College of Health |
| Most hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks receive | | | | and Human Services. The core curriculum is housed in |
| orientation and training on the job. Orientation may | | | | the Department of Hospitality Management, College |
| include an explanation of the job duties and | | | | of Business. |
| information about the establishment, such as the | | | | The Concentration in Commercial Recreation and |
| arrangement of sleeping rooms, availability of | | | | Resort Management prepares graduates to be |
| additional services, such as a business or fitness | | | | entrepreneurs, managers, planners, and program |
| center, and location of guest facilities, such as ice and | | | | supervisors in the commercial recreation, travel |
| vending machines, restaurants and other nearby retail | | | | tourism, and resort management career areas. The |
| stores. New employees learn job tasks through | | | | goals are to assist students to acquire knowledge, |
| on-the-job training under the guidance of a supervisor | | | | skills, practical experience, and job placement in leisure |
| or an experienced desk clerk. They often receive | | | | and travel related businesses. |
| additional training on interpersonal or customer service | | | | Students learn about the travel and tourism system, |
| skills and on how to use the computerized | | | | economic and social impacts of tourism, resort |
| reservation, room assignment, and billing systems and | | | | development and marketing, tourist motivations, |
| equipment. Desk clerks typically continue to receive | | | | special events management, theme parks, |
| instruction on new procedures and on company | | | | transportation used by travelers, ecotourism, |
| policies after their initial training ends. | | | | incentive travel, tour company operations and sales, |
| Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks deal directly with | | | | spas, conference and meeting planning, destination |
| the public, so a professional appearance and a | | | | marketing, and cultural tourism. |
| pleasant personality are important. A clear speaking | | | | The Concentration in Hotel Management prepares |
| voice and fluency in English also are essential, | | | | students to manage and operate hotels, motels, and |
| because these employees talk directly with hotel | | | | other lodging business. Major management functions |
| guests and the public and frequently use the | | | | include various aspects of accounting and cost |
| telephone or public-address systems. Good spelling | | | | controls, sales and marketing, property management, |
| and computer literacy are needed, because most of | | | | and use of hospitality management information |
| the work involves use of a computer. In addition, | | | | systems. Emphasis is placed on problem solving |
| speaking a foreign language fluently is increasingly | | | | situations and case studies to support the didactic |
| helpful, because of the growing international clientele | | | | approach to instruction. |
| of many properties. | | | | The Concentration in Restaurant and Institutional |
| Resort managers experience the pressures of | | | | Foodservice Management prepares students for |
| coordinating a wide range of activities. At larger | | | | management positions in various branches of the |
| hotels, they also carry the burden of managing a | | | | food service industry. The goal is to develop |
| large staff and finding a way to satisfy guest needs | | | | restaurant and institutional foodservice managers |
| while maintaining positive attitudes and employee | | | | who combine knowledge and skills in business, food |
| morale. Conventions and large groups of tourists may | | | | production, and services in the foodservice industry. |
| present unusual problems or require extended work | | | | Completion of the core and concentration courses |
| hours. | | | | provides students with theoretical knowledge for |
| The recreation department's major in tourism | | | | successful attainment of top-level management |
| management prepares students to work in such | | | | positions in the professions of hotel management, |
| diverse sectors of the travel and tourism industry as | | | | restaurant and institutional foodservice management, |
| tour operations, resort management, convention | | | | or commercial recreation and resort management. |
| management, meeting planning, and commercial | | | | The curriculum combines strengths in management |
| recreation management. It includes courses in | | | | with technical skills and internship opportunities in each |
| management of park and recreation facilities, tourism, | | | | area. |