05 July 2011 Uniqueness makes New Zealand attractive educational destination for tourism and hospitality qualifications

New Zealand's desirability as an international tourist destination with unique attractions is well established. Readily accessible opportunities for a wide range of adventure tourism activities including mountaineering, white water rafting and whale watching, vie with more sedate pursuits such as luxuriating in thermal spas, exploring the environment on eco-lodge holidays, and indulging in gastronomy (New Zealand produces some of the world's best Sauvignon blanc wine)!

In total, tourism is the New Zealand economy's largest single export earning sector - larger than dairying - and almost one in every 10 New Zealanders works in the tourism industry. This all has strong downline implications for other industries, such as hospitality and accommodation. It also has equally important meaning for the education and training sector.

Qualified staff are the foundation of successful tourism and hospitality enterprises as much as the natural resources and attractions on which the industries are built.

New Zealand's Lincoln University, the country's specialist land-based university, has always been close to the needs of the tourism sector and its associated industries. Tourism has been taught at Lincoln University since 1984 and the University created New Zealand's first professorship in Tourism Studies in 1999 with staff member Dr David Simmons appointed to the post.

Equally innovative in relation to hotel and institutional management, Lincoln University offered New Zealand's first university degree in this area in 1994 and Dr Tony Brien heads the programme.

Why is New Zealand a desirable and attractive educational destination if you want formal tertiary qualifications in tourism or the hospitality/hotel management areas?

"New Zealand is a great place for study in the tourism area because everything is so compact, accessible and inter-related," says Dr Jude Wilson, a Senior Tourism Research Officer at Lincoln University. "It is so easy to see everything at work and see how it all fits together. New Zealand has a world of attractions in a country just 1600 kilometres long and 400 kilometres wide at its maximum point."

Seeing how it all works in the real world is important in the preparation for employment in hospitality too.

"Managing a large modern hotel is complex; hotels are mega structures generating significant revenue, engaging a large and diverse workforce and they are a critical component of the tourism and business activity of any region or country," says Dr Brien of the Hotel Management programme.

"The multiplicity of features is what contributes to the excitement and satisfaction of working in the hotel industry. Managers need to be highly accomplished in a range of business skills and areas of knowledge."

Lincoln University student Leah Webster, currently studying for a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Hotel Management major, won a scholarship in her second year from a top hotel chain, which gave her an internship type of position alongside her formal studies.

"The way I see it, a Commerce degree with a Hotel Management major will give me entry not only to the field I want to work in, but the qualification will also be a good international passport for travel because there is a huge demand for qualified management staff in the industry worldwide."

Leah's "international passport" claim is no idle one. Another Lincoln University Hotel Management student, Melissa Gibbons, won a place, after graduation, on an American programme which gave her a year's industry work and professional development in Florida.

"The degree and the specific courses I did for my Hotel Management major, such as Food and Beverage and Accommodation Management, were such a help in the international hospitality setting, they gave me a real head start."

New Zealand tourism qualifications have strong international value and graduates are working in all corners of the world - and at some of the highest points of the world too, such as Nepal.

This year is Tourism Year in Nepal and Professor David Simmons visited the country in April.

"New Zealand has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Nepal over many years and we take pride in the educational opportunities we have provided for Nepali men and women to come to New Zealand, obtain qualifications, then return home and go on to successful careers in Nepal in the national parks, conservation, tourism and associated areas.

"Tourism is a labour hungry sector and opportunities for qualified personnel exist worldwide. Many
rewarding international careers have started with study in New Zealand," says Professor Simmons.

Published editorial for i-student.