1. Background of the Program

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 has started the first ever BA degree program in Tourism Management 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 Haramaya University (2014/2015), Debre Tabor University (2015), Wollo University (2015) and Debark University (2017/2018).

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, Haramaya University are initiated to change the mode of delivery to modular approach and 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 have taken the initiative justifiably to fill the gap by training tourism professionals and possibly conduct problem solving studies and researches that could catalyze the development of the country.

2. Rationale of the Program

Ethiopia is well-off in potential tourism resources but not much benefited from the sector. Hence, in order to exploit its tourism potential, the country needs to have skilled manpower in the field. If the tourism industry is geared and developed properly, it can serve as a supplementary (alternative) economic sector besides agriculture.

Tourism and Hotel industries are the two sides of a coin. 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 in foreign exchange and stimulates development of basic infrastructure. Tourist establishments, particularly hotels, buy from domestic sources and can help the development of such national industries as agriculture, food processing and commercial fishing, among others. The development of hotels also attracts other foreign investment and facilitates the transfer of technology, as in the case of computer-based reservation systems (CRS).

Tourism and Hotel Management Program aims at giving students advanced knowledge in contemporary tourism and hotel management to become professional consultants, innovative entrepreneurs, government and public administration officials, tourism business and hotel managers, qualified employees, and academic researchers in the field of tourism and hotel. Bachelor degree in Tourism and Hotel Management is a fully integrated Four-year program promoted and tailor-made by universities under the College of Business and Economics with the intention of being recognized for its education and research. As such, this program combines theoretical education with practical training and industry experience to ensure that graduates fully attuned to the culture, service and competitive aspects of tourism and hospitality industry. Students will receive a thorough education in tourism and hotel management underpinned by integrated core business courses. Practical work experience is of utmost importance in getting prepared for an attractive career in tourism and hospitality management and in order to be successful in a competitive market. For a country like Ethiopia, which is endowed with variety of natural and manmade tourist attractions, tourism may pave the road for the development of infrastructure which in turn is a pedestal for the maturity of the whole economy as it gives a hand for the expansion of other sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, trade, transportation and others due to its multidisciplinary and revenue generating nature. However, tourism a very fast growing economic sector elsewhere in the world, has not yet been developed in Ethiopia and the country is not benefiting from it to the extent it deserves. It is run by archaic instinct and languishing ever since, while other countries are excelling. This is because those countries have realized its potential and developed their capacity by strategic programs.

Hotel management in its part is important because of the number of reasons. First, the hotel industry is continuously growing and hence it needs the availability of professionals who can cater for the need of hospitality industry. Second, the nation will have competent academicians who will work for the growth of the hospitality industry and also, as a spillover effect, its counterpart- tourism industry. Third, in betterment of services of hotel industry, it gives venues for training exposure and an opportunity to give education to interested parties and hoteliers. Fourth, stakeholders will benefit from the research outputs that are to be carried out by staffs of the program. Lastly, there is a need to combat macroeconomic problem of the nation by reducing unemployment.
The curriculum of the program has been designed to meet the needs of tourism and hospitality industry, and to contribute towards the current development policy of the country. The industry’s interdisciplinary nature has been clearly covered throughout the curriculum by incorporating tourism, hotel, marketing, economics, management, development; communication skills, general awareness, research methods and other inter-related subjects.

In general, the curriculum for Bachelor of Art Program in Tourism and Hotel Management is developed based on:
The intention to respond to the changing economic demands of the country and the current lack of professionals in the field of tourism and hotel, who would gear the development of this vital and rapidly growing economic sector;
Taken specifically, the tourism and hotel industry in Ethiopia needs tourism and hotel professionals who will work at operational as well as managerial levels;
Ethiopia is a growing tourist destination with promising annual growth rates of tourist arrivals that are above the world average growth. So, the country needs qualified personnel to make use of this opportunity;

Tourism and hospitality sector is expected to be an important source of income, means of poverty alleviation for the country and can provide great employment opportunities.
Experiences gained from other universities and the clear relevance of the field to the socio-cultural, environmental and economic development of the country.

3. Admission Requirement

Applicants seeking admission to Tourism and Hotel Management Program must meet the following admission requirements:

  • Successful completion of preparatory schools in social science streams
  • Passing mark in Ethiopian universities’ entrance examination or any other comparable examination.
  • Diploma in related fields and minimum of two years’ experience, preferably in tourism-related areas.
  • NB: Sponsorship or personal financial status declaration in case of adult and/or foreign students is needed.

Duration of the Study: It takes four years to graduate in regular, five years in extension, summer and distance degree program.

4. Graduation Requirement

Applicants seeking admission to Tourism and Hotel Management Program must meet the following admission requirements:

  • Successful completion of preparatory schools in social science streams
  • Passing mark in Ethiopian universities’ entrance examination or any other comparable examination.
  • Diploma in related fields and minimum of two years’ experience, preferably in tourism-related areas.
  • NB: Sponsorship or personal financial status declaration in case of adult and/or foreign students is needed.

Duration of the Study: It takes four years to graduate in regular, five years in extension, summer and distance degree program.

Students are expected to take total of 144 credit hours and 238 ECTS to graduate. This Total credit hours are composed of 144 credit hours of core courses, 35 credit hours supportive courses and 109 credit hours of common courses, a minimum credit hour of 72/119ECTS, a minimum Cumulative Grade point Average of 2.00, No Fx, F, NG, I, in any course and compliance with the regulation of the university.

5. Degree Nomenclature

 The degree is named as: In English: DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN TOURISM AND HOTEL MANAGEMENT In Amharic: የአርት ባችለር ዲግሪ በቱሪዝምና ሆቴል ማኔጅመንት