The Utah Tourism Industry Association (UTIA) worked with the Utah Board of Education to create a comprehensive tourism and hospitality course that teaches high school students the basics of the industry and prepares them for future employment opportunities.
This program will:
Describe the different sectors and cover relevant topics unique to the industry, including: Accommodations and Hotel Operations, Air, Ground and Sea Transportation, Food and Beverage, What is a DMO and what part do they play in promoting tourism, the Economic, Environmental, Social, and Cultural Impacts of Tourism, and more.
Provide 4 guest speakers from different sectors of the industry to speak about their first-hand experience in their careers.
Include a tourism and hospitality-focused certification for all registered students. This additional 2-hour online course offered through the American Hotel and Lodging Association will, upon completion, provide all passing students with a certificate that they can share on their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, etc.
Have the students complete industry-specific research projects related to lesson topics. and more.
This program is free for Utah public high schools as the costs are covered under a grant currently available to Utah schools, so there is no cost for participation.