The Utah Tourism Industry Association (UTIA) is contracted with the Utah Board of Education to build and manage 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:

• Introduce the different industry sectors and cover relevant topics unique to the industry, including:

  • Accommodations and Hotel Operations

  • Transportation 

  • Food and Beverage

  • Social, Environmental, and Economic Impacts of Tourism

  • The Restaurant Industry

  • The Uprise of the Internet as a Research and Travel Booking Tool

  • What is a DMO and what part do they play in promoting 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.

• Provide complimentary attendance at the annual Utah Tourism Conference each fall, where students (and their teacher!) can attend industry-specific breakout sessions and networking breaks, as well as participate in our Mentorship program.

• 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.

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To enroll, or learn more about the program offerings, contact Kim Thompson, UTIA’s Education Program Manager, at kim@utahtourism.org.