🌍 Is This a Good Fit for You?

🔍 Prerequisites: Travel, Tourism & Lodging Management Program

• Must be a Junior

This program may be a great fit if you:

✅🌍 Are excited to explore the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries—and understand how destinations and experiences are professionally managed.

✅📚 Are prepared for a rigorous two-year program that blends business, marketing, and management skills with real-world applications in hospitality and event planning.

✅🪑 Understand that event planning includes physical tasks like setting up and breaking down tables and chairs for large crowds, washing and ironing linens, and organizing spaces for professional presentations.

✅🤝 Enjoy working with people and want to gain hands-on experience by helping host and manage actual events hosted at the ACE Center.

✅🌐 Are curious about global cultures, customer service, and the economic impact of tourism—and ready to apply that knowledge in real-world hospitality settings..

If you're ready to take on a dynamic and rewarding program that prepares you for the fast-paced world of hospitality and tourism, this could be the perfect next step.

Program Description

2 years – 6 credits – Advanced Career Education (ACE) Center at Hermitage

This program is designed to be completed in two years during the 11th and 12th grades.

Year 1 ( Junior Year)

Travel and Tourism Marketing (1 credit): This course examines the components of the travel and tourism industry, including attractions, lodging, transportation, and food and beverage. Other topics include the history, political, social, and cultural effects of travel and tourism on local, state, and global environments. Students develop competencies in the areas of communication, customer service, marketing, industry technology, economics, and management functions, and are provided with opportunities for hands-on, real-world applications. Applying academic skills is also part of this course.

Lodging Management ( 1 Credit ): Students with an interest in lodging management and operations develop specialized skills in the areas of human resources and supervision, marketing and public relations, sales, front-office functions, guest relations, communication, financial functions, food and beverage, housekeeping operations, security, and engineering. In addition, students gain a thorough understanding of the lodging industry and the career options available.

Entrepreneurship (1 Credit): Introduces students to starting and managing their own business. Covers planning techniques, design thinking, business model development, financial statements, marketing, sales, customer service, and fundamental economic principles for success.

Year 2 ( Senior Year)

Travel, Tourism, and Destination Marketing (1 credit): This course is designed to provide students with an in-depth look at travel, tourism, and destination marketing. Students learn about business management, communication strategies, and the importance of sales and marketing in the travel and tourism industry. Students gain an understanding of soft skills, career trends, and opportunities. They develop advanced competencies in the areas of human relations, finance, safety and environmental issues, industry-specific technology, promotional planning, and market research. Academic skills related to the content are also a part of this course.

Entrepreneurship, Advanced (1 Credit)This course is designed for students who wish to concentrate on advanced strategies for entrepreneurship, building upon concepts introduced in Entrepreneurship (9093). The focus of the course is on the development of a business plan, including projecting financials, economic influences, and business management. Students will apply knowledge gained to establish, market, and maintain a business.

Program Structure and Benefits

• Career Technical Student Organization - DECA: This is a nonprofit organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management

• Comprehensive Training: The program offers training experiences and classroom instruction to high school students, helping to develop a well-prepared and passionate future workforce in the travel and tourism industry.

• Real-World Experience: All events hosted at the ACE Center at Hermitage are designed, set up, and broken down by students in the course.

• Certifications: Those who complete the program are eligible to earn their Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) certification.

Instructor

• K. Thompson, M. Ed.