COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The hospitality and hotel management industry is expected to grow over the next 10 years across the Lone Star State.
Here at home, Texas A&M University is relaunching its Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences program to better serve its students.
It's soon to be the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism. Dr. Brian King is the head of the department.
“We are known around the world for our excellence in tourism already, which stays part of what we’re doing,” Dr. King said. “Hospitality is something new and it’s growing incredibly fast all over the world, but particularly here in Texas.”
Dr. King says the university will launch three new degree tracks.
Madison Petrick is an A&M student and is focusing on hospitality within her current degree program.
“I had the opportunity to plan our yearly recognition banquet which was the last one with the old name this year so that was just a wonderful experience of honestly immersing myself in event planning, event management, but also hospitality in general,” Madison Petrick said.
With graduation coming up next year, Petrick says this program has helped her path and she sees a future in wedding and event planning.
“Our department has always been like a second home for me,” Petrick said. “I honestly can say that I see all my professors, all the students around me like a second family and it’s just been a wonderful place for me to grow.”
According to Hanover Research Projects, employment in hospitality and hotel management over the next 10 years is expected to grow at least 6 percent nationally and a whopping 17 percent in Texas.
“We know that our students, as they’re learning with us, they want that learning by doing and that will also enable them in this fast-growing industry to hit the ground when they come out as Aggie graduates,” Dr. King said.
Graduate student Bradley Burroughs found his purpose serving others across the globe.
“Specifically volunteer tourism, so the idea that people can travel and while they are abroad or in a different location, they are still able to give back in some way and that’s where I’ve been able to find my niche and be able to grow and do a lot of exciting stuff with,” Burroughs said.
Burroughs worked abroad in the Middle East during the World Cup with his classmates.
“We learned a lot about what it means to be a servant leader in a different country working with people from all around the world but also still maintaining this sense of this customer service, this willingness to help others,” Burroughs said.
He says the university is the main attraction for Bryan and College Station.
Texas A&M is aiming to be a leader in hospitality and tourism.
“I think it’s so opportunistic that we can start teaching students what are these skills, what are these practices that make our lives better from hospitality from this tourism experience,” Burroughs said.
The university will move forward with the department name change on August 15.
They're expecting to welcome its first class this fall.