Tourism course for business students

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) has launched a new degree programme named Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) Tourism Destination Marketing at the beginning of this year January 2022. Parked under UTAR Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF), this programme aims to equip students with the expertise to manage a successful tourism destination and its related business activity. It is also designed to develop graduates to be entrepreneurs who can lead and manage their business with acquired legal knowledge, social and ethical skills, along with life-long learning to start, nurture, and grow their business.

This programme offers a holistic view and knowledge in the context of tourism, unlike others which are more specialised in only one or a few tourism sub-sector. One of the uniqueness of this programme includes the incorporation of health and medical tourism areas in the course. It also specifically focuses on the marketing aspect of managing and promoting tourism destinations. Moreover, it covers multidisciplinary studies within an economy such as accommodation, shopping, logistics, recreation, and food sector besides incorporating digital technology element and Alibaba.com Global Digital Talent (GDT). The students are also exposed to local/overseas study tours for experiential learning in the course.

UTAR FBF Head of Marketing Department Choy Johnn Yee explained, “Tourism is a big business in the service sector. With a bounty of natural beauty and multi-cultures in Malaysia, it offers tourism attractions all year round. Tourist expenditure can lead to a potential gain in income and employment to the local community. Tourism also provides opportunities to local people to sustain their traditional cultural practice. As the number of tourists visiting Malaysia increase every year, the demand for skilled workers and experts in the tourism sector is expected to escalate in the coming years.”

Speaking of the career prospects, he added, “Graduates would be able to find employment or commence their business in the fields of tourism-related industries such as hotel, restaurant, shopping, transportation, entertainment and recreation, eco-tourism, medical/healthcare wellness, and travel agency. Some career prospects include but are not limited to tourism marketing manager, events manager, hotel/resort manager, tour manager, travel agency manager, tourist information centre manager.”

UTAR is a university offering courses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the areas including Accountancy, Actuarial Science, Applied Mathematics, Arts, Chinese Studies, Malaysia Studies, Business and Economics, Biotechnology, Engineering and Build Environment, Information and Communication Technology, Life and Physical Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences, Media and Journalism, Education and General Studies, Agriculture and Food Science, and engages in the provision and conduct of research, consultation, management and leadership training and other related educational services at its campuses at Bandar Sungai Long and Kampar in Malaysia.

For more information, go to https://study.utar.edu.my/ or call 05-468 8888 (Kampar Campus), 03- 9086 0288 (Sungai Long Campus).

The Faculty of Business and Finance at Kampar Campus