School of Tourism & Hospitality

The latest Multi-GDS Agent Point-Of-Sales application, the Virtual Travel Organizer (VTO) 2G, changed the Project Management and the Development Management within the Business Unit Travel. Up to 80 % of agencies' individual VTO 2G based on reusable components is produced by our own PASS Software Factory. This enables PASS to concentrate on the 20 % which are individually developed for the Travel Industry. Specifically, students will benefit the use of new technology of Multi-GDS in their future carriers.
 

Accredited by United Nations World Tourism Organization TedQual (UNWTO)

Mission:

GAU STHM is to continue to grow and enhance its quality, while becoming a leader in professionalism and making a difference to the Tourism Industry.

Objectives:

• To continue to grow in student numbers, from 2009 at a 10 percent rate in the first two years, 15 percent in the third year and 20 percent in the fourth year (G1)
• Continuously research, discuss and develop curriculum’s and programmes to meet the requirements of the students, industry and UN-WTO TedQual.
• Continuously improve the quality of education with developing a Quality Assurance System. Update material and resources and invest in developing instructors, in accordance with international standards
• Maintain and enhance the current image of STHM by continuing to make international and local agreements with educational institutions, industry representatives and non governmental organizations, whilst being abreast to developments

Events & Proposals:

• School of Tourism & Hospitality Management (STHM) is the official name for our school, this change has allowed GAU Tourism & Hospitality Management Education to be a school in its own right.
• Have promoted ourselves to Wilhelm Knap Schule, German Students and working on developing a joint programme
• Organized a Seminar with Hussein Ozer for the 25th Anniversary Celebrations Link of photos
• Joint project with the Architecture Faculty to hold seminars for the Development of Girne in association with the Girne Municipality
• THM411 students held a successful Conference on ‘This is Our Kyrenia, where are we taking it?’ as part of their course. Link of photos
• Created an Alumni for maintaining a check on STHM Graduates on facebook, will be introducing a link to GAU website soon
• Held Joint Projects with KITOB, KITSAB, KITREB and RESBIR such as the ‘Keep Cyprus Tidy Campaign’ Link of photos
• Entered the International Hospitality Awards for ‘Best Hospitality Management Programme’ Coming soon
• Created a formal list and criteria for internships delivery and proposing to develop it further as a creditable lesson for both Associate and Bachelor Programmes
• Propose to: Research and improve a quality assurance team in requirement with UN WTO TedQual report
• Propose to: Introduce Casino Courses as Electives for fourth years on the Bachelor programme as of Spring 2010 in response to interest
• Propose to: Introduce two new exciting Tourism & Hospitality Programmes for September 2010. Carried out the relevant research and currently developing the curriculum’s to bring forward;
• Propose to: Send some Karmi Campus students to our Canterbury Campus in 2010
• Propose to: Develop an independent market campaign for STHM, with valid research
• Propose to: Work with Tourism Officials from the Tourism Ministry to raise the image of Tourism & Hospitality in TRNC

SCHOOL OF TOURISM & HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT (STHM)

Tourism and Hospitality is the largest single industry in the world, it contributes around 10% of the GDP in many countries, is the major source of employment and an important earner of foreign exchange around the world.

Girne American University, School of Tourism & Hospitality (GAUSTHM) is proud to be accredited by United Nations World Tourism Organization (Ted-Qual), the international standards for education in tourism and hospitality. It is also a member to the UK based Institute of Hospitality and the Young Skal Club. The dynamic changes the School has undergone, from being a department to a school has given the opportunity for it to be an outstanding provider in training and education.

GAU STHM has regular contact with industry and is in the perfect location to be abreast to new developments in Tourism. With over ninety hotels in Girne and the towns outstanding beauty for which generates over 75% of the tourists to North Cyprus – tourism students are in the best possible location and conditions to be learning about Tourism & Hospitality not only in North Cyprus but in the world.

The school has agreements with Girne Municipality, Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association, Cyprus Turkish Travel Agency’s Association, Jasmine Court Hotel, Savoy Hotel and many other examples for which provide opportunities for internship, employment and different forms of practical training; for example the Housekeeping Management course is partly delivered in the hotels. Culinary Arts classes are partly given in Pia Bella Hotel as well as the schools own work shops.

The school is home to the Millennium Park for which is a new building with up to date resources and infrastructure such as a kitchen lab, Fidelio lab and Senate Conference Hall all for which the students are actively involved with through out their time in education at GAU STHM. The Camelot Beach Club which is a 10 minute drive to the coast is where students have the privilege to be a member to, at the times when they are not learning about courses such as Sustainable Tourism and Restaurant Preparation there; students can listen to other faculty conferences in the Spectrum International Conference Hall when they are not planning and organizing their own conference for their Conference Seminar Class

The school listens to the industry and the students, and course Programmes are reviewed and up dated regularly in accordance to these demands. Exciting new elective courses have been added, such as Casino Management, Yacht & Marine Management and Airport & Airline Management. This year new Programmes are also being introduced taking on board the international developments the school is introducing a two year Gastronomy Programme and Apprenticeship Programme in Tourism & Hospitality Management. The school Programmes pertain to be accessible to all - not differentiating with age, ethnic or gender and for this reason the school is home to over 45 different international country students.

The teaching team and instructors are selected based on their skills and experience in industry as well as their academic profile

Students will graduate from this school with both the theoretical knowledge and practical experience required to work in an industry that works with people and this is what makes GAU STHM unique. So if you enjoy working with people and an exciting industry than Tourism & Hospitality is an excellent field for you to study in at Girne American University, North Cyprus.

Nafiya Guden
Acting Director for School of Tourism & Hospitality Management

Associate Programme for Tourism & Hospitality Management (2 Year)

Course Description

STJ001 – Tourism Internship

The internship is a vital component of the tourism student’s experience. It both prepares the student for the real world of business and improves the graduated student’s chances of obtaining a satisfying, worthwhile position. In recognition of this the minimum period of internship is set at a higher level than for some of the other business departments. The minimum period per internship is set at 45 working days per internship and a student is encouraged to spend more time if this can be arranged. The student is required to maintain a log of his work and to write an evaluative report of his experience. Credits are allocated to this experiential activity.

ATHM 101– Tourism & Hospitality Math

This course provides relevant exercises in the practical application of basic mathematics for those who intend to pursue a career in Tourism and Hospitality Management. Typical applications to be included are the computation of revenue and costs in hospitality operations and the derivation of profit, mark-ups and marginal profits. Stock management calculations, depreciation, discounting, pricing, wastage, yields and recipe costing are further examples. The student will also be provided with practical examples of rate-of-change situations, derivatives, and integration.

ATHM111 – Introduction to Business of Tourism

This courses main objective is to introduce students to the business of tourism through visits to tourism organizations. Students are given the opportunity to see and understand the structure and the vast availability of company’s and businesses in the Tourism Industry. Basic understandings of both structural and legal requirements are introduced. Students will therefore have a basic understanding of how to set up a business in North Cyprus

ATHM107 - Introduction to Tourism

An introductory course to the tourism industry. The course focuses on the position of tourism as the World’s largest industry and the acknowledgement that it plays a major role in shaping the world. The course considers global tourism trends, the socio-cultural importance of tourism, its economic influence, the motivations for travel, the important role of transportation, and the qualities of the attractions that draw the visitor. The course provides an overview of the structure and organization of the tourism industry.

ATHM113 - English for Tourism I

This course will introduce English Tourism terminology where students will be able to understand and develop their reading and speaking skills.

ATHM106 – Customer Behavior in Hospitality

This course will prepare students for working in a Tourism & Hospitality setting, where they will achieve the skills to work with the general public and deal with challenging situations. The student will be provided with the practical and theoretical tools of dealing with health and safety in the work place, dealing wit complaints and basic anthropology of guest behavior. Role play and observational learning through videos and real life situations are discussed.

ATHM104 - Tourism & Hospitality Statistics

This is a basic statistics course that will study a range of practical examples relevant to the Tourism and Hospitality Management student. Typical applications to be presented will include frequency distributions and graphs in relation to understanding trends in the industry. Further examples will show the use of averages, simple probability, normal distributions, and quality control as applied to the industry. The concepts will be presented numerically and graphically. Where formulae are essential to understanding they will be given and will not need to be memorized.

ATHM114 - English for Tourism II

This course will develop English Tourism terminology where students will be able to understand and further practice their writing and speaking skills

ATHM211 – Tourism Economics

This course examines tourism from an economic perspective. Topics include the determinants of consumer demand for leisure travel; structure of competition among suppliers of tourism services; benefits and costs of tourism development to the host community; government’s role in the taxation, subsidy, regulation and protection of the tourism industry; tourism’s impact on the environment; and sustainable tourism development. The course uses extensive examples from Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region.

ATHM201 - Front Office Management I

A general introduction to hotel management that concentrates on the central role played by the front office in coordinating the various functions of the hotel including the rooms department, technical services, banqueting and food and beverage services. The student will be introduced to the guest cycle from the reservation to registration, the care of the guest in-house, night audit, guest relations, response to enquires and complaints to guest check out, billing and finishing with the completion of the data base and follow-on marketing

ATHM205 - Housekeeping Management

The course concentrates on the fundamentals of room division management and housekeeping. This course includes the main housekeeping responsibilities and duties: managing the housekeeping labour force, materials and supplies, control of costs. The management of in-house laundry and cleaning services and the options available for out-sourcing are also included.

ATHM203 - Travel Agency Practice

This course presents an overview of travel agency operations and practice including dealing with customers and handling airlines, shipping lines, tour operators, and car rental agency bookings. Basic airline codes and terminology, reservation Ethics and procedures and buffer zones for tariff purposes are also covered.

ATHM202 - Tourism & Hospitality Accounting

The course takes basic managerial accounting concepts and shows how they can be adapted and employed to the specific and unique operations found within the tourism & hospitality industry. Emphasis is on the use of accounting for managerial planning and control. Included are yield management, basic cost concepts, cost-volume profit analysis, and various approaches to pricing strategy

ATHM204 - Front Office Management II

This practical course concentrates upon the application of computer methods to support the wide range of front office activities. The student will be given hands on experience with the use of the well-established FIDELIO computer package.

ATHM206 - Culinary Practice I

Students are introduced to the most common tools and equipment and the basic methods used in the preparation of foods. These are the standards used in international kitchens of the industry. Students will be introduced to the various products and the basic preparation methods used. The interpretation of recipes, menu planning and the traditional organization of medium to large kitchens will be studied.

ATHM208 - Restaurant Preparation & Service

This is a practical course designed to instruct the student on how to properly prepare a restaurant to serve guests and also how to serve over the whole range of styles from fast food to silver service.

Bachelor Programme for Tourism & Hospitality Management (4 Year)

Course Description

STJ001 – Tourism Internship

The internship is a vital component of the tourism student’s experience. It both prepares the student for the real world of business and improves the graduated student’s chances of obtaining a satisfying, worthwhile position. In recognition of this the minimum period of internship is set at a higher level than for some of the other business departments. The four year student is required to complete two internships, the 2 year student a single internship. The minimum period per internship is set at 30 working days per internship and a student is encouraged to spend more time if this can be arranged. The student is required to maintain a log of his work and to write an evaluative report of his experience. Credits are allocated to this experiential activity. Normally the first internship is expected to be taken at one of the University’s own establishments.

STJ002 – Tourism Internship

As above. This second internship is typically, taken at a respected commercial establishment.

THM101 - Tourism & Hospitality Math

This course provides relevant exercises in the practical application of basic mathematics for those who intend to pursue a career in Tourism and Hospitality Management. Typical applications to be included are the computation of revenue and costs in hospitality operations and the derivation of profit, mark-ups and marginal profits. Stock management calculations, depreciation, discounting, pricing, wastage, yields and recipe costing are further examples. The student will also be provided with practical examples of rate-of-change situations, derivatives, and integration.

THM104 - Tourism & Hospitality Statistics

This is a basic statistics course that will study a range of practical examples relevant to the Tourism and Hospitality Management student. Typical applications to be presented will include frequency distributions and graphs in relation to understanding trends in the industry. Further examples will show the use of averages, simple probability, normal distributions, and quality control as applied to the industry. The concepts will be presented numerically and graphically. Where formulae are essential to understanding they will be given and will not need to be memorized. (Pre-requisite:THM101)

THM107 - Introduction to Tourism

An introductory course to the tourism industry. The course focuses on the position of tourism as the World’s largest industry and the acknowledgement that it plays a major role in shaping the world. The course considers global tourism trends, the socio-cultural importance of tourism, its economic influence, the motivations for travel, the important role of transportation, and the qualities of the attractions that draw the visitor. The course provides an overview of the structure and organization of the tourism industry.

THM108 - Total Quality Management in the Service Industry

Definition and philosophy of quality; analysis and measurement tools of total quality management; quality costs, quality management in the hospitality industry; planning and organization as to time management in tourism and hospitality industry.

THM201 - Front Office Management I

A general introduction to hotel management that concentrates on the central role played by the front office in coordinating the various functions of the hotel including the rooms department, technical services, banqueting and food and beverage services. The student will be introduced to the guest cycle from the reservation to registration, the care of the guest in-house, night audit, guest relations, response to enquires and complaints to guest check out, billing and finishing with the completion of the data base and follow-on marketing.

THM202-Tourism & Hospitality Accounting

The course takes basic managerial accounting concepts and shows how they can be adapted and employed to the specific and unique operations found within the tourism & hospitality industry. Emphasis is on the use of accounting for managerial planning and control. Included are yield management, basic cost concepts, cost-volume profit analysis, and various approaches to pricing strategy. (Prerequisite: BUS203)

THM203 - Travel Agency Practice

This course presents an overview of travel agency operations and practice including dealing with customers and handling airlines, shipping lines, tour operators, and car rental agency bookings. Basic airline codes and terminology, reservation Ethics and procedures and buffer zones for tariff purposes are also covered.

THM204 - Front Office Management II

This practical course concentrates upon the application of computer methods to support the wide range of front office activities. The student will be given hands on experience with the use of the well-established FIDELIO computer package.

THM206 -Tourism & Hospitality Law

All facets of the tourism industry are subject to laws and regulations that govern their operations. The course reviews these regulations as they pertain to such areas as: tourism organization, investment and operations, the travel trade and the tourist. This course has an international perspective but a local emphasis.

THM301 -Tourism & Hospitality Marketing

This course discusses the application of the concepts and principles of marketing to the specialized tourism and hospitality business. The 4 Ps of marketing: promotion, price, place and product will be explained to the student in relation to unique and perishable nature of the product offered, its intangibility and the need to sell most of its products “unseen” and at a distance. The approaches available for market research will be presented. Students will be guided through the steps required to effectively plan and implement a marketing strategy for a hospitality venue or leisure attraction. Advertising methods, target marketing and factors in consumer preference will be covered.

THM303 - Culinary Practice I

Students are introduced to the most common tools and equipment and the basic methods used in the preparation of foods. These are the standards used in international kitchens of the industry. Students will be introduced to the various products and the basic preparation methods used. The interpretation of recipes, menu planning and the traditional organization of medium to large kitchens will be studied.

THM304 - Housekeeping Management

The course concentrates on the fundamentals of room division management and housekeeping. This course includes the main housekeeping responsibilities and duties: managing the housekeeping labor force, materials and supplies, control of costs. The management of in-house laundry and cleaning services and the options available for out-sourcing are also included.

THM306 - Culinary Practice II

This course builds on Part I and extends kitchen practice to provide a broader understanding and experience in the preparation of starters – and the main courses and deserts for a variety of international menus.

THM401 - Promotion Management for Tourism

The class provides an overview of promotional and publicity practices in the tourism industry and covers advertising, public relations, sales promotion and customer handling and evaluation.

THM403 - Restaurant Preparation & Service

This is a practical course designed to instruct the student on how to properly prepare a restaurant to serve guests and also how to serve over the whole range of styles from fast food to silver service.

THM405 - Geography of World Tourism

Tourism means world travel. The student is provided with a good overall grasp of the main tourist sources and destinations and of their economic, geographical, heritage, cultural and other strengths and weaknesses.

THM406 - National Tourism Policy & Planning

This is an integrative course that takes a comprehensive view of the fundamental importance of management and its effective practice in tourism and hospitality. Topics include national and local tourism policy development, the role of National Tourist Organization (NTO) or equivalent, external environments; international trends and globalization; strategic management in tourism and services business; impacts of tourism development and sustainable development.

THM408 - Tourism Seminar

Students are required to prepare a project on a given subject matter. The aim of the course is to enrich their theoretical and practical refinement and to investigate new trends in the hotel and tourism industry.

THM409 - Research Methods in Tourism

Students are required to prepare a project on a given subject matter. The aim of the course is to enrich their theoretical and practical refinement and to investigate new trends in the hotel and tourism industry.

THM410 - Food & Beverage Management

This course provides an introduction to the main principles of food and beverage management. It includes the study of the factors involved in selection and balance of menu items, including merchandising. The determination of equipment needs based on the menu items; the selection, use and maintenance of the food service equipment; and its layout and design are covered. Cost-control aspects are presented within the framework of the FIDELIO computer package.

THM414 - Tourism & Hospitality Financing

The course reviews the types of funding sources that are available for the wide range of tourist related investments from hotels to leisure centre and heritage sites. The methods available for determining the funds required and of presenting proposals for funding are reviewed.

THM111 - Intro. to the Business of Tourism

This courses main objective is to introduce students to the business of tourism through visits to tourism organizations. Students are given the opportunity to see and understand the structure and the vast availability of company’s and businesses in the Tourism Industry. A basic understanding of both structural and legal requirements is introduced. Students will therefore have a basic understanding of how to set up a business in North Cyprus

THM113 English for Tourism I

This course will introduce English Tourism terminology where students will be able to understand and develop their reading and speaking skills

THM114 - English for Tourism II

This course will develop English Tourism terminology where students will be able to understand and further practice their writing and speaking skills

THM106 - Customer Behavior in Hospitality

This course will prepare students for working in a Tourism & Hospitality setting, where they will achieve the skills to work with the general public and deal with challenging situations. The student will be provided with the practical and theoretical tools of dealing with health and safety in the work place, dealing wit complaints and basic anthropology of guest behavior. Role play and observational learning through videos and real life situations are discussed

THM211 - Tourism Economics

This course examines tourism from an economic perspective. Topics include the determinants of consumer demand for leisure travel; structure of competition among suppliers of tourism services; benefits and costs of tourism development to the host community; government’s role in the taxation, subsidy, regulation and protection of the tourism industry; tourism’s impact on the environment; and sustainable tourism development. The course uses extensive examples from Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region.

THM213 - Tourism Destination Management

The aim of this course is to offer students starting qualifications for independent and/or managerial professions and functions at management and consultancy levels with private, public or non-profit organizations or institutions in the tourism sector. Be able to analyze and interpret the global context in which developments at destinations take place. It will stimulate a problem solving independent attitude as well as professional analytical skills

ELECTIVES

THM413: Sustainable Tourism

The course studies the respective roles of central and local government, private and NGOs in working towards the achievement of sustainable tourism development.

CAS404: Casino Management

This course examines history and development of gaming and casino operations. Inclusive of slots, table games, sports betting, internet betting, casino accounting, casino hotels and food service subjects will be explained as well. Also, there will be a brief explanation about marketing process of core gaming products – central focus is on current trends and primary management of financial elements in casino operation.

THM414 - Yacht & Marine Management

The course is concerned with study of the business and economics of shipping and transport industries. Students underpin their understanding of the maritime sector by looking at the technologies used in the shipping industry, by learning about maritime law and related transport and distribution industries, as well as the service requirements

THM418 - Airport & Airline Management

The aim of the course is to provide students with a range of skills in airport economics and financial management and insights into key business issues facing the industry. The course also acts as a forum where airport directors, managers, regulators and others, directly involved in airport finance and business management can informally discuss and explore services issues.

THM411 Conference & Event Management

Events, meetings and conventions are now a major generator of tourism income. The emphasis of this course is on the practical aspects of successfully planning and managing a conference or event. The process of selecting speakers, selecting a venue, marketing to delegates and managing the conference are all included.

THM421 - E-Tourism

This course covers the broad principles of electronic business marketing in tourism and hospitality including technological applications and processes as part of an organization's overall business strategy. The impact of e-business strategies on jobs, workflow, organizational structures, business-operating efficiencies improved quality and communication approaches are examined. This course also addresses e-business from a business-to-business and business-to-consumer perspective.

THM415 - International Hospitality Management

The course presents the student with a broad perspective of the international hospitality business. It highlights both the similarities and the differences in the objectives and practices of the wide range of sectors comprising the hospitality business, ranging from government institutional establishments to tourists hotels of varying size and management philosophies. The course takes a broad worldview that will help the student to place the Middle East, Turkey, and North Cyprus in an international perspective