MQA urged to review tourism management courses

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Qualifications Agency ( MQA) is being urged to review the tourism management courses offered at local higher education institutions to ensure the modules are up to date and able to produce highly- employable graduates who can become specialists in their field.

Tourism Productivity Nexus ( TPN) chairman, Uzaidi Udanis, recommends that the agency set new standards in accrediting the diploma and bachelor’s degree programmes offered by over 30 higher education providers.

An important aspect that requires relooking is the duration of a student’s industrial placement which should be extended to a year from three months.

“The emphasis on theoretical learning should be lessened to allow students more time to gain field experience,” said Uzaidi in an interview with Bernama.

“Students should also be taught about starting a business, especially online, which is a pertinent career pathway.

“Today’s tourists growingly seek a more immersive experience. On account of this, they are choosing hostels and guest houses over hotels.

“Bookings are done online, with intense competition between portals to offer the greatest price and services, so this is a facet that can’t be ignored.

“Sprouted within the industry now are new specialisations like event and convention management, agrotourism and medical tourism, which tourism management students should have participation in. Also important is learning about digital marketing, hospitality ethics and honing their language skill,” he said.

Uzaidi opined that it is vital that the higher education providers and industry work closely together on this.

“It is the responsibility of higher learning institutions to give students sufficient exposure to the field and career guidance to ensure they make full use of their knowledge.

“Many think a tourism graduate’s career path is limited to working in a hotel. There are also those who dream of something more glamorous like becoming a stewardess to globetrot. This is something that needs to be righted.

“We need to invigorate the tourism sector with more homegrown professionals. This can be done through the 6,000 tourism management students who graduate each year.

“I believe that under the guidance of the education minister, a better practical training plan can be drawn up to enhance the graduates’ employability,” he added. — Bernama