ISLAMABAD: A hospitality management school was inaugurated in the capital on Thursday to offer two year diplomas to students.

The Hashoo School of Hospitality Management was inaugurated at Marriott Hotel in collaboration with the Sheffield Hallam University and Business School. Under the programme, students who complete the diploma course will also have the opportunity to complete a third year at Sheffield Hallam and graduate with a degree.

The UN World Tourism Organization forecasts that by 2030, international tourist arrivals would reach 1.8 billion. Tourism has become one of the major players in international commerce and represents at the same time one of the main income sources for many developing countries.

The school could contribute to the development of human resource that is able to both provide high standards of services in the tourism and hospitality industry in Pakistan and get professional employment internationally in the industry. It aims to enrol approximately 400 students annually with some merit scholarships provided by the Hashoo Group.

Hashoo Group Deputy Chairman and CEO Murtaza Hashwani, said: “The school is a dream come true – a dream that was started by my father 40 years ago when he opened the first hotel in Islamabad; and it is a dream inspired by the communities.

“Our industry is undisputedly a key global economic driver. The World Travel and Tourism Council Report of 2018 highlighted that the industry contributes 10.4pc of global GDP and one in 10 jobs (9.9pc of global employment). Indeed, in the last decade, one in five of all global net jobs has been in this sector. All indices are only forecast to rise in the next decade, much faster than the economy as a whole”.

Pro-vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, Prof Kevin Kerrigan said: “Education and tourism are vital to any economy and of course, offer huge potential in Pakistan; hence we are so grateful to the government for supporting this endeavour. This is an endeavour that seeks to bring hospitality and education together for the benefit for the wide society.”

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood said: “This particular school combines the three priorities that we have; it creates a certain standard of education, it offers certification that will be acceptable internationally and it caters to the actual requirements of the industry. Tourism is of high importance for the government and as our tourism grows there will be greater need for professional hospitality management. I wish the school all the best.”

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Tourism Zulfi Bukhari said the school was “the need of the hour” and hoped others follow in Mr Hashwani and Sheffield Hallam’s footsteps.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2019