As tourism rapidly recovers from pandemic-era travel restrictions and more-spending travelers get out and explore in return, Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Global Hospitality & Tourism program prepares students for careers centered around the modern travel industry. After declining to $1.3 trillion in 2020, the global travel industry is set to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023, peaking at roughly $2.29 trillion in revenue, according to Statista.
“Our global hospitality and tourism programs help EKU serve as a launching pad for students to enter the global workforce and make an immediate impact,” said EKU President David McFadyen. “We are proud to be at the forefront of modern tourism, revitalizing the industry both in our region and beyond.”
Offered for the first time in 2021, the Global Hospitality and Tourism program offers a Bachelor of Science and certificate programs in sustainable hospitality and gastronomic tourism. These programs are exclusive to EKU, and no other university offers a degree focused solely on food and beverage tourism with an emphasis on sustainability.
Sustainable hospitality focuses on understanding the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of hospitality and tourism, and responds to the needs of visitors, industry and host communities to ensure long-term viability and responsibility.
“When you think of sustainability, you think of recycling,” says Jodi Denny, a 2024 graduate of the Global Hospitality and Tourism program. “It’s not just about recycling. It’s also about social and economic sustainability.”
Sustainability encompasses a wide range of environmental, cultural and economic factors, and in practice, this could mean a hotel asking customers to reuse towels to conserve water or hosting food tours showcasing local restaurants to support the local economy. While other schools and universities also offer degree programs in hospitality and tourism, EKU’s program is unique in that most of the courses include sustainability.
Gastronomic tourism focuses on exploring and appreciating the local cuisine, culinary traditions and unique dining experiences in a particular destination, while immersing oneself in the culture and fostering a connection with the local community. Crash courses in gastronomic tourism include “Bourbon, Beer and Spirits” and “Wine Culture and Consumption.”
“Hospitality and tourism are significant contributors to our economy,” said Dr. Dana Bush, associate dean for the College of Education and Applied Human Sciences. “Revenues from hospitality and tourism stimulate our local economy, creating job opportunities and supporting a variety of other industries, especially small businesses.”
For Denny, who lives and works in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, area, EKU’s program stood out because she hadn’t seen many other programs in the tourism and hospitality field and wanted the flexibility that an online degree program offers.
“When I moved to the area, I took a job in guest services,” Denny says, “and I quickly fell in love with hospitality and knew I wanted to get a degree in that field.”
Dr. Daegeun Kim, assistant professor of global hospitality and tourism at EKU, said there are several paths to continued tourism growth, and EKU’s programs address areas where the tourism industry is developing. One industry need he highlighted is accessibility. In the “Universal Sustainable Design” course, students will create accessible tourism plans that cater to all travelers. Other courses will address emerging trends in the industry.
“Right now is the perfect time to earn a degree in international hospitality and tourism as the job market has never been stronger,” Kim said.
Denny has already noticed growth in the hospitality industry since she started working in 2021. Despite COVID-19 restrictions at the time, she says there is still a market for travel.
“From the moment COVID-19 started to subside, tourism has grown exponentially,” Denny said, “and it’s only going to grow even more.”
EKU’s Global Hospitality and Tourism program is 100% online. EKU Online offers flexible start dates, 8-week short courses, online tutoring services, and more. The Global Hospitality and Management program equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to become culturally competent, technologically advanced industry leaders with the adaptability and foresight needed to drive the industry forward.
