This course is a comprehensive introduction to the diverse field of hospitality and tourism. Students will be introduced to various aspects of the hospitality industry including, lodging and accommodations, food and beverage, cruises, and recreation. The course will also provide a broad overview of tourism, including destinations, transportation, attractions, and the positive and negative impacts on economies, socioeconomics, cultures, and environments.

This course will introduce students to the various types of lodging operations in the hospitality industry, including, limited and full-service hotels, resorts, and vacation clubs. Students will learn the various departments within lodging operations, and how they interact and depend on each other. Students will identify the various stakeholders involved in running operations including owners, management companies, and franchise management.

This course will introduce students to the food and beverage segment of the hospitality and tourism industry. Topics include a review of the history, progression, and future of food and beverage offerings. The course will illustrate various food and beverage products, procurement, handling, trends, safety and sanitation, food and beverage laws and legalities, and service management.

This course serves as a capstone experience transforming theory learned into reality. The operational experience course will provide a hands-on exposure to real life operational departments of hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality organizations. Students will observe and engage in actual hotel and restaurant front and back of the house departments.