KAMLOOPS — Graduates of Thompson Rivers University’s (TRU) Bachelor of Tourism Management program can proudly say their education meets the high standards of Tourism HR Canada. The program recently earned SMART+ accreditation, highlighting its excellence in preparing students for careers in the tourism industry.
“Accreditation means national recognition for TRU’s Bachelor of Tourism Management and tourism-related programs,” says Doug Booth, dean of the Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism.
“It confirms that TRU’s programs reflect the needs of the tourism industry and its demands for dynamic and resilient workers, and for workers with leadership skills who can deal with perpetual change. It also informs students that our faculty deliver the knowledge and skills necessary for them to become professionals and leaders in the tourism sector both in Canada and abroad.”
In Canada, three universities have earned SMART+ accreditation, with TRU now included alongside Cape Breton University and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
“The three are distinguished by their critical mass of active researchers in tourism and tourism-related programs,” says Booth. “TRU’s Tourism Innovation Lab, which provides training in entrepreneurial skills in partnership with Tourism Kamloops and the Kamloops Innovation Centre, distinguishes TRU from Cape Breton and TMU.”
This milestone not only reinforces TRU’s commitment to excellence but also equips its graduates with a competitive edge in the job market.
“SMART+ accreditation reminds employers that graduates have the requisite skills and abilities to lead the sector. Graduates from programs with SMART+ accreditation are knowledgeable of current practices and trends; they are also critical analytical thinkers who can work under conditions of continuous change,” says Booth.
With the distinction of SMART+ accreditation, TRU’s Bachelor of Tourism Management program stands as a benchmark for quality education in the tourism industry.
Contact:
Doug Booth, Dean, Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism
Thompson Rivers University
250-819-4514 (cell) | dobooth@tru.ca
