Tourism industry in general and hospitality sector in particular
has the potential for significant contribution to the economic development of a
country. It has been estimated that one in eleven jobs in the world is related
to tourism industry. Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan (AWKUM) has established
Department of Tourism & Hospitality in September 2011 with the intentions
to uplift tourism industry of the country through promoting quality education
and skills. However, at present the Department is lacking a learning hotel
which can facilitate students for acquiring workplace essential skills. To
bridge this gap and also to execute HEC undergraduate internship policy (2021),
the Department has formally inked MoUs with hotels of excellent repute within
the country. Students’ internship is at the heart of these MoUs which
consequently providing practical experience and exposure in the hospitality
sector.
In summer 2022, a renowned hotel
chain: Shangrilla Hotel & Resorts offered summer internship to our undergraduate
students in their properties at Chngla Gali, Murree, Malam Jabba & Kalam. A
total of twenty one students have successfully completed their internship and
two of them have been offered a job placement. In addition, few of our students
have individually carried out their internships in Peral Continental hotel
Malam Jabba & Marriott hotel Islamabad.
