National College of Tourism to issue 3 Degree courses

Dodoma. The National College of Tourism (NCT) will start issuing Degree Courses next year as the government wants to tweak the level of professionalism in the hospitality industry.

The Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Japhet Hasunga told the Parliament on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 that NCT has inked an agreement with a University in the United States of America to jointly supervise the Degree programs.

"It will start with a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Operations, a Bachelor's Degree in Travel and Tourism Management and a Bachelor's Degree in Events Management," he said.

Mr Hasunga was responding to a question from Ms Maryam Msabaha (Special Seats - Chadema) who wanted to know what the government was doing to jerk the quality of human resources in the tourism sector.

He said despite the fact that tourism accounts for 17 per cent of Tanzania's gross domestic product, the quality of manpower in the sector still leaves a lot to be desired.

As a result, she said, some investors were being forced to seek services of foreigners in the management of their hotels and other tourism related projects.

According to the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Hamisi Kigwangalla, the ministry was also working on regulations that will turn tourism and related undertakings into a complete profession.

"You will realise that tourism employs about 1.5 million people but so far, the NCT has trained a total of about 5,000 people since it was established," he said, noting that this means that the total number of people, employed in the sector, also includes those trained in VETA-accredited colleges.

The regulations will result into the formation of a body that will formulate national examinations which every person, who wants to work in the tourism and hospitality industry, will have to undertake before he/she gets certified.