Saudi University’s Tourism Faculty Opens its Doors to Female Students

Jeddah: King Abdulaziz University’s faculty of tourism is expected to set up a women’s campus by next year. Ibrahim Alsini, head of the university’s hospitality department, told Arab News: “Female student intake will begin in the coming academic year. We have received great interest from current students who want to change their major to tourism. This wasn’t possible, at least not until we officially begin the female programs.” Saudi Arabia has stressed efforts to promote the country’s tourism sector and increase women’s participation in the workforce as part of Vision 2030. The male campus includes hospitality management, travel and tourism management, event management, heritage resources management, tour guiding and culinary art. “Our current programs are taught in English, along with two French language courses,” said Alsini. “Almost 70 percent of our courses are practical. We’re academically partnered with Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne from Switzerland, the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Protocol School of Washington.”