Industry welcomes new tourism qualifications

A new framework of awards and qualifications for hospitality, tourism and leisure management has been welcomed by the industry.

The awards were officially launched by the Institute of Hospitality last week in London's South Bank, following three years of development work with industry employers.

The qualifications are for managers and aspiring managers and range from introductory to advanced levels. Students can be taught individual units in a day and they can be assessed later electronically.

Brian Wisdom, chief executive of People 1st, the sector skills council which approved the qualifications, said: "Staff retention is the biggest challenge the industry currently faces. The reason people leave is not generally about money, but lack of quality management and leadership. This new framework proves a timely and essential response to this need."

Institute of Hospitality chief executive Philippe Rossiter added: "The new qualifications have been welcomed warmly with many companies and colleges eager to deliver them."

More training and careers news at travelweekly.co.uk's skills zone