Students on the Foundation Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management at South West College (SWC), with a specialisms programme at the Erne Campus in Enniskillen, spent two weeks on a development programme in the Caribbean island of Aruba recently as part of an Erasmus+ funded project.

Aruba is a small 193-square kilometre island located in the southern Caribbean Sea, home to 103,000 people, and welcoming close to two million visitors each year.

Aruba’s economic growth relies heavily on tourism activity and the sector accounts for 90 per cent of the island’s GDP, and more than 80 per cent of total employment.

SWC is partnered with EPI Colegio, which has 1,800 full-time students studying subjects including tourism, hospitality, health and social care, business, science and technology.

During the two-week programme, students from SWC took part in a series of classes studying law, accounting and hospitality management, alongside local students.

The first week culminated in the students taking part in a course certified by the Aruba Excellence Foundation, creating awareness of the local tourism product and highlighting the importance of service quality within the local hospitality industry.

Reflecting on the visit, Damian James, Deputy Head of School for Business Management and Specialist Education, said: “The visit to Aruba is a wonderful learning experience for SWC students.

“The trip gives them an unrivalled opportunity of working with international peers and meeting key industry figures in the Caribbean, where tourism plays a huge part in the economic growth and development of the region.”

For further information on SWC’s Tourism and Hospitality Management courses, see https://tinyurl.com/267e5atd.