Tourism and Hospitality in France
France has always been leading and setting the standards on training professionals in tourism, hospitality and food service. It has developed one of the richest networks of secondary schools for hospitality, in addition to dedicated university departments and innovative centres of practical training. The almost 77 million tourists who come to France every year (a number that exceeds the population of France!) do not oppose this reputation for quality, which is verified abroad by the success of French hotel chains and restaurants.
Statistics of Tourism/ Hospitality Industry
Approximately 900 institutions educate students for the tourism, hospitality, and food service industry. France list almost 200,000 employers that can provide one million direct jobs and an equal number of indirect jobs. In recent years the numbers of students in these sectors were considerably lower than the needed quota for qualified graduates.
Hospitality and Higher Education in France
Entering the hospitality industry in France, the qualifications are practical, non- higher education ones (Certificat d’ Aptitude Professionnelle and Brevet d’ Etudes Professionnelles), are comparable to most schools level 1 (Foundation) and 2 (Intermediate). However, there is an increasing understanding and probability that a higher educational background will improve the chances of would-be managers’ to be promoted. This is seen in the rising percentage of French hotel managers having a higher education qualification.
The most important French higher education qualification in Hospitality industry is the BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur) in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Taught in over 156 institutions (including public colleges, private schools and professional training centres) it complies with a national syllabus ensuring that all graduates have been instructed in the same curriculum, regardless of their place of study. The BTS usually last two years, but students without previous vocational qualification in Hospitality must do a preliminary year extending the BTS in Hotel and Restaurant Management programme to three years. There would be no system of option or possibility for joint studies and shared fields, except in the final year when students decide to focus either on Hotel Management or Restaurant Management.
Together with the nationally designed and widely recognised BTS (attracting over 2,500 students each year) some universities offer their own programmes in Hotel Management. A few business schools also offer programmes and opportunities in hospitality management.
Overall, the angle of Hospitality in French higher education is mainly that of applied management, providing student with the skills and contextualised knowledge needed at managerial level in the industry.
Hospitality management as a higher education field is thought in similar terms throughout most of the world. This comparison is an advantage that can be put forward when the legitimacy of such programmes is put into question by administrators or other academics wondering why there should be a prerequisite in higher education for would-be hotel and restaurant managers.
The most important French higher education qualification in Hospitality industry is the BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur) in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Taught in over 156 institutions (including public colleges, private schools and professional training centres) it complies with a national syllabus ensuring that all graduates have been instructed in the same curriculum, regardless of their place of study. The BTS usually last two years, but students without previous vocational qualification in Hospitality must do a preliminary year extending the BTS in Hotel and Restaurant Management programme to three years. There would be no system of option or possibility for joint studies and shared fields, except in the final year when students decide to focus either on Hotel Management or Restaurant Management.
Together with the nationally designed and widely recognised BTS (attracting over 2,500 students each year) some universities offer their own programmes in Hotel Management. A few business schools also offer programmes and opportunities in hospitality management.
Overall, the angle of Hospitality in French higher education is mainly that of applied management, providing student with the skills and contextualised knowledge needed at managerial level in the industry.
Hospitality management as a higher education field is thought in similar terms throughout most of the world. This comparison is an advantage that can be put forward when the legitimacy of such programmes is put into question by administrators or other academics wondering why there should be a prerequisite in higher education for would-be hotel and restaurant managers.
Tourism and Higher Education in France
A variety of higher education programmes in Tourism exist in France and each year some new schemes and qualifications are validated and created.
Very similar to the BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur) in Hotel and Restaurant Management is the BTS in Tourism, for which the national syllabus is taught and assessed in over 200 institutions across the country. Considered by professionals in the industry as the basic qualification for anyone thinking to enter the industry, it is a very popular two year programme, recruiting over 5,000 students every year. Students decide between two directions of study, either focusing on Sales and Production or focusing on Services and Organisation.
Although, the BTS is usually taught in further education colleges and secondary schools, universities have lately begun to offer courses in tourism management, for example: Two year programmes on specialised aspects of tourism, Vocational degrees in Tourism, Master in European Heritage and Cultural Tourism.
Private institutes have also started to offer higher education programmes in Tourism, with courses lasting from six months to three years.
Very similar to the BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur) in Hotel and Restaurant Management is the BTS in Tourism, for which the national syllabus is taught and assessed in over 200 institutions across the country. Considered by professionals in the industry as the basic qualification for anyone thinking to enter the industry, it is a very popular two year programme, recruiting over 5,000 students every year. Students decide between two directions of study, either focusing on Sales and Production or focusing on Services and Organisation.
Although, the BTS is usually taught in further education colleges and secondary schools, universities have lately begun to offer courses in tourism management, for example: Two year programmes on specialised aspects of tourism, Vocational degrees in Tourism, Master in European Heritage and Cultural Tourism.
Private institutes have also started to offer higher education programmes in Tourism, with courses lasting from six months to three years.
Foreign students admission
Students must hold the Baccalauréat or a diploma giving access to higher education in their country. For first registration in the 1st phase, opening application files are collected from French Embassies between Dec. 1 and Jan. 15 of the previous academic year. A birth certificate, degree certificate and transcripts are necessary.
The regulations for student visas are issued by French consulates overseas (long-stay visas are need for longer than 3 months) except for EU, Andorra, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Swiss students who have to present a valid passport. Students need to ask for the “carte de séjour” (even for the EU students) from, in Paris, centres for foreigners or, in the counties from police or town halls. Students must also present the other following documents: proof of provisional registration in a university; proof of sufficient resources (at least 25000 FF per year); health insurance; proof of residential address. Students must have an understanding of French, having not less than a minimum mark of 10 on the Dipôme approfondi de Langue francaise (DALF).
The regulations for student visas are issued by French consulates overseas (long-stay visas are need for longer than 3 months) except for EU, Andorra, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Swiss students who have to present a valid passport. Students need to ask for the “carte de séjour” (even for the EU students) from, in Paris, centres for foreigners or, in the counties from police or town halls. Students must also present the other following documents: proof of provisional registration in a university; proof of sufficient resources (at least 25000 FF per year); health insurance; proof of residential address. Students must have an understanding of French, having not less than a minimum mark of 10 on the Dipôme approfondi de Langue francaise (DALF).