About

The Hospitality and Tourism Management Program is conveniently located in South Florida, a mecca for hospitality and tourism within the #1 most visited state in the United States. The Hospitality and Tourism Management Program strives to provide a premier educational experience to our hardworking students, who are looking to make a greater impact in their respective fields. Please read more about the Mission of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program as well as the Director's Welcome Message - both are below.

Mission Statement

Our Mission…

The Mission of the FAU Hospitality and Tourism Management Program is to be the absolute best college program of its kind at preparing leaders and executives for the hospitality and tourism industry businesses operating in the 21st Century.

To accomplish this mission, the program incorporates extremely high rigor in its curriculum ‐ both in terms of general business coursework (management, marketing, finance, accounting, etc.) supplemented with a strong core of hospitality business coursework (i.e., guest service, revenue management, hospitality law, operations).

Upon graduation, our graduates demonstrate employer‐desired proficiency in:

• Oral and Written Communications
• Application of Critical Thinking Skills
• Hospitality‐specific Content Knowledge

Director's Welcome

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Hospitality Management Program at Florida Atlantic University!

As one of the fastest-growing majors at FAU, the Program includes undergraduate for-credit certificates in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Event Management, Casino and Gaming Management, and Club Management.

The program also offers Executive Education (non-credit) certificates, including the Executive Certificate in Hospitality and Tourism Essentials and the Executive Certificate in Event Management.

Our faculty members all have experience in the hospitality industry and are experts across various sectors, including hotels, resorts, private country clubs, restaurants, law, marketing, and finance. Most have held high-level or executive positions within the industry and are recognized leaders in both academia and hospitality.

Florida set a new all-time annual record in 2024 with 143 million visitors—an increase of 1.7% over the previous record set in 2023. This historic growth includes 130.65 million domestic travelers, 8.94 million overseas visitors, and 3.41 million Canadian tourists. And, in 2024, the State of Florida collected billions in sales tax revenue from these tourists. On May 20, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis also announced that Florida welcomed 41.2 million visitors in the first quarter of 2025, reinforcing the Free State of Florida’s position as the nation’s top travel destination and a global tourism powerhouse.

Florida Sets New Tourism Record: 2024 Marks Highest Annual Visitation in State History

The hospitality industry is the number one private employer in the state of Florida – if your goal is to find a rewarding and fun career upon graduation, you’ve come to the right place! We welcome you to explore our web site, converse with our faculty, and reach out to our program director. Please email us at hospitality@fau.edu or phone us at 561-297-3666.

Cheers!

Dr. Peter Ricci, EdD

CHA, CHSE, CRME, CHIA, CHRM, HIFIA, CHBA, CHDM

Director, Hospitality and Tourism Management Program