Bowling Green State University Launching Tourism Degree, Partnered with Cedar Fair

[Hyde]

So a cool news story a bit off the beaten path; Bowling Green State University is launching a Tourism Degree, which will be based out of their Fireland's branch campus in Sandusky, Ohio. The new degree will be a Bachelor's in Resort and Attraction Management, and will operate out of a new downtown building to give students close access to downtown tourism businesses (restaurants, hotels, etc.), and Cedar Fair (offices are located out on Cedar Point peninsula): http://www.sanduskyregister.com/story/201802270022

Through a public-private partnership, Cedar Fair and Bowling Green State University want to create a college paired with a campus-style environment somewhere within the city’s central business district.

It’s possible the academic center, solely focused on teaching tourism-related courses, and a related residential setting, housing upward of 200 students year-round, could open by 2020.

Bowling Green State University recently began developing a curriculum tailored to the tourism industry for a proposed program in Sandusky. More specifically, it focuses on subjects pertaining to the business of traveling, hospitality and entertainment. Upon completion of the major, students would receive a bachelor’s degree in resort and attraction management.

The program will be funded between BGSU, City of Sandusky, and Cedar Fair, with a site just approved to be sold to BGSU in downtown Sandusky: http://www.sanduskyregister.com/story/201901280035

Overall, I am so excited for this program to launch in 2020. Sandusky is a city that lives and dies by tourism, and this adds additional vestiture to establishing tourism as an institution to the area. It's also a great boost by injecting a group of students into downtown Sandusky during the academic year, which will be a helpful boost to commerce during the off-season months. (It turns out Sandusky is pretty quiet outside of the summer!)

This will be the 4th program of its type in the world. Glad Cedar Fair can be a part of it!