El Paso Community College (EPCC) is making strides in its education offerings with a revamped Travel & Tourism program under the guidance of Rose Lucero, who brings over 25 years of industry experience to the institution, according to EPCC News. Lucero's curriculum will encompass domestic and international tourism, catering to a post-pandemic resurgence in travel.
Highlighting her versatile career managing significant events and promoting the regional culture, Lucero is set to apply her expertise from coordinating conventions and food tours to shaping the careers of aspiring tourism professionals, EPCC's Travel and Tourism Program will usher students through the nuances of reservation systems, travel planning, and event and convention marketing. "Being part of the Travel & Tourism and Hotel Operations program at EPCC is a return to where it all started for me," Lucero said, EPCC News.
The program is not only about theoretical knowledge, students will get real-world experience, earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Travel and Tourism and can bag a Certificate of Completion in Travel Counselor/Airline Reservationist after one year, catering to a job market that's ripe with opportunity especially in hospitality-related careers which Rick Webb, Dean of Math, Science, and Career & Technical Education at the Transmountain Campus, asserts is expanding, when considering attractions like the Downtown Deck Plaza and the Sunset at El Paso Amphitheatre as well as proximity to travel destinations such as Juárez and Las Cruces.
Lucero's appointment comes in a time when El Paso's tourism scene is on the rise, benefitting from downtown revamps and new entertainment venues, the college sees this move as a direct investment in the local economy which according to Webb, was "a fortunate turn of events" after a causal conversation with Dean Daniel Guerra, both being alumni of NMSU's Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management program, and Rose intends to make EPCC's program a staple for local industry talent with plans that include integrating internships and potentially operating a dedicated hotel property run by the students, “We want students learning in the classroom and applying that knowledge immediately through internships," Lucero said, as obtained by EPCC News.
