SWITZERLAND was the obvious choice for two Malaysian students when they decided to carve out careers in the hospitality field.

Kimberly Loke and Danno Han, both from Perak, were drawn to Switzerland for reasons familiar to those in the industry. They are currently studying at the Les Roches International School of Hotel Management.

"Switzerland is known for its diploma in hotel management," says Loke, 20, from Greentown, Ipoh, who is in her third semester.

"Switzerland was highly recommended by a family friend," says Han, 21, from Teluk Intan, who is pursuing a degree course in hotel management. He is in his fifth semester.

Loke and Han are among 23 Malaysians who are studying at Les Roches.
In addition to its premier hospitality management education, Switzerland is famous for its stability and safety.

Historically, hospitality has its roots in Switzerland and many international organisations are based there.

A holiday in Switzerland means many things to many visitors who can "touch a glacier in the early morning hours", soak up the panorama, "dive into a mountain lake" and take a "leisurely walk in freshly fallen deep snow", among other outdoor pursuits.

Loke and Han are among many young adults around the world who are excited by career opportunities in the tourism, hospitality and leisure sector which is one of the largest and fastest growing in the world.

With many students worldwide aspiring to careers in the sector, the demand for hospitality education has seen an upward climb.

In the United Kingdom alone, it employs 4.2 million people, nearly 10 per cent of the entire UK workforce.

The growing interest in Malaysia as a tourist destination is clearly evident in the number of arrivals. In nine years, the number of visitors has increased by 280 per cent (from 5.5 million to 20.9 million).

Visitors have a good choice of activities: adventure, medical, wellness, golf, eco and wildlife.

By 2010, Malaysia is expected to have a higher growth average in terms of travel and tourism industry employment compared to world estimates (2.9 per cent versus 2.4 per cent).

Malaysia's booming tourism sector means that the demand for well-trained managers will rise.