July 10: India’s tourism sector is rapidly emerging as one of the country’s strongest economic and employment drivers. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council Economic Impact Research 2025, the sector contributed nearly INR 21.15 lakh crore to India’s economy in 2024, accounting for 6.6 percentage of the GDP while supporting around 46.5 million jobs. As tourism continues to expand across leisure, business, wellness and heritage segments, the demand for skilled, industry-ready professionals is rising significantly.
Recognising this growing demand, Lovely Professional University has built an industry-oriented academic ecosystem that prepares students for careers across the travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors. With practical learning integrated through internships, industry projects, simulations and experiential education, students graduate equipped for the evolving needs of the sector. The university offers specialised programmes including BBA Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, B.Sc. Airlines, Tourism and Hospitality, BBA Airlines and Airport Management, B.Sc. Culinary Arts, and Bachelor in Hotel Management and Catering Technology.
The industry’s transformation has created opportunities well beyond traditional careers. opportunities today span tourism boards, airlines, airports, cruise lines, destination management companies, luxury hospitality, event management, travel technology, wellness tourism etc with employers increasingly seeking professionals who combine technical knowledge with practical exposure.
Students at LPU gain hands-on experience through advanced aviation, front office and food production laboratories, industrial visits, live projects, masterclasses by renowned industry experts, and collaborations with leading tourism and hospitality organisations. A unique experiential learning initiative, the in-campus Uni Hotel, enables students to manage real hotel operations while serving actual guests, while Semester Exchange Programmes, International Credit Transfer opportunities and collaborations with over 550 universities across 80+ countries provide valuable global exposure.
Technology is at the core of LPU’s Edu-Revolution in tourism, aviation and hospitality education. Students are trained using AI-enabled learning platforms, aviation simulation systems, Global Distribution Systems such as “Amadeus” and “Galileo”, hotel property management software “OPERA”, smart tourism technologies and digital customer experience tools that mirror real industry environments. This technology-driven approach equips graduates with the digital competencies required to thrive in an increasingly automated, data-driven and technology-enabled global tourism and hospitality ecosystem.
LPU’s strong industry connect has enabled students to secure placements with leading organisations including Air India, IndiGo, Qatar Airways, Swissôtel, Thomas Cook, Thrillophilia, The Oberoi, ITC Hotels, The Leela, Kempinski, P&O Cruises and Cordelia Cruises. Students have secured packages of up to ₹37 lakh, while international internships have offered monthly stipends reaching ₹3.4 lakh. Complementing to this is the university’s “Earn Your Fee Back” philosophy, which enables students to gain valuable professional experience while pursuing their education. Together with its industry-integrated learning model, LPU is driving an Edu-Revolution that bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world careers, preparing graduates to excel from day one.
Further reinforcing its focus on excellence, the department has earned international recognition with a Guinness World Record for creating 10,829 tri-coloured macarons, showcasing students’ creativity, technical expertise and teamwork. As tourism continues to drive economic growth and employment, institutions that combine academic excellence, practical learning, global exposure and strong industry partnerships will play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of tourism aviation and hospitality professionals.