Lausanne, June 19, 2025 - EHL Hospitality Business School, the world’s leading institution in hospitality management education, is honored to announce that the Hainan Lausanne Tourism University (HLTU), an independent university in Hainan, has officially received the approval from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
The approval falls on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland. The launch of HLTU not only marks another milestone in the opening-up of China’s education to a world-class level but also highlights the depth and innovation of educational cooperation between China and Switzerland. HLTU is set to inject international education vitality into the development of tourism in Hainan Free Trade Port and Southeast Asian countries.
Century-Old Excellent Education to Empower the development of Hainan Free Trade Port
As a pioneer with 132 years of expertise in hospitality education, EHL leverages its world’s leading education system built on academic rigor, immersive practical training, and human-centered care to set the global standard for talent development. At present, leveraging the opportunities presented by the development of Hainan Free Trade Port, EHL is integrating its century-old education excellence with the regional dynamics and rapidly evolving industry ecosystem. This synergy creates a new education benchmark as HLTU, which marks a new chapter in the development of international hospitality education and China’s Free Trade Port.
HLTU is committed to the education philosophy of “Swiss standards, Chinese Practice, and Global Vision” to cultivate tourism industry elites who embody both exceptional leadership and profound local insights, injecting constant innovation and talent-driven momentum into the development of the industry.
Meeting Local Needs with Global Standards: Building the Global Tourism Talent Development
HLTU has initially set up 4 tourism and hospitality tracks including Hospitality Management, MICE Economy and Management, Tourism Management and Service Education, and Culinary and Nutrition Education to meet the needs of tourism development. The curriculum is strictly aligned with EHL’s academic framework and education standards, ensuring a seamless combination of theoretical knowledge with hands-on learning. This approach equips students with core competencies in service excellence, business management, innovation, and strategic insights. Beyond academic excellence, the students will benefit from the presence of EHL international staff and faculty at HLTU to experience Switzerland’s rigorous academic environment and rich cultural heritage. Additionally, HLTU will offer a shared global industry network thanks to EHL’s worldwide reputation. There will be potential for students to access internships with top-tier companies in sectors such as tourism, hospitality, wellness, and retail luxury and service sectors. They will be able to graduate with a well-rounded understanding of practical and managerial skills, laying a strong foundation for their future careers.
“Amid the rapid transformation of the global tourism landscape, the establishment of HLTU is opening accessible pathways to international excellence in hospitality education in Hainan and across China,” said Markus Venzin, CEO of EHL. “Our goal is not only to share EHL’s century-long expertise in hospitality, but also to create a deeply localized and innovative talent development program tailored to China as a fast-emerging international tourism destination. This marks yet another vivid practice of EHL’s mission to ‘educate to shape the industry’.”