Bahrain launches first MBA in hotel management

Bahrain has introduced its first MBA in International Hotel Management, a two-year programme designed to strengthen the hospitality talent pool and respond to the Gulf region’s growing need for specialised industry leaders.

 

This comes as tourism infrastructure projects accelerate across the Gulf, with more than 90,000 skilled hospitality professionals needed by 2026, according to a Alpen Capital report.

 

Bahrain’s new MBA addresses this demand, equipping graduates with the advanced financial, strategic and operational skills needed for senior roles in the sector.

 

Delivered entirely in English at Vatel Bahrain business school, the programme is accredited by the kingdom’s Higher Education Council, benchmarked to Level 7 on the European Qualifications Framework, and aligned to Level 9 on Bahrain’s National Qualifications Framework. 

 

The curriculum blends academic theory and practical experience, preparing candidates for leadership roles in hotel groups, tourism organisations, and related hospitality enterprises.

 

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Coursework covers the Economy of Tourism and Hospitality, Marketing Strategy, Financial Analysis, Human Resources, Hospitality and Tourism Strategy, as well as English and French language development.

 

Entry requirements include a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality or Hotel Management, or in another discipline with at least two years of relevant professional experience. 

 

Commenting on the launch, Sheikh Khaled bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, General Director of Vatel Bahrain, said: “The tourism sector’s growth we are witnessing in the region calls for a programme that combines academic knowledge with practical experience, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of a competitive and fast-evolving global hospitality industry.

 

"The launch of this MBA programme represents a strategic step towards bridging the professional gap in the sector.”

 

MBAs in hospitality management are offered by a number of institutions in the region, including Al Rayyan International University College in Qatar, Middlesex University Dubai and Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, also in Dubai. 

 

For more information, visit www.vatel.bh