Tourism course attracts high calibre

 Graduates Tenzin Lal (left), from India, Sarah Clayton-Greene and the head of the Queenstown Resort College Adventure Tourism course, Dr John Cossens. Photo by Jude Gillies.
Graduates Tenzin Lal (left), from India, Sarah Clayton-Greene and the head of the Queenstown Resort College Adventure Tourism course, Dr John Cossens. Photo by Jude Gillies.
The standard of students among the first intake to graduate with a Diploma of Adventure Tourism Management on Saturday reflects the status of Queenstown as the adventure capital of the world, course tutor Dr John Cossens says.

That was why so many good students were attracted to Queenstown to undertake the course, he said.

Also, many of them were slightly older than school leavers and extremely focused on their studies, he said.

In general, they were also outgoing and adventurous people who liked a challenge, all vital attributes in the adventure tourism industry, he said.

One of three students to come from India to do the diploma, Tenzin Lal, said he had sought out details on the course on the internet.

Dr Cossens said the fact that students were drawn from India reflected the status of Queenstown in the industry.

"They [overseas students] recognise Queenstown as the adventure capital of the world."