EPI Hospitality & Tourism is not a vocational school, nor an upper level high school. It is a full-fledged two to three-year college education, comparable to the first two years of U.S. colleges with an accredited hospitality & tourism program. Established as Aruba’s Hotel School in 1982 with funding from the EEC, EPI Hospitality & Tourism enjoys much respect at home from both the public and private sectors, and has earned recognition from numerous international schools, organizations, and institutions.
Each year about 15% of the student body is comprised of students from numerous countries providing the school with a pleasant international flavor. International students come from countries such as Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Curaçao, Grenada, the Philippines, the Netherlands, the U.S.A., the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, South Africa, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica, Haiti, Ecuador, and Brazil. The EPI Hospitality & Tourism Unit is an active member of the International Council for Hotel Restaurant Institutional Education (ICHRIE), the Caribbean Council of Hotels Schools (CHOCHS), the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), and the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association (AHATA). The school is also a member of the World Congress on Hospitality Education and Training, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). All faculty members are certified professionals and/or university graduates with either a Bachelor or a Master degree.
We reflect on our history and on the fact that the Associate of Science Degree in Hospitality Management, previously known as the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program, has been running for over 29 years on the island of Aruba. This fact states the level of support, commitment, and dedication of our group of educators who throughout all these years provide classes to our students on a daily basis, to shape and produce new industry leaders. It also shows the high reputation, the quality and the level of integrity of our Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts programs. Moreover, we recognize the continuous support we enjoy from the local and international hospitality industry community.