福岡女学院大学では、「キャリア・センター」が全学部の学生を対象に「インターンシップ」の募集を行っています。インターンシップ先として100以上の企業と連携し、毎年100名程度（全学合計）の学生が参加します。職場体験を通して将来を考える貴重な機会になります。また、インターンシップは正規科目として認定されているため、単位を取得することができます。国際英語学科は、それに加えて学科独自にインターンシップを提携しており、学科の達成目標としてかかげる力を育成することに役立っています。

今回紹介するのは、「Intercultural Communication」科目を担当する Doyle 准教授が執筆したもので、「英語力」「異文化コミュニケーション力」「リーダーシップ力」を育成する観点から「Tourism」を分析しています。英語で書かれていますが、ぜひご一読ください。

The number of tourists are on the rise again in Japan, especially the number of foreign tourists has risen dramatically. The number was over 2.5 million in October 2023! This number is greater than the same month in 2019, the year of the Covid pandemic. In fact, the total number of foreign tourists for the year 2023 was over 24 million! Of this 24 million, 1 million according to JNTO*, visited Kyushu! 

How much do foreign tourists spend in Japan? On average, each tourist spends 160,000 yen during their stay in Japan and over 70% of this amount is spent on accommodation, food and drink, and transportation.  

Future predictions of tourist numbers: The Number of overseas tourists is predicted to grow further in the coming years and it is expected that by 2030 there will be over 30 million visitors coming from abroad.

*https://statistics.jnto.go.jp/en/

EAGL graduates graduate with high level English skills, strong intercultural communication skills and strong leadership skills. All of these attributes are in high demand in the tourism industry. EAGL graduates are highly valued employees for Hotel operators in Japan.

This year EAGL students have already experienced an internship with JR Kyushu Station Hotels and during the spring vacation another group of students will experience an internship at the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka. Students are experiencing first-hand what it is like to work in the Hotel industry. Students learn about the different aspects of hotel work. They also have opportunities at the front desk. They have opportunities to use their high level English skills and their strong intercultural communication skills in a working environment. The demand for EAGL graduates in the Hotel industry will continue to grow in the future. EAGL graduates will have opportunities to develop careers in the hotel industry, and in the future we will see EAGL graduates working in leadership roles within the hotel industry.

The future will surely be bright. We anticipate your transformative journey over the next four years, turning uncertainties into a confident "Yes, I can do." The EAGL Department welcomes everyone who shares the department's goals. Aim High, Fly High! Think Simple, Think Different, & Think EAGL!