A tourism establishment can be fully booked every night and still lose money — because profitability isn’t decided at the front desk, it’s decided in the accounts department. Turning a busy hotel or resort into a genuinely profitable one depends on having an accountant who can track every unit of money spent, purchased, or earned through a disciplined accounting system, and translate that into results that reflect reality.

This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy is designed for anyone looking to build or sharpen their accounting skills within the tourism sector, covering every aspect of the function — from daily bookkeeping to producing accurate financial results using modern, effective methods. Participants will walk through the correct mechanics of this field in detail, gaining practical tools they can apply directly in their own establishments.

Who Should Attend?

• Owners and managers of tourism hotels, restaurants, and facilities.
• Heads and managers of accounting departments within tourism establishments.
• Hotel deputy directors, supervisors, and senior monitors.
• Front office and customer service staff, up to assistant manager level.
• All accounting and administrative personnel across the tourism sector.
• Owners of travel and tourism agencies and staff responsible for tourism facilities such as hotels, swimming pools, and parks.

Course Objectives

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Reconcile balance sheet accounts and manage general ledger operations.
• Prepare journal entries and support monthly closings and financial statement preparation.
• Produce accurate monthly financial reports and manage accounts receivable and payable.
• Handle tax computations, returns, and payroll administration.
• Implement and maintain internal financial controls and procedures.
• Apply global hotel supervision, reporting, and management strategies alongside sound accounting practice.

Module 1: Understanding Financial Operations in Tourism Businesses

• Understanding the mechanisms of financial transactions conducted within the company.
• The major global accounting systems and methods used in the sector.

Module 2: Budgeting, Payments and Global Standards

• Budget control and preparation of financial accounts and statements.
• Receipt and crediting of payments and remittances.

Module 3: Financial Reporting and Payroll

• Writing periodic financial reports on the company’s financial transactions.
• Collecting employee entitlements according to approved payroll, wages, and monthly incentives, and rendering periodic financial statements to management and board officers.

Module 4: Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention

• How to discover and adjust fake or irregular expenses.
• Controlling all financial transactions across departments.

Module 5: Core Hotel Operations Knowledge for Accountants

• Applying internationally adopted methods in hotel and restaurant management, including food preparation and service styles.
• Organizing daily work under a clear time-management plan, supported by strategic thinking and future-planning abilities.
• Balanced management across hotel departments, including enforcement of approved codes of conduct.

Module 6: Tourism Market Fundamentals

• Definition and major elements of hotel supervision.
• Differences between traditional and modern approaches to tourism development, and the core principles of tourism business management.
• Segmenting the tourism market and identifying major trends in tourist demand.