From Thailand to Switzerland: Tarika’s case for studying hospitality

For many students, choosing a university course can feel like committing to a single lane for life. For Tarika Thamrongnawasawat, hospitality has done the opposite—opening doors across countries, cultures and career paths she had not even considered at school.

Now studying at EHL Hospitality Business School (École hôtelière de Lausanne, EHL) in Switzerland, Tarika told The Nation the industry offers far more options than most people imagine when they dismiss it as “just hotels”.

Tarika grew up around hospitality, as her family has been involved in the business for as long as she can remember. But she is clear that she was not pushed into it. By the end of high school, she still did not know what she wanted to study. Then she attended an EHL summer camp—just one week, but enough to change her direction.

It introduced her to the industry behind the scenes: the standards, the teamwork, the problem-solving, the pace, and the global nature of hospitality. She met students from around the world, explored the facilities, and realised the subject was far broader than she had assumed.

Hospitality beyond hotels

Switzerland is renowned for hospitality education, and Tarika believes its edge lies in how seriously practical training is taken. 

At EHL, hospitality is not only studied—it is practised. Alongside lectures, students rotate through hands-on training that reflects the realities of service and operations, from the front office and housekeeping to pastry and restaurant work.

“We do have lectures, but it’s a lot more focused on practical training. So I have a lot of classes in housekeeping. I got to work in a Michelin-star restaurant. I got to work in the front office. I got to work in so many different areas, such as pastry. And I got to learn so many different things,” she explained.

That variety, she says, is what makes the programme valuable: it helps students discover their strengths, develop quickly, and feel better prepared for the real world. 

EHL also places strong emphasis on product knowledge—a skill she believes builds credibility and reassures guests, especially in high-end settings where people expect staff to explain what they are consuming, where it comes from, and its story.

The learning can be demanding. During her Michelin-star placement, she was expected to memorise long lists of cheeses and drinks terms in French, despite not speaking the language well. 

“I don’t speak French very well, but now I have so much more knowledge about these types of products and why they’re served in high-end restaurants,” she said.

For Tarika, another key strength of EHL is discipline. The school is strict about punctuality and presentation, down to small routines such as ironing clothes and arriving on time. 

She believes these routines build resilience, help students make strong first impressions, and prepare them for job interviews and real workplaces.

Thailand’s tourism strength keeps hospitality relevant

Tarika said hospitality will remain a future-proof industry because tourism and travel continue to drive demand worldwide. She pointed to Thailand as a clear example, noting the country’s strong appeal to international visitors and the consistently positive reactions she hears from friends overseas who want to visit Bangkok, Ko Samui and other destinations.

In her view, Thailand’s reputation is closely tied to the warmth of its people, and that spirit of welcome reflects the core of hospitality—learning how to adapt to different guests and make people feel at home, whether or not you are working in a hotel.

She added that hospitality is not limited to tourism alone. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, she said, the industry’s influence showed up in everyday life, as more people cooked and baked at home and spent time sharing food with family. 

For Tarika, that period reinforced her belief that hospitality is present in many settings, from travel experiences to the way people connect through food.

“I think there’s a bit of hospitality everywhere you go. Even if you’re not in a hotel or a restaurant, tourism itself—and the way people come to Thailand and experience what the country has to offer—is part of hospitality,” she said.

A degree with multiple career routes

Tarika stressed that a hospitality degree does not lock graduates into becoming hotel managers. She said the field offers routes into business, real estate and luxury brands, as well as roles across hotels, bars and restaurants.

She acknowledged that hospitality can be seen as an underrated option, with many young people more drawn to fields such as medicine, fashion or astrophysics. However, she said her interest grew from a love of travel and meeting new people, alongside the networking opportunities that come with studying and working in a global industry.

“I can proudly say I have friends from all over the world,” she said. “I’ve learnt so much about their cultures and how people live. Hospitality is not only about how to operate a hotel—networking is a big part of it, and it gives you the chance to meet people from anywhere.”

Pushing forward, one workshop at a time

Looking ahead, Tarika said she may pursue a master’s degree—possibly in business—but believes the intensive training at hospitality schools will pay off by preparing graduates for a wide range of careers.

As she returns to EHL after her break, she said she is looking forward to new workshops, including events management, an area she has not explored before. 

At the same time, she acknowledged the pressure of studying abroad in a demanding programme, noting how easy it is to be overly hard on yourself and get caught up worrying about future classes or performance.

Her personal goal for the year, she said, is to be more present and kinder to herself. Overthinking, she added, can undermine performance for no real reason, and learning to balance ambition with self-care is essential—not only at university, but also for the realities of work after graduation.

“I feel that months or years from now, I’ll look back and think I should have appreciated this more,” she said. “When I’m working a real job, it will probably be much more difficult than my university courses, so I need to value this moment.”