The International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality, Yenagoa was established in 2012 by the Bayelsa State Government with a mandate to provide training courses of Instruction for teaching, research and publication in leisure and tourism, hospitality, catering and hotel management, vocational studies/other related areas based on the manpower needs of the State in particular, the Nation and beyond.

The law establishing the Institute was signed into effect by the then Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Henry Seriake Dickson on December 31, 2012. The Institute which is situated along the Opolo/AIT Road, Yenagoa, is also structured to run the school system alongside a Centre for Vocational and Entrepreneurial Studies.

The Institute secured accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education to run National Diploma (ND) programmes in Tourism Management Technology, and Catering/Hospitality Management and approval for the following programmes, Computer Science, Accountancy, Business Administration and Management, Public Administration and Fashion Design and Clothing Technology in 2023; and currently enlisted with Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and other quality assurance bodies.