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Hotels See Online Growth, even though Recession Still Brings Caution
31 March 2010
The
recession is not quite over. But after almost two years of a downward
spiral, PKF Hospitality Research (PKF-HR) recently forecast that the
decline in U.S. hotel demand will be over in the second quarter of 2010.
Whether that happens in the next few months is yet to be seen, but a
long road to recovery is imminent. There's one channel, however, that
seems undaunted and is growing at a rapid pace again -- online
marketing.
Although PKF-HR's research shows that RevPAR will drop another 1.1%
in 2010, and occupancy will basically remain even, they're also
optimistic that online marketing will continue to grow. Their research
shows Internet bookings for the top 30 hotel brands grew
by 6.6% in 2009's third quarter, compared to 2008. With constantly
evolving search marketing, increased social media popularity and the
advent of mobile marketing, sound strategies will keep direct online
bookings on the rise.
VIZERGY®, leaders in hotel Internet marketing, has also seen signs that
point to online revenue growth and economic recovery. VIZERGY clients
have seen a staggering 49% increase in Website traffic in the first
quarter of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009. This significant
boost in visibility is seen particularly by the clients fully embracing
the online channel, using a full suite of Website marketing services,
including search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising and
social media.
"Clients that are most engaged online are seeing the best results,"
according to VIZERGY President & CEO Joe Hyman. "Those properties
that take full advantage of their direct Website, have regular strategic planning
sessions and execute their strategies are seeing the most rapidly
improving stats."
Another positive indicator that the travel market is gaining momentum
comes from Smith Travel Research. Orlando, one of the most competitive
hotel markets in the U.S., saw occupancy rise from 66.8% March 7-13 of
last year, to 71.2% the same time this year. RevPAR also increased
almost 2%.
Lastly, some more encouraging news came from TripAdvisor's recent
annual family travel survey, which found that 92% of families plan to
take at least one vacation this year, up from 88% in 2009, with 33%
planning to take both domestic and international trips, up from 28%.
VIZERGY is an Internet marketing company that empowers hotels and
resorts to drive revenue through the Internet. VIZERGY offers Internet
marketing, search engine optimization, paid search ads, Web site design, e-mail marketing, reservation services and
e-commerce strategy development to help hotels aggressively compete
online.
For more information on VIZERGY and its services, please visit
www.vizergy.com, call Amakeda Ponds at 904.389.1130 Ext. 179 or email Amakeda.p@vizergy.com.
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Organization
VIZERGY www.vizergy.com/ 4237
Salisbury Road, N. Suite 205
USA
- Jacksonville, FL 32216 Tollfree: 800.201.1949 Phone:
904.389.1130 Fax: 904.389.6439
Raising the Salad Bar: Beyond Leafy Greens--Inventive Salads with
Beans, Whole Grains, Pasta, Chicken, and More.
This volume of over 135 inventive salad
recipes is timed to answer the great demand for healthy recipes with
organic ingredients. Walthers offers up delicious twists on tired
classics, including pasta salads, salad wraps, bean salads, whole grain
salads, and chicken salads. Helpful hints on preparation and health
benefits appear throughout.
RAISING THE SALAD BAR RAISES SALADS TO A NEW
LEVEL RAISING THE SALAD BAR is one of the best cookbooks I have ever
sampled. I prepared dozens of the salads, and each is more scrumptious
than the next. The Wheat Berry Salad with Citrus Dressing was my
favorite until my husband prepared the Baby Spinach and Strawberry Salad
and the Seared Scallop Salad with Watercress and Pineapple for my
birthday and both were dazzlers.
So is the Grilled Chicken Salad with Red and Yellow Peppers and
Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette.
I can't understand the reviewer who said the dressings were too oily
and sweet. I've never tasted such delicious salads in my life. And the
dressings are over-the-top delicious.
The food critics agree. The book has received glowing reviews. Check
out the review in The Seattle Times if you don't believe me.
There are more than 70 salads featured in this cookbook, and so far,
the ones I've sampled are as delicious as they look in the gorgeous
photographs.
I dare anyone to try the Wheat Berry Salad on p. 195 and not love
it. Or any of the salads I mentioned above. Or the Jicama, Mango and
Green Cabbage Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette. Or the Cajun Shrimp and Corn
Salad with Lime-Chile Dressing. Or The Seared Salmon with Baby Greens
and Mango Salsa Vinaigrette. Or the Mixed Greens and Radicchio Salad
with Grilled Sliced Steak. The Gremolata Dressing with greated lemon
zest is a perfect complement to the steak--and certainly not sweet, but
not bitter either. This reader and cook thought the Gremolate Dressing
was outstanding with the steak. Certainly beats your standard Steak
Sauce!
I could go on and on, but if you are a salad lover, don't just take
my word for it. Buy the book and sample some of the dozens of
scrumptious salads in RAISING THE SALAD BAR. I'd be surprised if you
don't agree with me.
Totally inspiring ! This terrific book is full of inspiration. If you are a salad
eater, but find that you're stuck in a rut, this wonderfully-illustrated
book will crank up your creativity. Great main dish salads and side
dishes, too. And not just green salads, but potato, pasta and other
grains. I especially love the section on how to make good dressings. A
must - and a great gift. Enjoy!
A Keeper! This small book contains some wonderfully creative, new salad ideas.
Many recipes arre accompanied by a photo - gives you something to aim
for in your presentation! Who knew you could purchase a New Year's
resolution?
The South Korean military suspended its search for missing sailors
Wednesday because of high winds spawned by stormy weather, the Yonhap
News Agency reported.
Searchers have been looking for 46 missing
sailors from the 1,200-ton ship Cheonan, a naval ship that sank Friday
in the Yellow Sea near the maritime border of North and South
Korea.
Fifty-eight crew members were rescued, and the
intense search led to the death of a military diver and the
hospitalization of two others.
Yonhap reported that
divers have injected "air through a crack in the stem of the
88-meter-long corvette, hopeful that the latter section of the ship,
about 45 meters underwater, is holding crew members alive." But high
winds and strong currents have been working against the rescue effort.
"We are temporarily suspending operations. We cannot expect to get
near the ship in this condition," defense ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae
told reporters.
Military officials say an explosion tore a hole
in the rear of the ship, but the cause of the blast is not known.
South
Korean President Lee Myung-bak has called for a thorough investigation
into the cause of the explosion, and the country's defense minister, Kim
Tae-young, has raised the possibility that one of the many North
Koreansea mines placed during the 1950-53 Korean War could have
triggered the blast.
He said the military was "trying its best"
to find survivors and that the cause of the incident will be made public
"at the soonest possible time."
The
navy plans to salvage the vessel, which was carrying missiles and
torpedoes, to determine what caused the incident, Yonhap reported. Kim
said work to hoist the ship above water could start next week and he
said the government is mulling the formation of a fact-finding group to
look into the incident.
"We will explain anything to answer
questions and address rumors concerning the incident," Kim said. "We
have nothing to hide and no reason to hide. So many lives are involved
in this case."
Monday evening was the end of a 69-hour window
during which rescuers believed the sailors could survive. Divers have
knocked on the hulls of different parts of the ship with hammers, but
raised no response.
Baengyeong Island, the Seoul-administered
island near the scene of the accident, is a flash point maritime border
area between the Koreas. Given Baengyeong Island's proximity to North
Korea, North Korean involvement had been feared, but South Korean
officials have continued to play down that scenario.
North Korea's official media has yet to mention the
incident, according to Yonhap, but accused the United States and South
Korea of conducting a maritime drill for the purpose of invading North
Korea.
Rhode Island Flooding - Oh no,
Rhode Island! America’s smallest state is experiencing the worst
flooding it’s seen in over 100 years, according to
http://news.spreadit.org. Residents and those in the area have been
advised hours ago to get off the roads, and stay indoors! When it rains,
it pours in Providence, and March’s record rainfall is causing all
sorts of problems! There have even been evacuations due to this RI
flooding – this is real serious stuff!
Rhode Island
flooding has the public officials concerned, to say the least. They are
asking President Obama to declare this watery mess a state of emergency.
This would help them prepare for the worst, and undo the damage on a
federal funding and support level. The Governor is doing his best to
mandate that all citizens stay off the roads until the coast is clear,
but some are refusing to listen! Warn your friends and fam in RI; if
they haven’t seen the officials patrolling by jet skis, they are bound
to soon!
Are any of you out there from Rhode Island? How is it?
They are making it seem like it’s the entire state! Leave a comment and
give us the low down!
Take a look at this video of Blackstone
River in Cumberland, Rhode Island flooding, courtesy of YouTube:
The International Career Institute or the ICI has
observed the tremendous potential that the hospitality industry
possesses. Precisely for this reason the hospitality
management course has been formulated with close association of
industry experts. The hospitality management course at the ICI promises
to equip students with hands-on knowledge, both theoretical and
practical, of the hotels and hospitality industry so that students will
boost up their careers in this fast growing field.
The curriculum is updated every academic year to include fresh
course contents to keep students abreast of the latest trends and
techniques required to master the art of hospitality. The hospitality
management course at the ICI typically includes professional topics such
as an overview of the hotels and hospitality industry, organization of
the hotel as a workplace, staff management
in hotels, quality control, sales control, materials control,
labor utilization, front desk management, customer relations, client
interpersonal skills, servicing rooms and general cleansing, building
and facility management,
activities management, recreational facilities management, tourism
management, food and beverage service management, and other professional
courses in the field.
Since the hospitality management course at ICI is fully online,
students can save precious time by doing part time or even full time
jobs alongside their online studies.
Students in ICI can definitely learn the inside secrets of becoming a
hospitality industry pro all at a very economical rate. Graduates of the
hospitality management course at ICI will typically find work as bar
managers, catering managers, housekeeping supervisors, public relations
officers, tourism consultants, hospitality entrepreneur and the like.
For the year 2008 statistics show that employees in the hotels and
hospitality industry have earned from a minimum average of $35,000 to
$110,000 annually!
Currently, the hospitality management course at the ICI is offered
at three levels: certificate, diploma, and advanced diploma. This course
is recognized and accredited fully by the International Association of
Private Career Colleges. And since the hospitality management course at
the ICI is based on practical knowledge as much as on theoretical
training— students can defiantly expect wholesome all-round knowledge in
hospitality management field. Also, students would find it promising to
know that many government departments and businesses have already
enrolled their own staff with ICI for further training and development
in this popular hospitality management business.
For more information on the hospitality management course visit
www.ici.net.au/hospitalitymanagement/index.htm
P&G Professional, an industry leader in business-to-business cleaning and laundry solutions, announced a one year strategic partnership with http://www.Hotelier.com to support hoteliers across Europe.There are many plans to cover the whole spectrum of the industry.
Northern Ireland tycoon Sean Quinn went on the offensive last night
accusing
the Financial Regulator in Dublin of putting 5,500 jobs at risk after
it
penalised his family business for a second time.
Mr Quinn wrote to every Irish government minister after interim
administrators
were appointed to Quinn Insurance by the High Court following a
request from
the Financial Regulator.
The regulator raised “very serious concerns” over solvency levels at the
insurance giant if it was hit with an influx of claims.
Mr Quinn immediately wrote to cabinet members, slamming the regulator's
actions as “highly aggressive and unncessary” and claiming the move
“endangers” 5,500 jobs across the Quinn Group.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster last night said she would be seeking
assurances on the future of the Quinn plant in Enniskillen.
She said: “Invest NI will seek clarity from Quinn Insurance and the
joint
administrators regarding any likely impact on the Enniskillen site.”
Meanwhile, an employee of the Enniskillen office has described the shock
of
finding out that administrators had been called in.
He told the Belfast Telegraph: “There was an a very short email — just
two
sentences — sent out just telling us the basics that it has been taken
over
by the administrators and that business would continue.
“We are just in shock at the moment. Nobody really knows what is going
on,
what has happened or why it’s happened. I think everyone is worried
about
their jobs but that’s because we don’t know what is going on, that’s
all.”
The Financial Regulator has been locked in intense negotiations with
Quinn
Insurance since last December after the insurer indicated it could
fall
below minimum solvency requirements.
A month later, the Financial Regulator asked Quinn Insurance to draw up
contingency plans in the event of the entire Quinn Group going bust,
documents lodged with the High Court yesterday reveal.
The High Court dash wasn't triggered until last Wednesday, when the
Financial
Regulator learned that assets of Quinn Insurance had been used to
guarantee
hundreds of millions of the Quinn Group's debt.
The guarantees, some of which had been in place since 2005, reduced
Quinn
Insurance's reserves by €448m and pushed the levels below the
regulatory
minimum, prompting alarm at the regulator's office.
The regulator then investigated whether Quinn Group's lenders would
release
the guarantees and allow a €35m injection to shore up the insurer.
When the lenders and bondholders declined, the regulator yesterday asked
the
High Court to install an administrator to effectively take over the
running
of the insurance company. Grant Thornton duo Paul McCann and Michael
McAteer
were appointed as provisional administrators until the case comes
before
court again on April 12.
The pair immediately travelled to Cavan, where they began meeting with
management. The Financial Regulator also dispatched a “small team” to
Cavan
yesterday as it begins its own investigation into the circumstances
surrounding the loan guarantees.
Sources yesterday said “nothing had been ruled out” in relation to the
course
of action that might be taken.
Despite the moves, both the regulator and the administrators stressed
that
Quinn Insurance continues to accept new policies and honour existing
ones,
while Quinn Life is completely unaffected by the developments.
Holiday Auctions by:
www.compareyourhotel.com
The Financial Regulator, who is legally responsible for supervising
insurance
businesses, told the High Court that Quinn Insurance had
“significantly
breached” its solvency ratios, had failed to deliver a financial plan
aimed
at restoring its health and was operating in a way that “was
jeopardising
and prejudicing the rights and interests of those who have insurance
policies with the company”.
In last night's letter to cabinet members, Mr Quinn insisted his
insurance
company was on track to reach the regulator's solvency requirements
“by
year-end”.
He went on to ask the ministers why the regulator was taking this action
when
“the group and Quinn Insurance are in a position to meet all their
respective obligations from a cash perspective” and why the Government
and
its agencies were “unwilling to give the necessary time to Quinn
Insurance
when all parties were confident that a satisfactory conclusion could
be
found”.
How selling gravel cemented a road to riches
From cement to hotels and insurance, it seemed that Sean Quinn (63)
could make
a mint in any sector he chose, the diversity of his interests
appropriate to
a man who marries many contradictions.
The unassuming billionaire, who despite a far-flung business empire, is
synonymous with Fermanagh, the county of his birth.
Sean Quinn famously built his international empire out of a hole on his
father's small farm and a borrowed £100.
Mr Quinn left school aged 14 to work on the family farm in Derrylin.
With a
borrowed £100 he dug a hole on the 23-acre small-holding, extracted
gravel,
washed it and sold it to local builders.
From humble beginnings he built huge wealth, but continued a famously
modest
lifestyle also espoused by his wife, and five children who work in
Quinn
Group.
His public appearances are few and far between, but he is still
recognisable.
“I live a very simple life and that’s the way I want to continue living
that
life,” he said in an appearance at his best known hotel, the Slieve
Russell
in Co Cavan in 2007.
His employees, particularly those on his doorstep in Cavan and
Fermanagh, look
up to him as the agent of employment and wealth creation in border
counties,
which would have high rates of unemployment without him.
His personal reputation is as an ordinary man with extraordinary wealth
who
enjoys ordinary pleasures, such as watching a Gaelic football match
with the
Fermanagh county team he once captained, or his favourite pastime, a
game of
cards.
He used his GAA contacts to spread his business into the Republic and
took on
Cement Roadstone Holdings, which previously had a monopoly on cement.
That market cornered, he moved into hospitality, glass, insurance and
health
and now employs 8,000 people, including around 5,500 in Ireland. His
Hilton
Hotel in Prague was recently graced by guests President Barrack Obama
and
his wife Michelle.
Mr Quinn has been tasting if not business failure, then definitely the
slings
and arrows of outrageous fortune. He lost over £1bn on his stake in
Anglo-Irish Bank. He had invested €715m (£636m) in Anglo-Irish Bank,
part
financed by a loan from Quinn Insurance of €288m (£256m). The movement
of
the money from Quinn Insurance to another part of the group triggered a
record fine from the Financial Regulator. He resigned as director and
chairman of Quinn Insurance in 2008, and said: “We will pay the fines
and
move on.”
In January, he told staff in a newsletter: “Last year and its
predecessor were
difficult for all of us.''
If 2008 and 2009 were difficult times for the group, how he sums up 2010
in
the next staff newsletter will make interesting reading.
Home county rallies round
In Fermanagh, where Sean Quinn grew up and made his fortune, locals
rallied to
support the man affectionately known as ‘The Mighty Quinn’.
Although his success has seen businesses grow across Europe, he is
fondly
remembered by many who knew him as a teenager on a local farm.
Gerry McHugh, Sinn Fein MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, has known
Sean
Quinn for a number of years, and said this latest hit will not deter
the
businessman.
“To a certain extent this all looks like a bit of an over-reaction. Sean
Quinn
is a leader in innovative business and I would hope this is just a
blip to
be honest. As a business leader who has given so much to this area I
would
think he has the whole support of the people of Fermanagh.”
Balfour Quarries, a company based in Irvinestown, has insured their
fleet of
vehicles with the Quinn Group for more than 10 years now and Manager
Matthew
Murphy said they have no intention of switching to anyone else.
“Put it this way, this news may have come as a shock to us but we
haven’t been
ringing around any other companies since hearing it. We have always
been
happy with their service,” he said.
UUP MLA Tom Elliot said assurances from the regulator that insurance
policies
will not be affected still leaves questions unanswered.
He said: “There are questions around the coverage for people who have
accidents — are they still covered or not? It is all very uncertain.”
For Laura Wintemute, searching for summer employment
has almost become a part-time job in itself.
So far this year, the Niagara Falls woman who is studying at the
University of Guelph has already applied to more than 150 companies in
hopes of landing a seasonal position.
Taking the summer off isn't an option. She has a pile of bills to
pay if she's going to continue her schooling.
And while the latest increase to Ontario's minimum wage comes as welcome
news to Wintemute, she said the new rate is still too low to cover all
of her expenses.
"Basically, I'm paying for my own rent, my own groceries, my own
heating, utilities and my tuition," said Wintemute, who graduated from
St. Paul Catholic High School two years ago.
"When you work three or four months of the year, (minimum wage)
doesn't even cover it."
Effective today, the new general minimum wage is $10.25 an hour.
That's up 75 cents from $9.50 an hour.
Students under 18 and working 28 or fewer hours a week will see
their pay increase to $9.60 an hour -- up from $8.90 an hour.
The rate for liquor servers increases to $8.90 an hour from $8.25
an hour.
Not everyone is happy to see minimum wage rates climbing for a
third straight year.
The Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, which
represents more than 11,000 establishments with an estimated $22-billion
in annual sales, is worried about the impact the minimum-wage hike
could have on the already hard-hit hospitality industry.
The association tried, without success, to convince
the province to forego or phase in the increase for servers and
students.
"It's been really frustrating," said association spokesman Peter
Adams. "We've tried to sensitize the government, we've tried to explain
that with the thousands of restaurants, hotels and motels across Ontario
if you could just offer a little hope. Instead we get increased
regulation. That's our gift."
Adams said the impact of the minimum-wage increase will vary
depending on the type and size of business.
Cutting back on labour costs is something hospitality industry
businesses don't like to do, because it ultimately hurts customer
service. Some operators will be forced to cut hours or jobs anyway.
"For the larger companies, they have the ability to ride out
these kinds of storms a little easier, but the small business people the
cash flow doesn't work the same," said Adams. "For a lot of the
companies in your area they are going to have to make some serious
decisions around the number of students they're going to hire this year.
They may be looking at having to let go or lay off full-time people. "
"And in some cases, operators have said to us they're simply going to
have to try and make up some of the hours by working more hours
themselves."
Another possibility, said Adams, is some employers facing a cash
crunch will hold off on raises for more experienced and skilled workers,
so that they can comply with the mandated increase for minimum-wage
earners.
Carolyn Bones, president of the Niagara Falls Chamber of
Commerce, said the increase will make it even more difficult for some
businesses to employ people while the economy is still shaky.
"A lot of people in the tourism sector are part-time positions. A
lot of them would be paid minimum wage. With all of the other pressures
that are on businesses these days, if they need to do something to
increase their margins and make their businesses more profitable, then
perhaps letting people go will be the No. 1 thing because of the
increase in the minimum wage."
The minimum wage increase has been well received by labour.
Wayne Gates, president of the Canadian Auto Workers union Local
199, said the increase "is good for workers, who are obviously working
below the poverty line.
"It's not bad news, but it's still too low for people to live on.
We have to continue, as a province, to take a look at that."
Gates said he has heard the argument that small businesses will
be disproportionately affected by the minimum-wage hike given the
current state of the economy, but doesn't agree with the rationale.
Niagara Falls Liberal MPP Kim Craitor said he understands the
concerns raised by business owners, but the increase was promised and
the lowest wage earners are counting on it now more than ever.
"I don't even know how people live on minimum wage," said
Craitor.
When the Liberals took office in 2003, the minimum wage had been
frozen for almost a decade.
The government decided to take a "phased-in approach," which
acknowledged the need to increase the minimum wage while still giving
employers time to adjust to the changes, he said.
Since 2004, the general minimum wage has increased $3.40 from
$6.85 to $10.25.
"For the business community, I do understand what they're saying.
Any increase means it comes off of their bottom line and times are
difficult," said Craitor. "But we made a commitment, so we're sticking
to it."
The Peninsula Hotel group has
revealed it has no plans to expand its operations into the Middle East
over the next few years. The Hong-Kong based company is looking to
expand into India instead, concentrating on emerging markets for higher
gains.
Asked if the reason behind this delay were reports stating the
region's hospitality industry could be facing erosion with a glut of
hotel rooms in active pipeline, Peninsula's Chief Operating Officer,
Peter Borer, told Emirates Business, "maybe that's why we are waiting".
The
group, which currently owns and operates nine properties across the Far
East and the United States, has only one hotel project under
construction in partnership with Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment
Company that is scheduled to open in Paris in 2012.
"We are a
company that owns and operates our hotel properties so our expansion is
considerably slower," said Borer. "After our project with Qatari Diar is
complete in 2012, with the opening of our Paris hotel, our next
presence will be in India; we hope to see a Peninsula in New Delhi and
maybe even Mumbai. Yes, we've also had offers from the Middle East, but
there is no concrete plan as yet. This region is very important to us
and we host a number of clients from here, which is why we have even
launched an Arabic website."
Investment philosophy "He
added: "However, we depend a lot on our chairman, Sir Michael Kadoorie,
who plays an active role in establishing the brand and the quality of
each of our hotels, hence, we can only open one or two properties at a
time.
"Plus, we are strict about our investment philosophy. We
have different expectations of profitability compared to most. If you
want to invest in a property and expect a return in five years, then you
would need to exclude us right there."
The group prides itself on its location, waiting 10 to 12 years to
open The Peninsula Shanghai, which had its soft opening in October
2009. The group played the same waiting game for its hotels in Tokyo and
Paris, and Borer says the same philosophy would apply to any future
Mideast hotel.
"It is still too early for us to highlight any one
country or market in this region. But once we earmark a sight, we will
send in our development team to do research and talk about the
feasibility of opening a hotel here. That hasn't happened yet," said
Borer.
Asked if the management was worried as hospitality chains
such as The Ritz-Carlton, The Shangri-La and Mandarin Hotels had
first-mover advantage here - all groups that Borer sees as competition
for the Peninsula - and the COO simply shrugged it off.
He said:
"It does not worry me that these properties are here. We have nine
properties in operation and one under construction, yet our brand
recognition is very high. There's respect for our brand, especially in
the Middle East, and people will seek us out if they have high
standards."
Growth strategy The Peninsula
Hotels group, which is part of the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited
company, was not immune to last year's economic downturn, which saw
heavy losses in the global hospitality industry. The hotels group saw
its revenue for 2009 fall 17 per cent to HK$3,244 million (Dh1,534m),
compared to 2008, while its Ebitda [earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortisation] for the same period fell by 54 per cent
to HK$410m.
The group also saw revenue per average room or RevPAR
decline across all its properties, with The Peninsula Beijing recording
the highest drop of 57 per cent in 2009.
"Of course, we had a
difficult time in 2009, like most hospitality companies. However,
because we played the property game, we showed good results by re
evaluating some of our properties, which amounted up to HK$2.29m," he
said.
Borer said the revPAR decline varied with different
properties.
On 24 March 2010, the inaugural Tourism-Hospitality-Events Careers Day took place at the University of Surrey. Organised primarily by students, for students, THE Careers Day was realised through the joint efforts of the Division of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the University of Surrey Careers Service, The Tourism Society, and the Surrey Tourism and Events Society (STES). From the beginning, the goal was to "strengthen the connections and develop different types of cooperation between the University and the industry", says Sammy Li, STES Director of Industry Relations.
Comprised of careers talks, a careers fair, and a networking reception, we welcomed over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Surrey and at least nine other institutions, four industry guest speakers, and fourteen exhibiting organisations.
THE Careers Talks included tips on creating an excellent CV for the travel industry and how students can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market. Students also heard from industry experts on travel training and volunteer opportunities in the industry.
THE Careers Fair welcomed exhibitors from a wide range of backgrounds. Exhibiting hospitality organisations included Asperion Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, Runnymede-on-Thames Hotel & Spa, Brown’s Hotel, Jumeirah Lowndes, and The Cavendish. Other industry exhibitors included Virgin Atlantic Airways, TUI, Projects Abroad, Ventura Travel Management, BUNAC, The GuildfordEye, GoSkills, Planet Planit, and The Tourism Society. Additionally, Bruce Martin, Operations Director of Online Travel Training / New Frontiers conducted ‘CV Health Checks’, which proved to be extremely popular with students.
THE Networking Reception offered an opportunity for faculty members to engage with industry representative and student organisers.
The event highlighted the importance of students and industry working together. Mark Miller, Executive Director of The Tourism Society, couldn’t agree more: “Students need to connect with the industry. With increased competition from their peers, it is more important than ever to try and distinguish yourself from the crowd.” Industry members were pleased with the students, and were “delighted to support the future talent of our industry”, says Geraldine McDonald, Director Human Resources for Brown’s Hotel.
Not only were the industry members impressed with the student attendees, they also gave high praises for the event organisation. It is a testament to the student organisers’ drive and passion towards improving industry connections that the event was so well executed. Manny Sawhney, Managing Director of Asperion Hotel thought it was a “fantastic event with equally successful results”.With both student and exhibitor spaces fully booked well in advance of the day, STES anticipates an annually returning and growing event. We look forward to welcoming more students and exhibitors to 2011’e event, and are confident it will be a continued success.
For further inquiries, including information about THE Careers Day 2011, please contact the Surrey Tourism and Events Society at ussu.tourism@surrey.ac.uk .
Sammy C.H. Li
PhD Researcher in Tourism & STES Director of
Industry Relations
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