Issue 4, June 2009
Sign up to UQ Experts
UQ Experts is distributed to all print and electronic media outlets annually .This might not strike you initially as a desirable place to list your profile, however, let me assure you that it will be a career bolstering move and will also help the School. So take one for the School and your comrades and sign up today. Sign up today: UQ Experts
University of Queensland tourism interns 'skill up' in regional destinations
Southeast Queensland’s regional tourism operators will benefit from an innovative programme initiated by the University of Queensland (UQ) in September this year.
UQ School of Tourism students participating in the Tourism Regional Internship Project (TRIP) will work with tourism organisations from Ipswich and the Scenic Rim on real regional tourism destination challenges.
"This initiative is a fantastic example of how collaborative efforts between the higher education sector, tourism operators and regional tourism authorities can in turn benefit the community." Queensland Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading, Hon Peter Lawlor.
Students will be required to apply their theoretical knowledge and research skills to the projects identified by each region, making recommendations to operators and tourism authorities that will culminate in a Knowledge Exchange Workshop.
Ms Rosanne Mollenhagen, a former UQ student who participated in the TRIP internship agreed that TRIP was instrumental in gaining experience and insight into how the tourism industry works at a regional level. Ms Mollenhagen is currently the Tourism Development Officer with the Winton Shire Council,
“There will be tangible outcomes from the project for the regions that will result in improved practice. This is an opportunity for operators to tap into the resources of a highly regarded research institution as well as identify future employees with appropriate skills and understanding of a regional tourism environment” Dr Noreen Breakey, TRIP Director, UQ School of Tourism.
Students participating in the Scenic Rim programme will develop packages that will form an important component of the 2010 Brand Scenic Rim Campaign. Cr John Brent, Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor welcomed this year’s student intake to the Scenic Rim” It is a whole new era for tourism in the Scenic Rim and we are delighted to be working together with UQ and Scenic Rim tourism operators to bring about healthy outcomes, both for our local economy and, importantly, for the students.”
Mayor of Ipswich, Cr Paul Pisasale “TRIP will provide our future tourism workforce with a great opportunity to develop their skills through hands on experience. It's wonderful to see the TRIP program being embraced by our community of tourism operators and I look forward to welcoming the students to the City of Ipswich."
Gordon Ramsay, spectacularly A@#&*A&*&(@# good!
Dr David Solnet and Ms Anna Hood where guests of the Hospitality Training Association (HTA) at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove dinner where Gordon Ramsay demonstrated some of his signature dishes.
Dr Solnet and Ms Hood are undertaking a research project with HTA that aims to explore differences in Generation Y’s work values and attitudes and more importantly, ways in which hospitality employers can maximize the benefits of employing this generational group.
Ms Anna Hood, Mr Gordon Ramsay and Dr David Solnet
Event evaluation tool set for a shake up
The ENCORE festival and event evaluation tool will undergo a review and redevelopment from a combined UQ School of Tourism and University of Technology Sydney team.
ENCORE enables organizers and sponsors to assess the magnitude of new funds that are attracted to the host region and/or state as a result of a festival or event. This enables the economic evaluation to be consistent allowing for comparisons between events.
The UQ School of Tourism project team of Professor Don Getz, Dr. Charles Arcodia and Ms Chantal Dickson will review the existing Encore product in light of current developments in event evaluation literature and identify necessary modifications to the product to meet the needs of two distinct groups of users
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Organisers of smaller events and festivals conducting a simple event evaluation
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Event organisers, STOs, NTO and government authorities conducting a comprehensive evaluation of medium-large events.
Dr Jan: A helping hand
RHD students from the School recently benefitted from a workshop conducted by Dr Jan Packer. The workshop titled: Getting published - Do you need help? Do you have questions? was held on the 28 May at St Lucia.
Dr Packer, who has a substantial publication list, shared her experience and skills to assist students to understand the value of publishing their research as part of the PhD process and to improve the possibility of being published. She explored the process of writing and submitting a research paper and explained how the review process works.
Student response to the workshop was overwhelmingly positive and was a great opportunity for socialising.
Confirmations completed: Ms Yah-shan (Sammi) Wu and Miss Char-lee McLennan
Two successful confirmations where completed in the School on 9 June, Miss Char-lee McLennan and Ms Yah-shan (Sammi) Wu.
Ms McLennan’s thesis title “Managing the Regional Tourism Transformation Process: Building an economic expenditure pattern framework for the theory to aid decision making” is advised by Dr Lisa Ruhanen, Dr Tien Pham and Dr Brent Ritchie.
Ms Wu’s thesis “Professional sport management: A Nippon professional baseball perspective” is supervised by Associate Prof Ian Patterson and Dr Shane Pegg.
Masters at the Hilton
UQ School of Tourism Masters students from the International Hotel Management course recently attended a field trip to the Brisbane Hilton. General Manger Martin Kendall addressed the class about key issues facing hoteliers as the global financial crisis grips the local industry.
Mr Kendall focussed on five key management areas: responses to RevPar decline, capturing market share, delivering a value proposition, developing a flexible workforce and ensuring stakeholder returns. His reflection on the twenty one years he has worked in hotels offered students valuable insights into the hospitality industry.
Following Mr Kendall’s presentations the students were privileged to a tour of the inner city property, designed by famed architect, Harry Seidler. Students viewed recently refurbished rooms and several back-of-house areas while conversing informally with several of Hilton's on duty staff. Mr Taylor Cadsey a School of Tourism Master’s student who attended the presentation “really enjoyed the field trip (it was a) great way to get outside of the classroom and interact with the Real World a little.”
1. Mr Martin Kendall, General Manager of Hilton, Brisbane
2. The foyer of Brisbane Hilton designed by Harry Seidler