When it came to choosing an internship, Kristina Naumova was drawn to the Middle East. Securing a position at Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi Hotel, she found herself in the midst of the illustrious Formula One Grand Prix, sharing her experience of the sporting event via social media.
“When I had to make a choice about my internship location, I discovered that Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi Hotel were looking for an intern for their Sales and Marketing department,” Kristina said. “Abu Dhabi is a great place. It’s vibrant, classy and international. During the winter season, it is the best place to be in terms of experience, as there are so many worldwide events taking place.”
One such event was the Formula One Grand Prix. Launched in 2009, the hotel was built to accommodate the event. [quote]The Grand Prix was the greatest experience for me and will really help with my future career,” Kristina said. “As the event came closer, I was the person in charge of photographers and social media. We had a flow of over 8,000 people in our hotel and it created a marvellous atmosphere.[/quote] It was a great success for the hotel and we have already started to prepare for next year.”
Kristina shared her experiences of assisting with the Grand Prix with Les Roches via social media, receiving rapturous feedback. “I really enjoyed sharing what it’s like to experience an F1 event,” she said. “It was very important for me to catch the most exciting parts for the followers. The feedback was very good – students text me and I received messages from parents interested in sending their kids to Les Roches.”
While on her internship, Kristina switched from conference and events to marketing and corporate cross training. She feels gaining experience in all of them has given her skills a real boost. [quote]I believe that if you want to work in the hotel industry it’s extremely important to know how all the departments contribute,” she said. “Doing different segments has helped me get a bigger picture of the role of each department.[/quote]
Kristina chose to study at Les Roches due to its international reputation. “The choice was clear to me,” she said. “Les Roches is international – you will not find 100 nationalities living in the mountains anywhere else! Another reason is the global reputation graduates have. A lot of recruiters know and appreciate the experience we have.
