On June 4th, our students from the Postgraduate Diploma in Hospitality Management and the Master’s in International Hotel Management set off on the Dubai field trip which is included in the program. The objective: to soak up all the knowledge in luxury hotel management that the City of Gold has to offer.
The students set off from Málaga en route to Dubai on Friday, June 4th, for a week-long expedition that would take them to some of the best luxury hotels in the Emirate. Along the way they met with General Managers, hospitality experts and other Les Roches alumni. Watch the video to see a quick recap of the trip.
Taj Dubai and The Ritz Carlton
The first of many presentations was in Hotel Taj Dubai, where the students would be staying for the first half of the trip. Taj Hotels are managed by IHCL (Indian Hotels Company Limited), and it’s one of the strongest brands in their portfolio. Representatives from IHCL also gave a presentation to the students, and were available for a Q&A session.
These types of interactions are immensely important for hotel management students, who are given the chance to speak face-to-face with the professionals who work in some of the biggest hospitality companies in the world.
After a break for the afternoon, Les Roches students visited The Ritz Carlton Dubai. After dinner in the ballroom, they met with fellow Les Roches Marbella alumni Aliaee Edabbab, Master’s in International Hotel Management class of 2020 and current Guest Relations Supervisor at Fairmont The Palm, Dubai.
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
The following day started with a visit to JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, where the graduate students were given a tour of the hotel and a behind the scenes look at how to manage the day-to-day operations of a luxury establishment in one of the most visited cities in the world.
The visit included a presentation by Mr. Bill Keffer, GM of JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, who shared his life story and his personal growth process to where he is today. The students were also given a presentation by Ms. Anne-Marie Hannan, VP of Human Resources Operations.
InterContinental Hotel at Dubai Festival City
On June 7th, our students traveled to the InterContinental Hotel at Dubai Festival City, where they would be staying for the remainder of the trip. They were given a tour of the hotel and restaurants, where students received a behind the scenes look at management, before being given the rest of the day off to explore the city.
FIVE Palm Jumeirah Dubai and desert safari adventure
The next day’s first visit was to FIVE Palm Jumeirah Dubai, where our students were given a presentation by Mr. Akshay Bajaj, Group General Manager at FIVE Palm Jumeirah & FIVE Jumeirah Village Dubai. Mr. Bajaj was more than happy to share his professional experience with our students, and offered his insights on how to build loyalty with millennials in today’s hospitality market.
The students were also given a tour of the hotel and the spa, gaining a first person perspective of what it’s like to manage these establishments. In the afternoon, the students ditched their business attire for a safari adventure in the sand dunes of the Dubai desert, complete with camels and 4x4s.
Atlantis The Palm Dubai
Last but not least, the party of graduate students visited the magnificent hotel of Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. After a tour of the hotel and taking in the sites, they enjoyed a presentation by Mr. Maneesh Bahtia, Learning and Development Manager at Atlantis Resorts.
The commercial aspect of the hotel was also discussed in a presentation by the VP of Sales, Mr. Kyp Charalambous, who explained how a hotel such as Atlantis attracts and maintains customers.
Following this, Mr. Rob Bennet, Manager of Lost Chambers Aquarium, explained the ins and outs of how to look after the fish in an aquarium that houses more than 65,000 marine animals.
Our students were also met by Les Roches Marbella alumni, Ms. Alumni Allyn Anness, who is currently Human Resources Management Trainee at Atlantis. She’s a recent graduate of the BBA in Global Hospitality Management, and shared her experience of being selected for the Management Trainee program and the responsibilities that the role implies.
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