Virtual Business Insights in Austria’s travel and mobility industry
The elective „Tourism Travel and Transport Management“ in the Bachelor’s degree program in Tourism Management generally includes a lively exchange with the industry. Beside theoretical know-how, a huge variety of different on site visits and excursions and networking opportunities are part of this elective.
The current Covid-19 crisis had tremendous impact on this semester’s schedule. Since March this year, excursions and on-site visits had been cancelled due to government’s safety regulations. Thanks to the efforts of our lecturer Gaby Tragschitz-Köck and the excellent commitment of many industry experts we were able to offer virtual sessions instead. Although the travel industry is facing major challenges, many experts immediately agreed to share their knowledge and experience with our students in the virtual space.
Yasmin Aziz-Trebesiner, Head of Human Resources at Verkehrsbüro Group, started the online sessions with an exciting insight into the versatile areas of responsibility of the Austrian leader in Hospitality, Leisure and Business Travel. Gerald Stainoch, Director of Sales & Marketing, Hilton Garden Inn, continues talking about the co-operation between hospitality industry and tour operators/travel agencies. Cable cars and their important role as a general service provider in mountain destinations as well as current challenges were explained by Peter Winkler and Ricarda Rubik of the Austrian Economic Chamber, Federal Division of Cable Cars Austria. Katharina Trani, Department Manager Airline Contracting at Eurotours International, discussed with our students incoming tourism using the example of Eurotours. Travel insurance and its benefit for customers were professionally explained in a webinar by Ruud Klerks, Area Manager at Austria’s leader „Europäische Reiseversicherung”. Our online sessions concluded with conventions/incentives/exhibitions & corporate travel. Oliver-John Perry, Head of Marketing & Communications and Director Public Affairs of Reed Exhibitions Austria, invited our students to a virtual tour of Austria’s most important exhibitions location: Messe Wien.
Fascinating business insight, lively discussions and virtual networking made these online sessions a memorable experience for our students. Many thanks to our guest lectures for their great co-operation in this challenging time.
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