A
New Apex
partnership
creates centre
for hospitality
excellence
dynamic new collaboration
between Apex Hotels and
QMU is set to ensure that
new graduates can ‘hit the ground
running’ when they enter the
hospitality industry.
The successful hotel group has joined forces
with QMU to establish a ‘live centre for hospitality
excellence’. The initiative is providing QMU’s
BA (Hons) International Hospitality and Tourism
Management students with an enhanced level
of practical experience.
Through this collaboration, since October
2012, 32 students have been undertaking
practical units at Apex Hotels European Hotel at
Haymarket, Edinburgh within the areas of front
of house, food and beverage and housekeeping.
The ‘real life’ hotel experience is designed to
complement their degree course and further
develop their knowledge in preparation for
their industry career. Following successful
completion of the units, students will have
part-time employment opportunities with Apex
Hotels and will be required to achieve the same
high standards of customer service delivered by
current Apex employees. In addition, students
will gain knowledge of Apex support functions
such as sales, marketing, revenue, finance and
human resource management.
Norman Springford, Apex Hotels Chairman,
commented: “We are entering into a new and
exciting long term partnership with QMU that
will provide a unique opportunity for the next
generation of hospitality students to develop
their professional and practical hospitality skills
during their degree course. By offering this
additional ‘real life’ experience to students, it
is our wish that they emerge from their degree
course with not only a professional qualification
but with valuable hotel experience. We believe
that this combination will increase the number of
capable graduates ready to become the future
leaders of the hospitality industry.”
Trevor Laffin, Head of Division of Business,
Enterprise and Management at QMU, stated:
“This collaboration demonstrates a ground-
breaking relationship in Scotland which will
benefit our students from the very outset of their
studies through to graduation and beyond. This
will be a unique learning experience, allowing
them to combine the theoretical and managerial
aspects o f their programme whilst gaining
experience in high quality hotel environment.” ❒
Scottish
partnership
launches
rural Indian
tourism
co-operative
on world
stage
I
n November, QMU and
tourism specialists,
Dunira Strategy
together launched a
unique Indian tourism
co-operative at the
world’s highest profile
travel and tourism
event.
The Scottish partnership and YES
Bank (India) showcased ‘Edge of
India’ at the World Travel Market
held in London. The promotional
platform provided outstanding
global exposure for ‘Edge of India’,
a co-operative tourism network of
rural Indian villages which aims
to help lift communities out of
poverty, and put lesser known
destinations on the global tourist
map.
Working with communities, ‘Edge
of India’ uses local resources to
help people develop their own
areas as tourism destinations.
These unique locations offer
visitors a taste of life in some of
the most underdeveloped but
stunningly beautiful parts of India.
The project team, which
is supported by YES bank
and funded by the Scottish
Government, has developed four
co-operative tourism societies in
Uttarakhand and West Bengal. At
the London-based exhibition, the
brand ‘Edge of India’ was used
for the first time to promote the
project’s first ‘homestay’ visits.
Andrew Frew, Professor of ICT
and Tourism at QMU, said: “This
is a poverty alleviation project
which builds infrastructure and
helps people improve their lives.
This co-operative model has the
potential to safeguard and support
rural communities. It will offer
the more adventurous traveller
markets an authentic cultural
experience in underdeveloped
locations which very few people
outside India will even be aware of.
The unique offering will be basic
but will provide access to real
people in genuine surroundings
in real communities. Travellers
will see life as it really is, and will
also experience India’s stunning
landscape and traditions. It has
many advantages over more
traditional tour packages as
it is designed to make a real
contribution to local economies
and have an immediate positive
impact on the local people and the
community.”
In just over two years the project
team has been able to officially
register four co-operative tourism
networks consisting of rural
villages, with more planned in the
coming six months. The University
is actively seeking further funding
from Scotland and beyond to roll
out more co-operative projects.
Having now produced a robust
model, a sustainable network
structure, developed training
materials, and constructed a
brand and portal, the team is
well placed to replicate the
process and extend involvement.
W:goo.gl/vpdKx or
www.edgeofindia.com ❒
QMYOU / Sustainable Business
17