Recently, Semester 7 students at Glion studying the International Hotel Development and Finance specialisation paid a visit to Amsterdam. This program was created by Jonathan Humphries, Head of Specializations Glion, in early 2018 and includes the modules of Hotel Asset Management and Concept Creation. While in Amsterdam, the students gained key information and helpful advice from leading hospitality professionals. Waritta Lawachaiyothin, one of the students in attendance, tells us more.

Hospitality Education Development Glion

An action-packed trip

The final module of the Finance specialization for Semester 7 students includes a field trip to Amsterdam. Not only known as a prominent tourist destination, the capital of the Netherlands is also a popular location for both the real estate and hospitality sector. Our field trip took place from April 30 – May 1, with a tight schedule.

We had an amazing opportunity to visit and attend presentations from various hotels, as well as established travel e-commerce and real estate companies. This gave us in-depth knowledge of the companies’ origins, current strategies and future development plans. The trip began with a presentation and tour of the Generator Hostel, where we also stayed for one night. It is an innovative hostel with a unique design and vibrant common areas, and is one of Europe’s fastest-growing hostel brands.

Unique hotels

We then visited our first hotel, the Sir Adam Hotel. Part of the Design Hotels, it is a boutique hotel with an entertainment and music theme. Residence Inn By Marriott Amsterdam Houthavens was the next hotel to visit. While Residence Inn focuses on the corporate side of things, Moxy is bold and trendy, with Generations X and Y at its heart. We also visited the Kimpton De Witt Hotel, where we met with the General Manager. 

Hospitality Education Development Glion 2

We visited lots of different hotels with different styles. For example, the Conservatorium is a luxurious five-star hotel with the highest ADR rate in Amsterdam. Meanwhile, one of the most creative hotels we visited was Zoku Amsterdam, a unique apartment hotel encouraging social interaction between its guests. The hotel has an upside-down concept and mixed-use components with lofts, social spaces, a restaurant and meeting rooms for young travelling professionals, who can stay for long or short periods of time.

Learning from the best

We also had the chance to visit the headquarters of Booking.com, one of the largest travel e-commerce companies in the world. We met with the product marketing manager and the key account manager, who held a comprehensive presentation on Booking.com’s business model, product development, revenues and expansion strategy. They also gave us a tour of Booking.com’s headquarters.

It was an unforgettable experience for both myself and my colleagues.

The trip ended at Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with a buffet lunch and a meeting with the General Manager, Ms. Jolijn Zeeuwen. We also met with the Senior Vice-President of Asset Management at the Hosts Hotels & Resorts, Christopher Ford. The insight from Mr. Ford gave us new knowledge about the investment strategies and success factor of Hosts Hotels & Resorts. It was an unforgettable experience for both myself and my colleagues.

Hospitality Education Development Glion

Lastly, I would like to thank Mr. Jonathan Humphries and Ms. Catalina Moisescu for organising this trip, and giving us students the opportunity to explore and gain experiences outside of the classroom.

 

 

 

 

About HoCoSo


Swiss-based HoCoSo, which stands for Hospitality Consulting Solutions, brings together teams of global experts to create tailor-made solutions for client projects. Jonathan Humphries, Chairman and Owner of HoCoSo, and his direct team specialize in the extended-stay hospitality market, the boutique sector, and resort developments in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). We create innovative and future-oriented solutions for each of our clients across the following three fields of services:

  • Product & Concept Creation, for both portfolio & individual asset developments.
  • Strategic Project Scoping, Execution & Asset Management, with a focus on strategic business planning, partner selection, and market & nancial feasibility studies.
  • Hospitality Education for companies and academic institutions, with a focus on course development, training and teaching innovation.