Students from the School of Hospitality Experience an Environmentally-Friendly Resort
As part of the experiential learning approach in the School of Hospitality, the degree students who enrolled in the Business of Tourism and Hospitality subject module went for a field trip to the Banyan Tree Resort recently. The objective of the trip was to understand the front-of-house (FOH) as well as back-of-house (BOH) operations in a hotel.
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts is the first Banyan Tree resort in Malaysia and is strategically located in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur. With the concept of “resort in the city”, The Banyan Tree aims to provide the right services for travellers looking to immerse themselves in exciting urban adventures but still desiring a peaceful and private haven to relax in.
The team was personally welcomed by the Learning Manager, Mr. Isaac and his assistant, Mr. Jason, who gave a briefing on the hotel and its concept. He shared the story of how the brand’s owner, Mr. Ho Kwon Ping and his family, purchased a vast expanse of coastal land which was heavily polluted by mining activities in Phuket, Thailand. Rather than walking away, Mr Ho and his family restored the land by planting more than 7,000 trees to cleanse the acid-laden soil and transformed the ecological wasteland into the first environmentally-sensitive Banyan Tree resort in the year 1994. Since then, sustainability has become the core philosophy of the business operations for The Banyan Tree properties.
Students were given the opportunity to explore all departments and had face-to-face interactions with all key persons in the FOH (e.g. restaurant, spas, front office, and bar) and BOH (e.g. finance, security, and human resources) at The Banyan Tree. The students enjoyed an enlightening and inspiring sharing session by the General Manager, Mr. Anders Dimblad, which concerned the importance of being a passionate and spirited hospitality worker. These attributes were considered to be essential if individuals want to be successful in the hospitality industry.
The hands-on insight into the operations of the hospitality business is aimed at providing students with the ability to apply theoretical and conceptual knowledge learnt in the classroom to the external, industry environment. Placing students in such an environment ensures better understanding of their career prospects and overall helps in preparation for industry employment.
