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Visiting SITE’s big birthday bash is always a pleasure. But even more so when you encounter a delegation of teacher, sponsor and students to gain knowledge. Josien Gerrits from InHolland Universite travelled with two student to the Big Apple, also with professional Raymon Honings, CEO of TravelMediate, co-sponsor of the scholarship. We took the time to speak to them individually…
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How nice of you to ask our students and myself some questions about why we are here! Well; who am I? My name is Josien Gerrits and I am a Lecturer & Coordinator of Business Travel & Incentives at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, for Tourism Management. Students choose a specialisation (minor / track) in year 3 or 4. And if they have a predilection for Purchasing, Sales, Coordinating and the business aspect of Tourism; they join us in Amsterdam (Diemen). I am also the Chief Happiness Officer at Inholland University of Applied Sciences; a beautiful and important topic of work happiness! I like to help colleagues and teams experience more happiness at work. So how happy are you actually with or at work?
2) What brings you to NYC?
What brings me to New York? We travelled to NYC with our 2 students Amber Schouten and Megan Schouten to the Site Global Conference 2023! A unique moment where students are already being introduced to the future field of work.
3) What makes a trip like this worthwhile?
Worthwhile… the many inspiring sessions we followed and which I will take back to the Netherlands with me a suitcase full of ideas and the nice contacts we made, worldwide! Amber and Megan also made a really good impression and were able to make nice contacts think about internships and first jobs! Of course I have a lot of follow-up after the conference, various ideas in terms of intensifying our minor BTI and SITE Global together. With the aim of connecting students – Young Professionals and SITE Global and the beautiful field of MICE and Business Travel even more strongly.
4) The business travel trade is always looking for new talent. What is Inholland doing?
We always try to match top talents or potential top professionals with great contacts in this industry! That is why it is so important that we are represented and present with a number of Young Professionals!
That is why it is so important that our programme Tourism Management is represented at these conferences or some of the fairs like IBTM or next year’s IMEX, and of course you want to be right here with the Young Professionals!
But at the same time, this is not our core business, because besides your job as a teacher/coach, you have many other roles. But these are really the cherry-picked ones! When, as a proud coordinator, you get to go out with these professional ladies.
5) How was this sponsored?
Hogeschool Inholland, Tourism Management track BTI (Business Travel & Incentives) have set up with Travelmediate a scholarship. From a project/assignment of about 70 students, they worked on a travel programme worked out in an itinerary programme. Students have been given an assignment from the programme to organize a study tour for our year 1 students to various European destinations (purchasing, coordinating and also acting as tour guides actually executing the tour). They pitched the inspection programme to Travelmediate and from that we put some winners in the top hat! And Megan and Amber are the lucky ones among these winners!
The fine collaboration with Raymon from Travelmediate was able to establish many contacts for us; making the landing very soft for the students! And they were able to make the most of it.
6) How will the students benefit from this?
Ha fun question! How will students benefit from this? You may ask them that, but all the cards; personal growth and beautiful inspirational words what will they take with them in their personal journey… towards internship/ graduation and then soon the first job! How unique to be a part of this in NYC! In which she and I also came to seek more collaboration and opportunities! So that we connect with young professionals and this beautiful industry
7) What do they have to do for this trip?
After setting up and working out an inspection trip, they worked it out nicely in the digital programme TravelMediate works with. Raymon gave a guest lecture beforehand and gave the necessary tips & Tricks to the students (about 70 of them). The prize was: 2 plane tickets to New York to join Travelmediate at Site Global Conference…..
A unique opportunity for the students, of course! So eagerly they participated in this! And Megan and Amber are the lucky winners. From the course, we think it is very important that we continuously keep looking at where we can keep improving. This opportunity gives our so many possibilities, Amber and Megan give back to us where are the chances and possibilities they missed in the training. So the bottom line is that certainly everyone learns from it and we can work with that to run an even better education programme! Without the collaboration with Travelmediate, it was not possible so we look forward to a fine collaboration for the next opportunities. So all parties learn something from this, which makes it so unique!
8) Is there lots of enthousiasm for the business travel side at Inholland?
Yes absolutely. Yes absolutely! If you ask our current students who have just returned from the various trips; they indicate: ‘This minor is so unique! You get a lot of responsibility because you get to organize everything from A to Z yourself with your project team, buying, selling, marketing, financially it has to be right and supervise it yourself.
I really believe in giving a lot of training on skills and putting them in touch with the right field partners! So that they broaden their horizons themselves and thus become ready for the business Traveller of the Future!
9) What have you learned from this yourself?
What did I learn especially and take away for myself? The Site Global programme of many interesting speakers I got very inspired by. Above all, I take away with me, believe in yourself and go for it full force! And how valuable it is to be present at these conferences, or at various trade fairs / congresses and to introduce young professionals to this beautiful industry / world already during their programme (year 1……) , so that they get a good and beautiful picture of where the opportunities and possibilities lie! So that’s my mission: to connect more!
1. Name, age, education?
My name is Megan Schouten and I’m 22 years old. I’m in my last year of the study Tourism Management at the Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam.
2. Why this study?
In 2018, I went to New York and Costa Rica, and someone booked this trip for my family. I liked what she was doing, putting a trip together and sharing her experiences. I did my thesis for my previous study Junior Account Manager at a tour operator and worked there as well. This is how I found out that I wanted to do the study Tourism Management. I want to share people my experiences and show them the beautiful places in the world and have their own experiences.
3. Why the business travel side?
In my first year of the study, I went on a study trip to Malaga. Students organized this trip, and I asked them how they did it. So that’s how I came by the track Business Travel & Incentives. During this track, I organized a study trip to Barcelona for the first-year Leisure Management students. I enjoyed every minute of it to organize and plan this trip.
4. What did you have to do to qualify?
The assignment was to make the itinerary of the study trip with TripCreator. Who did this the best would win the scholarship to New York.
5. What did you do in NYC?
In New York, we went to the conference SITE. SITE Global is a conference that is the annual meeting point for the global community of incentive travel professionals to connect, learn and discover.
6. What made the biggest impression?
I loved this conference for networking with people and hearing their stories. A lot of people take their time and come to another country/place for this conference. Everyone is so friendly and helpful.
7. What have you learned?
During this trip, I learned that a lot of students don’t know what Business Travel & Incentives is. This needs to change, so students get to know this industry and can also go to these conferences. I also learned that you need to follow your path and do what you want and like. During the interview with CEO Annette Gregg, she said: “It’s better to be respected than liked”. Especially as a woman, don’t be afraid to have your opinion.
8. Would you like to continue in MICE/Business travel?
When I heard of this industry it was an eye-opener for me. I like to organize trips for schools/companies. But also, the business events are amazing to connect.
9. Dream job?
I have great ambitions in the (business) travel industry. This year I’m graduating, and I’m looking for opportunities in the future.
1. Name, age, eduction?
My name is Amber Schouten. I’m 21 years old and currently, I’m in the third year of my Tourism Management bachelor’s degree at Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam.
2. Why this study?
When I was in high school, I always wanted to do something with hospitality. At first, I was looking at Hotel Management degrees, but in the end, I wasn’t fully convinced of that interest. I started looking for similar studies and that is when I came across this study. It was broader than other studies I looked at, but it was also a nice combination of tourism and management.
3. Why the business travel side?
I wasn’t familiar at all with the business travel side of tourism until I started a minor in business travel and incentives, where I got to know this industry better. I found both sides very interesting. What I like about business travel is that leisure is not the priority. It is still important, but it’s more about good hotels and comfortable flights. That is what got me interested the most in this industry.
4. What did you have to do to qualify?
During our minor, we had a couple of guest lectures from professionals who work in the business travel and incentives industry. One of them was Raymon from Travelmediate. He told us everything about his own business, but also about a certain program, TripCreator, where you can make a creative and attractive itinerary for an incentive trip. It was up to us to make such an itinerary in TripCreator for our own trip. Our final assignment for our minor was to create a study trip for the first-year students of our study. By creating the most creative itinerary in TripCreator about our own study trip, we were able to get qualified to win this trip to NYC. Once the best teams were selected, two of us were drawn and won this scholarship. It was mostly about luck in the end!
5. What did you do in NYC?
In NYC, we visited the SITE Global Conference. This was a conference where we were able to meet all kinds of professionals in the incentive industry. Together with our teacher Josien and Raymon from Travelmediate, we went there to get to know this side of tourism better.
6. What made the biggest impression?
The biggest impression I had, was how important this industry is within the tourism world. It’s so very niche, but once you’re at this conference, you’ll see how many people worldwide are working in this industry. They are all very dedicated to their job. It was an eye-opener for me to see how big this industry actually can be and mostly how less we students know about this.
7. What have you learned?
I learned more about what the world of business travel and incentives look like. Even though I’ve been working on it for six months, it was still kind of unknown to me. Like said earlier, I now know more about the importance of the industry.
8. Would you like to continue in MICE/Business travel?
I will definitely consider it! I’m still keeping my eyes open for all kinds of tourism companies, but the MICE/business travel industry is definitely high on my list. I’m not graduating yet, so I have still time to figure out how I see the future, but secretly, I see myself working in this business once I’m graduated.
9. Dream job?
A job where I can arrange a trip, but most importantly, where I can travel a lot.
Why does Travelmediate sponsor this scholarship?
For Travelmediate it’s important to invest in the future. We already see after some lectures from my side (talking) about the MICE industry, that the University sends us good students with the minor Business travel and are willing to invest. Students with high (!) interest, we should not slow them down. It goes both directions…
Is there enough new talent coming from the colleges for the MICE market?
There is very high potential within the group of students with this minor. We have to reach out and engage the students, but at the same time how can they stay within our industry. Travelmediate is happy to contribute, after the first year we already see students going to choose a job within the MICE Industry. Even within our own offices.
How do you look back on their learning trip to SITE NYC?
The two students did absolutely well. They were engaged and mingling with people and they have informed me that they have learnt a lot! On top of that this was my 12th Global conference and therefore I could introduce them to a lot of people. One of the highlights was an exclusive interview with the new SITE CEO Anette Gregg.
Would like to see more involvement from the mice market concerning fresh talent/educational institutions?
Of course, we are now even discussing within SITE to start a workgroup where we launch a program where companies are engaged with their local universities to start a similar program. The win-win, should be when a student does an internship at a MICE company and in trade for that the company will sponsor a Global conference attendance. SITE Global had over 350 first timers during this 50th year of anniversary in NYC. We as MICE oriented companies can make the difference. We need to stop saying that our Industry is old and not moving. It’s really not, but ask yourself how your company can make a difference.
Are there enough jobs in the field?
I’m travelling the world, what I see now is that our Industry has suffered a lot during Covid. Many people left our Industry globally, I can say; Yes there is a huge demand for staff within the Hospitality Industry.
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