Name: Arianna Vallejo
Major: Hospitality Management
Class Level: Junior
The FIU Study Abroad program at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa was a terrific way to learn about how a high-end resort works and get advice from people who work in the hospitality business. I went to the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University to study how to run a hotel. I perform most of my work online, but my position in the field gives me a lot of hands-on experience. I currently work at Hilton Miami Downtown, where I’ve learned a lot about how hotels work and how to aid visitors. Because I have worked in hotels before, I was really interested in seeing how a huge tourist resort is different from the hotels I’m used to.
One of the main reasons I chose this program was that it allowed me an opportunity to learn about hotels in a broader way. Most hotels only have rooms and other amenities for guests, but a destination resort like Beaches Turks & Caicos has a lot more departments that work together to make a full vacation. We got to witness and learn from a lot of various departments during the program. These included the front desk, food and drink outlets, housekeeping, and even accounting and cost control. Watching these teams work together helped me understand how important it is to talk to and work with each other to make sure guests have a good time.
I learned a lot about how people plan customer service and experience management during the week. The way guests were welcomed when they got to the resort was one thing that truly stood out to me. As soon as guests got off the shuttle, employees met them with cold towels, smiles, and even a song. This kind of contact produces a wonderful first impression straight away and sets the tone for the rest of the stay. It taught me how hotels and restaurants create events that make guests feel special and excited about their stay.
Another helpful thing about the training was that I got to follow people in the accounting department around. This showed me how the financial side of things can make the passenger experience better behind the scenes. There were people on the team who took care of accounts payable and receivable and a finance manager who was in charge of everything. One thing that particularly stood out to me was how carefully they check money transactions. A lot of steps need to be checked by two or three people to make sure everything is right and accountable. I also learned how the resort saves money, such as by receiving a lot of supply trucks from Miami every week. The crew needs to carefully examine each shipment against the invoices before delivering the documentation to accounting for payment. This experience taught me how crucial it is to manage money efficiently so that the resort can run smoothly.
During the program, I also got to watch how different people led and ran the property. Many of the CEOs we spoke with said that it’s important to work together, be clear when you talk to each other, and have a strong service culture. The readings talked about how hospitality businesses build loyalty by creating strong corporate cultures that benefit both employees and guests. My time at Beaches Turks & Caicos backed this up. When employees are well-trained and have good leaders to aid them, they can deliver the same outstanding experiences to customers every time.
This study abroad program also made me think about what I want to do with my life in the hospitality sector. I learned a lot about how hotels work while working at Hilton Miami Downtown, but coming to a huge resort helped me see how many different positions there are in the hospitality sector. I was most interested in learning more about operational leadership and how huge hospitality firms work efficiently.
By the end of the trip, I learned a lot more about how different departments work together to make sure tourists have a fantastic time. The program taught me more about my area, offered me a new way to think about hospitality leadership, and made me even more enthused about starting a long-term career in the hospitality industry.