SUMMER EDITION 2007 - Faculty of Business and Law - Victoria ...

DEGREES
SUMMER EDITION 2007
SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
INSIDE
HEADING UP TAFE...p 5
FUTURE FOR TOURISM,
HOSPITALITY & EVENTS EDUCATION...p 8
COVER STORY: ON TOP OF THE WORLD...p 10
LEGENDARY PERFORMERS...p 12

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
Father knows best
Flexibility in your geographic preferences
is an important key to success, explained
Alison. ‘Don’t worry too much about your
first job title; be more concerned about
joining a company with a corporate culture
you are attracted to, and which will give
you career growth.’ She also believes that
seeking a rapidly expanding company helps,
because this provides more opportunities for
advancement.
But Alison makes it clear that without the
support and encouragement of her family she
could not have achieved the same level of
success. ‘It’s been Simon, my husband, who
has given me the most support,’ smiled Alison
proudly. ‘He even gave up his job as GM of
a dive company to become a full time house
husband and look after our son Matthew so
I could concentrate on my career. How great
is that’
Alison and son Matthew (in the centre) on a recent holiday at Westin Fiji Resort, one of the three properties owned by Starwood in Fiji
To contact Alison email her at
alison.taylor@starwoodhotels.com
Travelling eight months of the year
means Alison Taylor, nee Moyle
(BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt
1985), when she returns home to
Singapore she spends most of her
time with her family. ‘And I make
sure I go to the gym at least five
days a week as a ‘safeguard’
because it’s easy to let your fitness
and health slip when you’re on the
road constantly.’
Alison is Vice President of Sales for the Asia
Pacific Division of Starwood Hotels, a big
job with big responsibilities. ‘But I didn’t start
that way, of course,’ she laughed. ‘After
graduating, my first job was on Hamilton
Island as a coffee shop supervisor. My friend
and I applied together and we both landed
jobs. It was more about having a good
time, really, than progressing my career, but
I was young and there’s not a lot wrong with
that! Anyway, I was promoted to Restaurant
Manager about three months later, so even
though my life was about fun, I was still
doing OK with the start of my career.’
Then only 26 years of age, she was
promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing
for the Sheraton Fiji resort. ‘My first overseas
posting, and what a sensational location!’
Then it was the Sheraton Mirage Port
Douglas before joining Le Meridien Hotels
in Indonesia, based in Bali. ‘My next roles
were all in sales and marketing, looking after
the properties in South East Asia, and finally
back to Singapore, where I’m based today.’
Originally from Newcastle in New South
Wales, Alison spent a great deal of her time
as a teen travelling overseas with her father,
staying in five star hotels. ‘I was fascinated
by my stays in these properties, and I
wanted a career where I could live in other
countries. So far, I’ve lived in five different
countries since I graduated, so I’ve certainly
accomplished that!’
Alison’s father encouraged her career in
hospitality. ‘We’d been living in London
before I started at Victoria University, and
he did all the applications for me. He knew
what suited me, and I’m forever grateful I
followed his advice!’
At VU, it was the broad range of tasks that
needed to be embraced in order to be
effective in the industry, ensuring Alison was
well prepared for her various roles.
Degrees is produced by LongDog &
Associates on behalf of the Publisher:
School of Hospitality, Tourism &
Marketing, Footscray Park Campus,
Victoria University, PO Box 14428,
Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia
Editors:
Jane Odgers, ph: (03) 9919 4413
email: jane.odgers@vu.edu.au
Austin Norman, ph: (03) 9919 4472
email: austin.norman@vu.edu.au
Fax: (03) 9919 4931
Copy, Design and Production:
LongDog & Associates,
ph: (03) 9524 3141
Email: tracey@longdog.com.au
Got some news
If you’d like to share information on a
graduate, a student, or the fields of
hospitality, tourism, events or marketing,
please contact the editors.
Don’t want to receive this
newsletter
Just advise us of your details and we’ll
take you off the mailing list. Fax back
the cover sheet, with a note on it asking
us to remove you, or email: jane.
odgers@vu.edu.au with your details.
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
Working in Xanadu
It’s a long way from Melbourne
Australia to Hangzhou China,
but Antony Platford (BBus Hotel
& Catering Mgmt, 1994) is the
General Manager for the Sofitel
Xanadu Resort (pictured below).
‘The primary focus here has been
on sales and marketing because
we’re a new resort.’
Antony’s first job was as part of the preopening
team for the Novotel Melbourne on
Collins. ‘I knew I wanted to work for Accor
because during my Co-operative Education
Year I had some exposure to this company,
and I knew they were opening the hotel. I
just called them up and went for an interview,
and started as Systems Manager.’
His days at VU were critical because, as
Antony explained, a business degree will
always stand you in good stead. ‘I also
remember learning some basics in cooking
classes and the food science project on
lemon meringue pie – but it wasn’t where my
real skill-set lay!’
Driven by change and challenge, Antony
prefers to learn by experience. ‘That
means I’m constantly learning about myself
and others, as well as gaining business
knowledge and skills. And the truth is
you can learn from everyone around you
sometimes more about what not to do!’
For Antony, it means he has learned a lot
in particular from other general managers,
private business owners, and corporate
people.
Kazakhstan
Pakistan
India
Nepal
Tibet
Bhutan
Russia
CHINA
India
Myanmar
Laos
Mongolia
Yangtze River
Vietnam
Pearl River
Beijing
Yellow River
Shanghai
Hangzhou
Taiwan
Russia
Songhua River
N. Korea
Pacific
Ocean
Hong Kong
Macau
South
China Sea
‘Successful people are successful for a
reason, so I like to understand what it is for
each person and develop myself.’
His work in hospitality has meant he’s had
many varied roles – from front office, finance,
sales and marketing, food and beverage
management…from cities in Australia to
his current location in China. ‘This is a
fantastic industry and large hotels offer great
opportunities for learning and development.
A successful hotelier advised me once that
Antony and daughter Poppy with Tutu on Rye Beach, prior to
leaving for China in early 2005.
a large hotel company was the best way to
learn, and he’s right, regardless of whether
you’re interested in that sort of a career or
want to start your own hospitality business.’
To contact Antony email him at
gm@sofitelxanadu.com
Hangzhou: Ancient Capital
The city of Hangzhou was founded
about 2,200 years ago during the
Qin Dynasty, and is listed as one
of the Seven Ancient Capitals of
China. Located 180 km southwest of
Shanghai, the population in the city
proper is now around 1.75 million.
By the end of 2003, Hangzhou
had a registered population of 6.4
million. As one of the most renowned
and prosperous cities of China
for much of the last 1,000 years,
Hangzhou is also well-known for its
beautiful natural scenery.
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
evaluating Evaluating for an encore
With the increasing numbers of
festivals and events across various
locations, consumers are becoming
more discerning as to what they
expect. The increased expectations
highlight the fact that it is critical
for festivals and events to be
evaluated for sustainability.
In 2005, as part of a Sustainable Tourism
CRC research project, Prof Leo Jago of
Victoria University developed the Encore
software program to assist event organisers
to better evaluate their events.
Future employers
will benefit from the
knowledge and handson
experience that
these students will
bring to their company,
which will ultimately
flow on to enhance the
professionalism of the
overall industry.
The software enables organisers and
sponsors to assess the magnitude of new
funds that are attracted to the host region or
state as a result of a festival or event, which
means the economic evaluation is consistent,
allowing for comparisons between events.
Encore is very user-friendly, and was
developed so that it can be used by people
who have not received specific training or
don’t have a background in event evaluation.
Students studying the subject Meetings,
Conventions and Events have been using
Encore as part of their major assignment.
Staff lecturing in this subject were given inhouse
training by Leo so that they could then
use the program as part of their teaching.
The assignment requires students to prepare
a business plan for an event of 10,000
attendees. Some of the events the students
have planned have included a German-style
Christmas market at Falls Creek, a Kick It with
the Socceroos family event, an international
comedy conference and a charity university
ball. To evaluate the success of their
hypothetical event students must prepare
a questionnaire for the attendees, which is
where Encore is particularly helpful.
In this scenario students are not using the
program to its complete capability however
they do have a lecture and a tutorial on the
kit and receive detailed explanations on how
the Encore program can be used. A new
version of Encore, with improved flexibility in
the questionnaire, data entry and reporting
modules, was recently released. The new
version is being distributed world wide by the
International Festival and Events Association
(IFEA); this means VU students are at the
cutting edge of event evaluation.
For more information on Encore,
go to www.crctourism.com.au/
CRCBookshop.
Components of Encore
Encore has four key modules:
Demographics, Economics,
Marketing, and Additional. These
modules allow users to profile
event attendees, assess marketing
performance and measure the
direct in-scope expenditure in the
region and state as a result of an
event. Encore can produce up to
three separate questionnaires to
cover attendees, competitors or
performers, and exhibitors. Encore
includes its own survey instrument
to collect data from event
attendees which may also be
collected via PDAs. Additionally,
Encore allows users to select
from a variety of pre-prepared
questions. Most questions can be
modified and additional questions
may be added as required.
Encore provides a reporting tool
that presents results for each
question in both tabular and
graphical forms, which can be
printed as a report, or copied
into company reports. It is set
up for international markets so
that events in different countries
using different currencies can be
evaluated.
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
Heading up tafe
Degrees spoke with Nic Beredimas,
the new Head at Victoria University
TAFE’s Hospitality and Tourism
Department.
Degrees: You’ve been on the School of
Hospitality, Tourism & Marketing’s Program
Advisory Committee for a long time in an
advisory capacity, and now you’re an
academic within the university structure. What
are the things you’re learning now that you
didn’t realise
Nic Beredimas: The fantastic diversity of the
uni, and that it is important to work with others
both inside and outside VU. And how important
it is to treat them like a customer - if you don’t,
then you treat people as though you are doing
them a favour and this doesn’t build good, long
term relationships.
D: What made you enter the hospitality and
tourism profession
NB: I’d worked in kitchens for a while and I
wanted to do more, so I undertook a hospitality
course. I was a trainee manager for a hotel
group in Adelaide in South Australia and
worked my way up to Venue Manager. But
then I went on holiday and stayed away three
years… I’d recommend that to anyone young,
because you need to get that sort of thing out
of your system to have a real career.
D: What did you do after your three year
‘sabbatical’
NB: I came back to Melbourne and worked
at the famous Florentino restaurant, and the
Tramcar restaurant in hospitality and front of
house. That sort of role can teach you so much
about people. When Florentino was sold I
was in limbo, and I worked as a casual skills
trainer for Tourism Training Victoria because I
had five star restaurant skills, teaching food and
beverage skills to the long term unemployed. I
was working with some very damaged people:
people who had self-esteem issues, drug
problems, abuse problems, and my role was to
help them get the training they needed to find
a job. And I did; everyone who wanted a job
got one! It was fantastic.
D: But then you went back to study. Why
NB: I wanted some formal education
and training skills, so I enrolled in a postgraduate
course at VU. But I also worked for
Delaware North AVS as National Training
and Development Manager, which is where I
learned about big business and how to deal
with many different projects and teams, mostly
on remote control.
Nic Beredimas with his children Isabella and James
D: You ran your own consultancy for a long
time. How did that happen
NB: After Delaware North I joined Sodexho
as Learning and Development Manager, where
I looked after the southern regions, including
New Zealand. I secured funding for the Front
Line Management trial project, but business got
very tough and my position became redundant,
so I set up my own business as a consultant,
which I ran for nine years. It’s still going strong
now, under its new management.
D: Today you’re head of the TAFE Hospitality
and Tourism Department at VU. What does the
role entail
NB: Too many meetings and not enough time
to do real work! When I say real work I mean
income-producing. It’s a very administrative role
that could do with some tweaking to allow me
to get out there and promote to industry and
develop networks on a more regular basis.
Budgets are very important as it is a fair sized
department and we have two restaurants and
bars and all the stock and equipment as well.
Phew!
D: What advice would you give to prospective
students – those who are thinking of getting into
the industry
NB: Have a great attitude to people, and as
with any industry, be prepared to start at the
bottom. Learn the ropes and how to do things,
but never, ever forget that the key as I see it,
is knowing how to deal with and understand
others: people are the greatest strength as well
as potentially the greatest weakness for any
business.
D: Who do you think has most influenced you
in your career choice
NB: My mum, who brought me up alone
as a widow. My wife of 20 years who has
supported me the entire way (as well as my
kids James and Isabella). And an ex-teacher
and mentor of mine, Karon Hepner, previously
from RMIT, now Group HR Manager for
Compass, who taught me that if you want to
get ahead, focus, work hard and believe in
yourself and your abilities.
D: On a personal level, what sort of hobbies
do you have
NB: The kids and I love footy so we go during
the season, supporting my kids’ activities and
interests, relaxing in our swim spa, bike riding
and COOKING – that’s right – I am still very
handy with a spatula and rolling pin (in the
kitchen that is) and I tend to take over other
people’s barbecues when I visit, because meat
should never be cooked on a roaring, firespitting
barbecue! When I see that happening,
and if they’re wearing a ‘kiss the cook’ apron
and ask me how I like my meat cooked, I reply
‘cooking it myself thanks!’
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
PAC PROFILE ROBERT DRAKE
The Programs Advisory Committee
(PAC) is responsible for reviewing
all of the School of Hospitality,
Tourism & Marketing’s courses.
Members come from a wide range
of industries and from Victoria
University. Its purpose is to provide
advice from an industry perspective
about the courses and opportunities
at Victoria University and the School
of HTM, providing a reality check
and acting as a sounding board for
the staff, as well as assisting with
networking where possible. This
ensures that the School stays at
the cutting edge, so that students
graduate with up-to-the-minute skills
and are immediately employable.
Career Start
Look out Tiger Woods! Robert’s a keen golfer - here he tees off on a par 3 at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland
Robert had completed a Diploma in Tourism
Mgmt in his early years, and had worked
in the tourism industry overseas. When he
returned to Australia, he decided to upgrade
that qualification to a degree.
‘I chose VU quite deliberately: it had the best
tourism education brand and reputation. Still
does!’ Robert graduated with a BBus (Travel &
Tourism Mgmt) in 1994.
While studying at VU Robert worked with
a research firm, Kadence Research. On
graduating, he joined Telstra as a market
researcher. He spent many years with Telstra,
learning a great deal. ‘I began as a market
researcher, moved into brand management,
then merchandise management, and
finally wound up looking after marketing
communications at what was then Mobile
Net,’ he explained. ‘I learned real aspects
of marketing and communications from a
number of angles, and worked in the telco as
it headed to T1. It was a fantastic time.’
Career Progression
His next move was into the world of
advertising, first as a Group Account
Director, eventually running the Melbourne
office of Singleton Ogilvy & Mather, a
large international ad agency. ‘I moved
on to George Patterson Bates next, where
I participated in the management buyout,
before selling up and becoming a consultant.’
Part of his time in the next two years was
working with Jetstar as it readied itself for its
first flights. ‘It was fantastic to be involved in
the launch of something,’ he said, ‘And to be
back in tourism was fun.’
Current role
In February 2006 Robert was offered a new
challenge. Having worked in research and
marketing from both the client and supplier
side, he couldn’t resist the idea of seeing
marketing from the media perspective.
Today he is the Managing Director of Carat
Australia, a company which plans and buys
media, undertakes research, conducts PR,
brand management, strategic planning,
consulting, and econometric modelling.
‘We get involved in all things online, and we
even get paid for watching movies, listening
to our iPods and looking for stuff on YouTube.
com!’
PAC involvement
Robert’s ‘first love’ is tourism, and with his
background he believes he can bring a broad
and interesting perspective to the Committee.
His main aim is to bring insight and passion,
having seen the university from both inside
and outside, and having been on both sides
of the tourism and marketing sectors.
He believes that good employers look beyond
the resume to the type of experience and the
type of person. ‘They should look for people
who actually get it! And that ‘it’ is something
hard to explain – it is something that makes
people stand out from the rest. It is more
than just attitude, but includes logic, street
smarts, common sense, empathy and drive.’
Robert believes that anyone can write a great
resume, although many don’t, but employers
are looking for someone that they can entrust
mutual success in. ‘The hunt for great staff is
the hardest hunt of them all these days!’
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
Doc Martin’s Travel Show
I want students to learn about current
technologies involved with the dissemination
of information within the travel experience,
as well as develop ideas on how this form
of communication can be used to generate
business opportunities.’
Examples of some of the student-produced
podcasts in Travel Show include ‘Skirmish
in Melbourne’, where two of Martin’s
students talk about the art and availability
of the paintball game. In ‘How Ozzy is
Melbourne’ two of Martin’s German
students talk about the really ‘ocker’ things to
do in and around Melbourne.
For more information on
Destination Planning and
Development contact Dr Martin
Fluker on (03) 9919 4412 or
martin.fluker@vu.edu.au. To visit
the Travel Show podcast site and
hear the stories for yourself, go to
http://travel.thepodcastnetwork.
com
Podcasting is a new type of
online media delivery. The name
derives from a combination of
the words ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast’.
However, you don’t necessarily
need an Apple iPod to listen
to a podcast, you can simply
play it through your desktop
computer or download the file
to any mp3 player. As Dr Martin
Fluker, Tourism Lecturer, can
attest, podcasting is a great way
for students to engage with the
community.
The Travel Show is a podcast, vidcast and
blog-based website hosted and produced
in Melbourne by Martin. The show is about
people, places, products and ideas related
to the travel experience and features items
such as speeches given by prominent
tourism academics, interviews with PhD
students and tourism practitioners, as well
as reporting on current news items. ‘As part
of the subject called Destination Planning
and Development, I get students to make ten
minute podcasts on interesting things to do
at various destinations around the world. I
then give students the opportunity to place
their podcast on The Travel Show, thereby
receiving a global audience for their work.’
The podcasts generally get 300 to 400
downloads, mainly from the USA, Australia
and Taiwan.
‘It’s not just about fun,’ Martin explained.
‘It’s also about getting students a global
audience for their work. In doing this,
‘It’s not just about fun, it
helps students learn about
current technologies and
their association with the
travel industry.’
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
What is The future for tourism, hospita
providers. Brian and Stephen found that there
is concern over the likely loss of teaching
expertise and corporate memory as many
educators from the baby boomer generation
retire from the higher education sector.
In November on the Gold Coast in
Queensland, Prof Brian King, Head,
School of Hospitality, Tourism &
Marketing at Victoria University,
and Assoc Prof Stephen Craig-Smith
of the University of Queensland
presented a report to members of
THE-ICE on the future of tourism,
hospitality and events education.
Brian and Stephen have been involved
in tourism and hospitality education in
Australia for more than 20 years and have
a good understanding of its evolution. They
recently conducted survey-based research to
investigate current issues confronting the sector
and to seek the views of key stakeholders,
including program directors, about likely future
challenges. These were presented in their
paper The Changing Landscape of Tourism
and Hospitality Education in Australia,
Challenges and Opportunities.
‘A substantial literature has emerged on the
birth and early development of tourism and
hospitality education,’ said Brian. ‘This is
indicative of the growing interest in evaluating
the progress that has been achieved.’ But as
Brian explained, less has been written on
the challenges and opportunities which lie
ahead and the likely shape of the sector into
the future.
Events education has emerged rapidly and
growth is likely to continue. ‘In our paper,
Stephen and I attempted to give some
attention to the likely role of events in the
future development of the sector. We want to
ensure a strong and healthy future for tourism,
hospitality and events education.’
The findings
The marketplace for undergraduate and
postgraduate programs is reaching saturation
point, prompting some institutions to rethink
their tourism and hospitality offerings. ‘They
are confronting an excessive dependence on
overseas students, particularly in postgraduate
coursework programs,’ Brian explained. ‘The
changing course preferences of domestic
students is prompting a shift to new areas
such as event management, sometimes at the
expense of existing programs in tourism and
hospitality,’ he went on.
Challenges are arising from moves into
degree level provision by the private sector
and by Vocational Education Training (VET)
Australia is a relative latecomer to
the provision of university tourism,
hospitality and events education
compared with other developed
countries such as the USA and
the UK. In spite of the slow start,
Australian education and research
has achieved an enviable
reputation over a relatively short
period. The number of Australian
undergraduate programs in
tourism, hospitality and events
education grew from two in the
early 1970s to 88 today and
the number of post-graduate
program offerings has reached
85, remarkable for a country with
a population of only 20 million.
Brian said that tourism and hospitality
education has achieved a lot over its
short history and Australian academics
and institutions have established a strong
reputation internationally. ‘CAUTHE
conferences enjoy an international following
and are recognised as the leading annual
tourism education and research conference
in the southern hemisphere,’ he went on.
‘The higher education tourism, hospitality
and event sector has grown and matured
and no longer depends on the recruitment of
staff from overseas.’ It is now an established
discipline in many universities and research
outputs are growing in both size and
reputation.
‘But there is however no room for
complacency and many challenges lie
ahead,’ cautioned Brian. According to the
research, the education sector is experiencing
diminishing per capita government funding
and is increasingly reliant on full fee paying
overseas students to maintain its viability.
‘The commonwealth government is promoting
diversity very actively in higher education.
This involves a shift from standardisation and
greater specialisation on the part of individual
universities, as well as greater private sector
provision,’ said Brian. ‘Private hotel schools
are distinct from the universities in terms of
the style of teaching and engagement with
industry. The move by private hotel schools
into degree provision presents a challenge for
established universities.’
Another emerging challenge is the support of
some state governments for the provision of
degrees by VET providers. Brian believes that
provision will be more diverse.
Brian also predicted that with domestic
tourism now declining in Australia and
showing little prospect for growth and
shrinking domestic demand for tourism
courses, we can expect to see some
shrinkage of university tourism degree
provision. ‘As the boundaries between higher
education, the private sector and TAFE
become increasingly blurred, articulation
and twinning arrangements will grow in
importance.’
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
lity and events education
Critical success factors
According to Brian, some key factors will
determine whether providers are able to
survive in this highly competitive environment.
He questioned whether enrolments will be
sufficient to sustain the current range of
providers, given that domestic enrolments are
flat or declining. A minimum number of course
enrolments will be needed to ensure survival.
Reputation will also influence whether
programs are sustainable, influenced by the
emergence of readily accessible quality
indicators, an expectation of greater
engagement with stakeholders, the need for
an independent voice and leadership from
tourism academics in tourism programs
located within broadly defined management
of business schools, and research credibility
within the Research Quality Framework (RQF).
‘We know that the Sustainable Tourism CRC
and THE-ICE are admired internationally.
However these initiatives have led to a
clustering of provision. In the lead up to the
questioned whether industry operators
would be willing to absorb the increasing
number of international students seeking work
placements and internships.
Implications
If Australia is to retain and develop its
reputation as a provider of tourism and
hospitality education overseas, all students
will need to be offered genuine, intercultural
interactions with other students. ‘More
Australian students should study overseas for
at least part of their program,’ Brian said.
‘It shouldn’t be a one-way street. Greater
reciprocation with Australian students going
overseas to our partners would indicate
our genuine commitment to the process of
internationalisation.’
In conclusion, Brian pointed out that there is
a need for greater coherence of government
policy between the states and the
commonwealth in regard to the emergence of
VET and higher education provision.
‘We should also engage more actively with
education networks in other countries and
move beyond the ‘cargo cult’ mentality where
we ship international students into the country,
take their money and then say goodbye. We
really need a more integrated approach to
internationalisation,’ said Brian.
For information on the presentation
by Prof Brian King and Assoc Prof
Stephen Craig-Smith, go to the
November 2006 THE-ICE newsletter
at http://www.the-ice.org/
WebControls/News/newsletters/
THE-ICE%20November%20News%2
02006.htm.
the-ice
The International Centre of
Excellence in Tourism and
Hospitality Education (THE-ICE)
is an Australian government
initiative that establishes and
profiles outstanding capability in
this field.
THE-ICE delivers excellence in
tourism and hospitality education
to international markets (via
collaboration with governments,
education institutions, tourism
organisations and industry), and
to international students (via the
endorsement and profiling of
member programs).
As a business unit of the
Sustainable Tourism Cooperative
Research Centre (STCRC), the
world’s largest travel and tourism
research centre, THE-ICE is
chaired by Sir Frank Moore
(STCRC Chairman) and directed
by Dr Perry Hobson.
THE-ICE has an independent
Advisory Council comprising
some of Australia’s leading
tourism and hospitality academics
and industry experts, including
VU’s Prof Brian King and Nic
Beredimas.
implementation of the RQF, STCRC gives
access to competitive research funding for
those who can afford it. With the imminent
prospect of declining course provision, there
will be an emerging challenge about how to
harvest the research capacity of the STCRC’s
90 PhDs who are trained in research, not
teaching.
‘If THE-ICE and its valuable branding
overseas were to cease the capacity of the
sector collectively to attract international
students would be considerably diminished,’
said Brian. With the growing dependence
on international students, Brian also
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
on top of the world
It’s a long way, both in geography
and in spirit, from Germany
to the Kingdom of Bhutan in
the Himalayas, but for Isabel
Sebastian (BBus Tourism Mgmt &
Mktg, 1993), it’s been a deeply
satisfying journey.
‘I love working with staff in a creative and
supportive way and looking after clients
with complete respect and commitment to
their well-being,’ said Isabel. ‘My love for
assessing business situations, developing
new ideas and projects to improve the
current situation and implementing new
services or programs, has driven my past
success as a consultant, employee, therapist
and yoga teacher.’
Isabel is COMO Shambhala Manager
(which means Spa Manager from COMO)
at Uma Paro in Bhutan in the high Himalayan
mountains ‘... close to the heavens,’ she said.
‘This little Kingdom is really a world away
in more ways than you could imagine. I
manage the spa with six in-house treatment
rooms, nine villa treatment rooms and 14
staff as well as our retail shop.’ Uma Paro is
a stylish yet homely 5-star boutique hotel with
29 rooms. ‘It’s owned by Mrs Ong who has
a great passion and vision for all things style,
beauty, health and well-being.’
Ideally suited to her role, Isabel has 15 years
experience in the tourism industry. ‘And I’ve
been a yoga teacher for 10 years, and a
massage therapist for more than two.’
The hotel has just celebrated its second
birthday which means there is still a lot
of work to do. Bhutan only opened up to
tourism five years ago and there is no service
culture, no hotel school, and certainly no
massage schools or a well-being scene. ‘A
lot of work goes into training local staff in
therapies, communication, guest relations
and very basic things like hygiene and how
to eat with a knife and fork...or at least not
with their hands, anyway!’
‘I love my work because
through it I get to touch
people’s souls, so they
can live life to their full
potential.’
Isabel’s focus for 2007 is to develop
well-being retreats for the spa’s low
season months, with yoga, meditation and
Himalayan medicine detox retreats. She
wants to create some retreats with celebrity
specialists in meditation and Tibetan
Buddhism.
‘I love being involved in growing the
recognition of the spa and wellness industry:
I’ve been on the board of directors of the
Australasian Spa Association for the past
two years. I also teach 12 yoga classes
a week, which are complimentary to our
guests. Sometimes I also get private clients
but that’s mostly during high season months.
So recently I’ve been up to my eye-balls in all
things spa and Buddhism!’
Passion is what has motivated Isabel in her
career. She said her ex-husband Simon
McArthur was her greatest mentor. ‘His
advice to me was always that if you don’t
feel passion for your work either create it or
do something else; don’t get stuck in a place
where you are unhappy and dissatisfied.
And as cheesy as it may sound, he gave me
the biggest gift of love by letting me go to do
what I needed to do…move on to travel and
work in Asia.’
To contact Isabel email her at
Isabel.Sebastian@uma.como.bz
Front cover: Isabel and prayer flags outside the Kili Nunnery,
located 4,000 m above sea level, in the Himalayas
Top: Isabel with her ‘favourite nuns’ at the Kili Nunnery
Left: Clowning with the Uma Para staff
10 VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
Passing the torch
Lois Appleby, recently appointed
to the Faculty of Business and Law
as an Adjunct Professor, believes
she has had an interesting and
rewarding career. ‘I was able to
recognise opportunities as they
were presented to me and this has
led to much career satisfaction.’
Women of her generation were the
‘trailblazers’ for other women, Lois explained.
‘The opportunities women have today didn’t
just appear, we had to work hard to achieve
senior management positions,’ Lois went on.
‘I feel a responsibility to work with young
women, to pass on some of my learning
and values. That’s why I’m involved in the
mentoring program, although I have a feeling
I’ll enjoy it more than the girls!’
Six female students of the School of
Hospitality, Tourism & Marketing have been
accepted into the mentoring program, which
will be run by the students themselves, but
has no set structure. ‘I will be their guide,’
explained Lois. ‘The idea is to bring out
some key issues that may be troubling them,
to facilitate a warm, sharing environment,
to share fears and excitements. There’s no
strategy, and it may not evolve the way
we’re all expecting, but we’ll just see where
it goes.’
Lois is the former CEO of Tourism Victoria,
and her responsibilities during her five year
tenure until her retirement earlier this year
included the Commonwealth Games, which
she ensured was a successful event from a
tourism perspective. She has worked in the
major events area for over twenty years,
and prior to joining Tourism Victoria was the
Sydney 2000 Paralympics Chief Executive.
Lois no longer works full time, but that doesn’t
mean she has much spare time! ‘Certainly
I can take the time now to catch up with
people for lunch or to chat over coffee and I
can play more golf or travel, but I’m involved
with four boards and in addition to the
adjunct professorial role, I am the Honorary
Consul for Canada.’
She is committed to the growth of the
tourism and events profession, and feels the
mentoring program is one of the ways she
can do that.
To contact Adj Prof Lois Appleby,
email her at lois.appleby@vu.edu.au
Young Tourism Leader
The RACV Club in Melbourne was
the scene of another Victoria
University student triumph. Melissa
Tabuteau (BBus Hosp/Tourism,
2006) won the Melbourne Airport
Developing Tourism Business
Leaders Awards for her business
proposition Melbourne Attractions
Card.
The Tourism Leaders Awards were
established by Service Skills Victoria and
are aimed at students in their final year of
a Certificate, Diploma or Bachelor Degree
in tourism and/or hospitality studies in
Victoria. Students were asked to develop
an innovative business strategy focusing on
small business within the tourism industry. The
strategies were judged by a panel of industry
leaders on the basis of business feasibility,
product innovation and knowledge of the
tourism industry.
Presented by the Minister for Tourism, the
Hon John Pandazopoulos, there were over
120 submissions from students from a range
of Victorian institutions, including La Trobe,
University of Ballarat, William Angliss TAFE,
NMIT, Kangan Batman TAFE and Gordon
Institute of TAFE, as well as VU.
Melissa’s proposal outlined the development
of a Melbourne Attractions Card, which
tourists can use as an alternative to cash.
She is currently working towards her Masters,
and her longer term aim is to work for
Tourism Victoria where over 20 School
of HTM graduates have been employed.
A presentation to students by then CEO
of Tourism Victoria, Lois Appleby, kindled
Melissa’s interest.
‘We are always delighted to see our
students achieve great things and Melissa
has really done us proud,’ said Prof Brian
King, Head, School of Hospitality, Tourism
& Marketing. ‘Her supervisors and I are very
excited by her success. Winning this award
is a great demonstration of the outstanding
achievements of our students and graduates.
Melissa’s concept displays imagination and
entrepreneurial flair and I am confident that
she will be a great asset within the tourism
industry.’
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY 11

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
Legendary performers
On Sunday 14 June this year more
than two hundred guests gathered
at Victoria University’s City Flinders
campus to congratulate the ‘90
Legends’ of VU’s Faculty of Business
and Law.
The ‘Legends’ awards, which formally
acknowledge the contributions of former
students, academics and industry partners of
the Faculty, were part of VU’s 90th birthday
celebrations. The week-long celebration
highlighted the establishment of Footscray
Technical School (FIT) in 1916 and the journey
that has led Victoria University to become what
it is today.
The awards coincided appropriately with the
School of Hospitality, Tourism & Marketing’s
win of another Victorian Tourism Award
for its tourism education programs. John
Pandazopoulos, Victorian Minister for Gaming,
Racing and Tourism, and a staunch supporter
of tourism education at VU was a ‘Legends’
recipient, as were Lois Appleby, retired CEO
of Tourism Victoria; Robert Cannell, Director,
The Legends of the Faculty of Business and Law with Prof Colin Clark, Executive Dean, Faculty of Business and Law
Robert Cannell and Associates; Geoffrey
Conaghan, General Manager, International
Routes, Melbourne Airport; Mary Maddock,
Director, Mary Maddock Consulting; Jeff Sharp,
Director of Autopia Tours; Dean Minett, Area
General Manager, Victoria, Ascott International;
and Paula Ntalianis, Training Consultant, Crown
Towers and Crown Promenade Hotels.
Close-up on Three VU Legends
Teck Boon Chua (BBus, Catering &
Hotel Mgmt, 2000) became the first
overseas student to serve on the VU Student
Union. ‘I really appreciated being able to
study business and specialise in catering
and hotel management at the same time,’
said Chua. He also found the Co-operative
Education Year invaluable. ‘It makes you
ready for the market, and adds value to
the degree, which is very attractive to
employers.’
While in Melbourne, Chua became
interested in the city’s coffee culture, and
has worked in the industry since he returned
home to Malaysia. Today he is Marketing
Manager at Sai Kee Coffee, but maintains
his close links with VU. He a current
member of the VU Alumni Advisory Group
and president of the VU Malaysian Alumni
Chapter, and works closely with VU and
Sunway College to promote the University
in Malaysia.
Growing up in Melbourne, Patrick
Imbardelli (BBus Hotel & Catering Mgmt)
helped out at his father’s restaurant, but his
dream was to work in international hotels.
So in 1978 he embarked on a BBus in
Hotel Management at FIT. As it happened,
he found himself working for Hilton International
in Melbourne before he completed his course.
‘But I eventually did graduate from VU with the
help of credits from studies I undertook in the
USA at Cornell University.’
Patrick’s work has seen him live in many
different places around the world, and it was
his work in setting up the Saigon Floating Hotel
in what was once known as Saigon (now Ho
Chi Minh City) that he again came in touch
with VU. ‘At the time, Prof Stephanie Fahey from
the Faculty of Arts was establishing a strong
relationship with Vietnam and I was pleased to
give practical support to both Stephanie and
her faculty.’
He has also helped establish the Fred Hollows
Foundation and the Christina Noble Children’s
Foundation, and is an active supporter
of the Variety Club in Australia and New
Zealand. Today he is Chief Executive for the
InterContinental Hotels Group Asia-Pacific.
Zhi Lin (John) Zhang (Postgrad Dip Hosp
& Tourism, 1987) was the first Chinese student
to gain a postgraduate qualification in his field
at FIT. ‘I believe the knowledge and skills I
acquired equipped me well for my career in the
tourism industry, and provided me with a strong
foundation for my expansion into trading and
real estate development,’ he said.
A specialist in tourism development and
international business, John migrated to
Australia in 1989 and opened Victoria’s first
travel agency with backing from mainland
China. His company is now Victoria’s largest
tour operator to China.
John retains strong links with VU, employing
graduates and students in his office, and
sponsoring VU students to study Chinese
language through the Faculty of Arts. He
is actively involved in school exchanges
between VU and universities in China, and
has helped a dozen students, three of whom
now operate their own travel agencies in
Melbourne, to study at VU.
‘I remember my years at VU with much
pleasure,’ John said. ‘I came to Australia
with US$50, and I worked hard. But I know
I could not have done anything without
the help I received from my sponsor and
my Australian friends. In particular, I shall
always be grateful to Sing let Kho, Brian
Wise, Ken Burbridge and Brian King for their
kindness and support. They were wonderful
role models for a student alone in a foreign
country, and I hope that my achievements
helping other young Chinese students to
study in Australia will, in some way, honour
their contributions to my life.’
12 VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
people are his inspiration
‘I’d decided I wanted to be in the
hospitality industry, and when I started
out the only choices here in Melbourne
were William Angliss, where I’d
get a technical-based diploma, or
Footscray Institute of Technology (an
early version of Victoria University).
That’s what I wanted, so that’s where
I went,’ explained Geoffrey York (BBus
Catering & Hotel Mgmt, 1980).
Today Geoff is General Manager of Sofitel
Brisbane, where he manages a team of 400. ‘It’s
Brisbane’s largest hotel conference space. We
get celebrities staying with us, such as Robbie
Williams, Kylie Minogue and recently the English
cricket team!’
The hotel turns over $45 million a year, and Geoff
says that the challenge is to deliver financial returns
while focussing on developing a luxury culture
within the hotel. ‘All activities are supporting the
Sofitel brand’s upscale positioning.’
Geoff’s career has taken him to some interesting
places, even before graduating. ‘I’d spent my
Co-operative Education Year in South Africa at
Southern Sun Hotels, where I’d had some great
experiences. A week after I finished at VU, I
applied for a Duty Manager’s role at a 220 room
hotel in Melbourne, and my resume must have
looked pretty good because after a quick interview
I was offered a job on the spot.’
He stayed for nearly three years learning a lot and
making, he says, ‘the usual mistakes’ but by the
time he was ready to move on he was the General
Manager.
Since then Geoff has worked in Australia and
around Asia. ‘I spent 15 years with Southern
Pacific Hotels in Australia and Kuala Lumpur.
Next came Singapore with Hilton International.’ In
all, Geoff has had close to seven years working
across north and south Asia.
‘My values and beliefs in running successful
hotels are drawn from several people in
particular with whom l’ve worked over my career.
Fresh out of hotel school my first GM taught me
the power of delegation and empowerment to front
line employees (many years before that became a
buzz word). Several years later the ability to extract
maximum value from a business was instilled by
a wealthy property developer.’
But every day Geoff’s greatest inspiration is
garnered from the people around him in the
business. ‘They tirelessly try to wow our guests and
are not motivated by the expectation of a gratuity.
They are what really make the business such a joy
to be in.’
With his wife Elizabeth and their three boys,
the family has travelled and lived around the
Asia Pacific region for 12 years. ‘The boys are
all involved in various sports, and I’m an avid
spectator at their events: t-ball, baseball, swimming,
basketball, soccer, rugby union and cricket!’
For Geoff, the challenge is always to achieve
some type of balance between work and family
commitments.
To contact Geoff York email him at
Sofitel Brisbane on H5992-GM01@
accor.com
vu tafe has a new Culinary Winner
‘It was an incredibly intimidating
experience and I didn’t expect to
win, but it was well worth it,’ an
excited but tired Ester Penaflorida
said. Ester, pictured right, won
the gold medal in the Third
Year Apprentice category at the
Melbourne Culinary Challenge at
this year’s Fine Food Australia.
Ester is a student at Victoria University TAFE
and is currently undertaking the Certificate III in
Hospitality (Commercial Cookery).
The competition, held over four days, saw 60
apprentices putting their culinary skills to the test in
a heated mass cook-off.
Nic Beredimas, Head of TAFE Hospitality and
Tourism Department at VU said, ’This is a sign
that we are definitely doing something right by
competing against some of the best apprentices in
the state. This is an excellent result in a very high
pressured contest.’
For more information about VU’s
hospitality courses email janet.
taylor@vu.edu.au
Together with a local radio station, Geoff (centre, and the only one
in a tie!) and his team raised over $5,000 for the local RSPCA
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY 13

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
What motivates tourists
Currently completing her PhD,
Marketing Lecturer Pandora Kay is
investigating tourists’ perceptions
about attending cultural attractions
and events while on holiday
in Melbourne. ‘I’m particularly
interested in what cultural
experiences they like, why they
go, what benefits they expect from
attending, and what benefits were
gained from cultural experience
attendance,’ explained Pandora.
As with many other destinations, Melbourne
is positioning itself as an event and cultural
capital, and Pandora’s research will have
implications for developing marketing
strategies to attract tourists to such events and
destinations.
Pandora explained that despite the crosscultural
nature of international tourism, cultural
research of tourists’ cultural experience,
attitudes and motivations is lacking. ‘Testing
for cultural differences between some of
Melbourne’s major tourist markets is a focus,
as is testing for differences between Englishspeaking
Western tourists and Asian tourists.’
The research will also test for differences
between different sub-samples of English-
speaking Western tourists from the
international tourist markets of New Zealand,
North America, United Kingdom and Ireland,
as well as domestic tourists from Melbourne’s
nearby states (SA, NSW and Qld). And within
the Asian tourist market, the research looks at
differences between Chinese-speaking tourists
and Japanese-speaking tourists.
‘The research involved primary data collection
at the Queen Victoria Market (QVM) over a
seven week period from December 2005
to February 2006,’ explained Pandora. ‘A
team of 12 bilingual data collection research
assistants was recruited and trained by me,
and assisted me with the data collection in
shifts throughout the 29 market trading days
during this period.’ The fact that the QVM
management gave permission for the data
collection to take place at the market itself was
quite a coup because it is one of Melbourne’s
top tourist attractions for international and
domestic tourists.
Although the research is yet to be finalised,
preliminary findings indicate tourists have
a liking for art and history-related cultural
experiences, traditional performing arts,
famous culture, and for social interaction at
cultural experiences, as well as for cultural
experiences that have been recommended by
others.
‘The main motives for tourists going to cultural
experiences are for the novelty, to learn about
local culture, for relaxation, to have social
consumption of refreshments, and shopping
for souvenirs in the ancillary facilities,’ said
Pandora. ‘Tourists’ expectations of cultural
experiences are edutainment (a combination
of education and entertainment), refreshments,
relaxation, and for clean facilities and clear
and helpful signs. The benefits gained came
from tourists who were emotionally involved,
relaxed mentally, escaped into another world,
gained knowledge and got a feeling of
accomplishment.’
Surprisingly, Pandora found that there were no
statistically significant cross-cultural differences
in these findings except for the different groups
of English-speaking Western tourists and their
motives for going to cultural experiences.
Final analysis for the completed PhD is expected
in early 2007.
For more information email
Pandora Kay at pandora.kay@
vu.edu.au
Top right: Queen Victoria Market, a tourist mecca
Above: Students collecting data from shoppers at QVM
14 VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
boosting event management skills
Each year Victoria plays host to
hundreds of international and
national sporting and business
events. The events industry is
growing and developing, and
Victoria University’s leading
position in event management
education has made it the most
successful and established provider
of hospitality and tourism tertiary
education in Australia. In fact,
VU is the only higher education
institution to have won (three
times) the National Tourism Award
for Excellence in Tourism Education
and Training.
The demand for event management
professionals continues to increase. In
conjunction with the Australia centre for Event
Management, VU’s Centre for Hospitality and
Tourism Research now offers the Executive
Certificate in Event Management.
The Certificate is a four day course designed
to provide a foundation of key skills and
knowledge associated with the creation and
delivery of events, from private functions such
as weddings and parties, to large public
events like festivals, fairs and sporting events.
The course is designed to both enhance the
professional skills and knowledge base of
those already employed in the event industry,
and to serve as a sound platform for people
wanting to launch careers in the field of event
management.
The course content was developed after
analysing the results of an extensive survey of
event management professionals. Through a mix
of lectures, class exercises and case studies,
students develop an understanding of the theory
and practice of creating and delivering various
types of events.
Teaching the course are two event management
specialists Rob Harris and Johnny Allen. Rob is
a Senior Lecturer and the Director, Australian
Centre for Event Management, University of
Technology, Sydney, and has been involved
in event management training, education
and curriculum development for over ten
years. Johnny is the Foundation Director of the
Australian Centre for Event Management and an
Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Leisure, Sport
and Tourism, University of Technology, Sydney.
He has more than 30 years experience in the
field of event management.
For information about the course
email barry.omahony@vu.edu.au
helping those less fortunate
Roatchana (Nui) Sungthong (MBus
E-commerce & Mktg, 2006) has
chosen to utilise her qualifications
and personality in the service of the
disadvantaged of the world.
She has joined ActionAid International, a
development agency formed to fight poverty
worldwide working towards a career in
fundraising for cause-related non-profit
organisations. Roatchana is currently the
personal assistant to the Asia Regional Director
of ActionAid in Thailand.
Roatchana said that her recent trip to India was
inspiring. ‘My colleagues and I flew from Delhi to
Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The place is infamous for
the 2002 riots, where a large number of people
of Muslim religion were slaughtered.’
The women in the picture with Roatchana
(pictured fifth from the left) have all lost their
loved ones...husbands, children, relatives, during
the riots, and they are now living in constant
fear of their lives. They are also struggling to
stay alive in a region that is plagued by poverty.
‘You can see their plight in their eyes,’ said
Roatchana sadly.
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY 15

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & MARKETING
THE THIRD DEGREE ANGELA DRAYTON
Angela with daughter Cassidy on a recent outing to Melbourne’s zoo
Education: BBus Tourism & Mktg, 2002
Why Tourism and Marketing
I had been working in the tourism industry since
I left school and I really enjoyed it. You have
the opportunity to travel and meet a lot of new,
interesting people. And because I was working
at the same time as studying, I could see the
relevance of everything I was learning, so that
was an added bonus.
Current role:
I’m General Manager of the Australasian Spa
Association. It’s a small organisation, but an
important one, and our role is to promote
professionalism and standards within the global
community, and grow a vibrant and sustainable
industry.
How you got there:
I started as a marketing assistant with Deluxe
Coachlines here in Melbourne, then moved
into various sales and marketing positions with
other tourism organisations. I’ve worked at
Destination Australia Marketing, the Northern
Territory Government Tourism Bureau both in
Melbourne and Los Angeles in the USA. In
1997 I came back to Australia to work with the
InterContinental Cable Beach Resort in Broome
(but, unfortunately, based in Melbourne, not in
Broome!), and eventually I wound up at Tourism
Victoria. I spent nearly six years there, but my
greatest experience was to manage the 20th
annual Victorian Tourism Awards which was
AWESOME! I had the good fortune to deal
with tourism operators who were achieving or
aspiring for excellence. They were passionate,
friendly, inspiring people with whom it has
been my absolute pleasure to work.
Secrets to success:
I believe that study is valuable and vital, but
your networks, relationships and people skills
are integral and critical to success.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
Christina Beddoe, BBus Travel/Tourism Mgmt,
1993, Director, ECPAT, London, UK
Holly Bundy, BBus Hosp/Tourism Mgmt, 2005,
Sales Coordinator, Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center,
Vancouver, Canada
Avril Carter, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt, 1990,
Regional Sales Manager, Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Group, London, UK
George Delic, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2002,
Accounts Payable Supervisor, AAT Kings, Melb, Vic
Gill Di Pasquale, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2000,
Business Development Manager, New Zealand &
North America, Tourism Victoria, Melb, Vic
Sophie Dougall, MBus Event Mgmt, 2005, Event
Services Executive, Hayman Island Resort, Hayman
Island, Qld
Robert Drake, BBus Travel & Tourism Mgmt,
1994, Managing Director, Carat Australia, Melb, Vic
Angela Drayton, BBus Tourism & Mktg, 2003,
General Manager, Australasian Spa Association,
Melb, Vic
Flavio Faccone, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2004,
Domestic Corporate Consultant, Carlson Wagonlit,
Melb, Vic
Jarrod Fong-Lim, BBus Hosp/HR Mgmt, 2006,
Reservation Sales Agent, Clarion Suites Gateway,
Melb, Vic
Tony Freedman, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
1989, Manager, Travel Associates Freedman &
Turner, Albert Park, Vic
Ying (Jenny) Guo, MBus Hosp/Tourism Mktg,
2003, Inbound Sales Executive (Eastern Hemisphere),
Batmans Hill on Collins, Melb, Vic
Hannah Han Duong, BBus Tourism Mgmt,
2002, Manager, Hannah Travel P/L, Footscray West,
Vic
Stephen Kleinitz, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2001,
Tourism NSW, Sydney, NSW
Amanda Lewin, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
2000, Business Development Director - Vic/SA,
Holiday Inn on Flinders, Melb, Vic
Paul Matthews, Grad Cert Events Mgmt, 1998,
Marketing Manager, Yarra Trams, Melb, Vic
Andrew McLeod, BBus Mktg/Tourism Mgmt,
2006, Resident Co-ordinator, Unilodge, Hawthorn,
Vic
Victoria Murfett, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2006,
Travel Consultant, Austravel, London, UK
Jim Parashos, B Bus Travel & Tourism Mgmt,
1998, Deputy Director Aviation Development,
Northern Territory Airports, Darwin, NT
Jenny Pham, BBus Mktg/Internet Trade, 2006,
Employment Liaison Administration Officer, Student
Career Development Centre, Victoria University, Melb,
Vic
Antony Platford, BBus Hotel Mgmt & Catering
Mgmt, 1994, General Manager, Sofitel Xanadu
Resort, Hangzhou, China
Doddy Purwoko, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2002,
Sales Manager, WEL Travel, Melb, Vic
It’s so easy to get on the Alumni mailing
list: simply email us at alumni@vu.edu.au
Anthony Ross, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
1998, General Manager, Indigo Pearl Resort, Phuket,
Thailand
Sebastian Seitel, BBus Hosp Mgmt, 2005,
Events Manager, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Hong
Kong, SAR
Karina Senn, BBus Events Mgmt, 2005, Events
Co-ordinator, Australian Swim School Owners
Association, Essendon, Vic
Roatchana (Nui) Sungthong, MBus
E-commerce & Mktg, 2006, Personal Assistant to Asia
Regional Director, ActionAid, Thailand
Julia Swanston, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
1998, Business Development Director - National
Sales, InterContinental Hotels Group, Melb, Vic
Thai Tan, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2005, Business
Development/Sales Manager - Leisure and Incentives,
Australian Tours Management, Carlton, Vic
Alison Taylor, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
1985, VP Sales - Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels,
Singapore
Suzanne Vergers, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
1989, Teacher, Swinburne University, TAFE Division,
School of Business and E-commerce, Lilydale, Vic
Paul Williamson, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
2005, General Manager, Soho House, London, UK
Geoffrey York, BBus Catering & Hotel Mgmt,
1980, Managing Director, Sofitel Brisbane, Brisbane,
Qld
Johnson Zhang, BBus Tourism Mgmt, 2005,
General Manager, Quest on Flemington, Melb, Vic
16 VICTORIA UNIVERSITY