Month: December 2021

A grand celebration on the online platform was organised for World Tourism Day 2021 by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM). On September 27th, 2021, IIHM played host to a number of eminent hospitality professionals and personalities in India and the world. The day was extra special for the institute as the much-awaited IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Research was inaugurated on this special day.

The UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikasvili, addressed IIHM on the occasion, “We celebrate as the world cautiously reopens to travel. Now is the time to recognise our sector’s essential role as a vision of sustainable and equal development. The theme for World Tourism Day 2021 is Tourism for Inclusive Growth. We highlight the value of everyone involved in tourism, both visitors and the visited.”

Reiterating the Secretary-General’s ideas, Anita Mendiratta, Founder and President of Anita Mendiratta & Associates and Advisor to UNWTO Secretary-General said, “The global pandemic has forced us to focus on how to make a stronger tourism community in future. There are four reasons for this. Travel and tourism are important to small and medium enterprises. In the pandemic, many businesses had to shut down because they could not survive. We also have the youth level, who have been forced to look for jobs in other sectors. IIHM and the education community need to re-inspire the youth to get them to realise that this is one of the most remarkable professions. We need to make the youth feel valued, protected, engaged and supported. Then we talk about women. Eighty per cent of travel and tourism businesses are in the SME sector and 50 percent of those come through women’s employment. Finally, we have to focus on environment. Sustainable tourism development must be environmental. We need to protect everything that Nature has given us.”

Padma Shri Sanjeev Kapoor turned the focus of inclusivity towards food. “Tourism is not just transportation of one person to another, it is an experience and meeting of minds and souls. This year’s theme of Tourism for Inclusive Growth, focusses on the need to celebrate food. In the next 20 years, is time for the east and we have to start working on it now. The pandemic has taught us that we cannot wait, we have to take any corrective measures in form of environment or ourselves or in tourism or in food. The power that India can provide to food is unthinkable. We have put a lot of focus on food, specially on healthier food. Therefore, we must bring inclusiveness and sustainability in food in every step.”

The tourism industry will undergo a sea change and Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman and Chief Mentor, IIHM, emphasized on how the IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Research will help to brace the changes. “Tourism in the post-Covid 19 era will be very different. Guest sentiment will be far different than what it was before March 2020. There will be emphasis on health and hygiene, guests will primarily be concerned about hygiene of the premises and the people associated with the industry. Students and professionals associated with the Tourism and Hospitality industries must be prepared to brace the changes and move ahead and the IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Research is going to help them in every way possible.”

Prof David Foskett, MBE, Hospitality lecturer and author, added, “Tourism helps humanity to understand other cultures and people throughout the world. We need research, because post-pandemic, world will not be the same in terms of customer service. These are things that need research. Tourism has lots to offer and research will help us to understand how to overcome the problems and obstacles in the future.”

Eight power-packed speeches, eight electrifying Edtalks or discussions and 140 hospitality icons from across the world. The international hospitality fraternity has geared up to share and experience this global extravaganza at Eightex: Hospitality Industry’s biggest and prestigious global e-conclave on leadership. Hospitality leaders and icons from across the world will join to share and discuss their thoughts, ideas and experiences on Hospitality in the New World Order at this unique online event organised by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) on 9th July, 2021.

With new trends, ideas and innovations emerging in the pandemic-stricken world, Eightex aims to bring forth trendsetting ideas to the table that will both help and inspire others who are in the industry to move ahead with confidence and hope. The theme of the e-conclave is Hospitality in the New World Order. The event is scheduled to take place through the entire day as the distinguished speakers will join in from time to time to present their thoughts and ideas on what is new, fresh and the way to survival in the post- Pandemic world.

The schedule includes several keynote addresses alternating with panel discussions on various topics related to the hospitality industry. Each individual speaker will be allowed to speak for 8 minutes only. Starting from Culinary Trends in the New World Order to Innovative technology in the Hospitality business in the New World Order, to Stress Management and Sustainability in the New World Order, the e-conclave aims to focus on all aspects of this dynamic industry that has turned a new leaf in this New World Order. “As the world is gradually returning to normal in this post-pandemic phase, we want to spread the message of hope and positivity through Eightex. This is a unique event organised by and for the hospitality industry that will bring forth various ideas and innovations of the industry in the post-pandemic world. I think it will be a treat to listen to these great personalities share their experiences and ideas of how they have turned around and faced the pandemic and have brought the industry back to life. Their innovations will also inspire others to follow their footsteps,” said Dr Suborno Bose, CEO, IIHM and Indismart Global Worldwide.

The exhaustive list of iconic hospitality leaders and personalities of the world. Some of the names include Mike Berthet, MD at Aquasea Ltd, Dr Zenobia Nadirshaw, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Trustee member of International Hospitality Council (IHC), Chef Enzo Oliveri, celebrity chef popularly known as The Sicilian Chef, Kush Kapoor, CEO, Rosette Hotels and Resorts, Anita Mendiratta, Global Advisor and Author, Tourism and Development, Special Advisor to Secretary General UNWTO, Chef Joel Basumatari, popular chef and founder of Smokey Joe’s, Zorawar Kalra, founder of Massive Restaurants Pvt Ltd, Deepak Ohri, CEO, Lebua Hotels and Resorts, AD Singh, Founder and MD of Olive Group of Restaurants, Michelin-star Chef John Wood, Co-founder of Kitchen Cut, Chef Stuart Littlejohn, Executive Chef of the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Club and many other eminent hospitality personalities from across the world. Prof David Foskett, author, professor and Chairman of IHC said, “It’s a pleasure to be a part of this massive congregation of iconic hospitality professionals from around the world. I think the thoughts and ideas that will come across at this e-conclave will only bring more hope and positivity to other fellow hospitality professionals of the world and we are all set to see new things emerging in this new era to come.”

In a unique celebration of teachers and educators from across the world, the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) along with the International Hospitality Council (IHC) felicitated the brave teachers of Afghanistan on the online platform. The first ever Teachers Peace Award 2021 is another pioneering initiative by IIHM under the Teacher’s Day Awards held by the institute every year.

In view of the adverse conditions in Afghanistan, IIHM decided to felicitate the teachers in private schools in Afghanistan who have worked hard to recover and keep the education system in place despite huge challenges.

IIHM Teachers Day Awards 2021 has been assigned a theme, ‘Because Teachers Make Difference’, that aims to salute teachers for their efforts to combat odds and keep the flame of education burning. Teachers in Afghanistan, today, are working hard to keep the torch of education lit in their country and for that are having to face enormous challenges.

The first ever event of the type garnered substantial response from institutions and teachers in Afghanistan. Thirty teachers from several prestigious institutions like Sofia Private School, Ahmad Shah Abdali Private High School, Shams London Academy and Mushtaqbil-e-Naween Private High School accepted the Teachers Peace Award 2021 and expressed their gratitude to India and IIHM. The teachers were enthusiastic and felt motivated at receiving this special honour from IIHM. The institute also extended assistance to teachers in Afghanistan to improve quality of education in the country. Ten courses will be offered to students of Afghanistan absolutely free of cost.

Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman and Chief Mentor, IIHM, said on the occasion, “We salute the teachers of Afghanistan who, despite the difficult situations, have never let education stop even for a day. We are all proud of each one of these teachers who have set an example to the world. They have proved that there is no force that can stop education.”

Prof David Foskett, the Chairman of International Hospitality Council (IHC), said, “Teachers in Afghanistan are pillars and role models to students. They are caring, show empathy and share their knowledge and change people’s lives. They can influence young people for the good and it is definitely a great honour that IIHM and IHC are giving to teachers of Afghanistan.”