THE-ICE is pleased to introduce 30 Minute Talks as the first Friend of THE-ICE, a new relationship of reciprocal support and promotion. 30 Minute Talks is a series of weekly webinars addressing topical issues facing the tourism and hospitality industries, featuring interactive presentations, invited guest speakers, and insightful commentary.
During the COVID-19 pandemic Professor Perry Hobson, Dr Andy Nazarechuk, and Mr Alan Williams identified the need for quality online hospitality and tourism education. Together, they have launched a series of weekly webinars called 30 Minute Talks, offering short, informative, interactive presentations on a wide variety of topical issues. As a Friend of THE-ICE, 30 Minute Talks and THE-ICE offer support, promotion, input, and advice in a reciprocal manner.
The primary audience of 30 Minute Talks is hospitality and tourism students who wish to benefit from timely, relevant, and insightful views about the future of the industry. 30 Minute Talks also seeks to bring together students and educators from universities around the world who can share their perspectives and views with one another. Presentations are conducted by different presenters in short 12-minute slots and are highly visual and informative, allowing for effective use in the classroom or online.
In keeping with the theme of high interactivity for students, 30 Minute Talks conducts interactive polls to provide direct feedback to students regarding their thoughts on a particular question, conducts regular surveys, and rewards Academic Partner students with a Certificate of Attendance for each webinar they attend. Students are encouraged to participate at each session by asking questions directly within the webinar format, and Academic Partners are invited to record student questions to be used directly in the programme.
30 Minute Talks also offers advice and creative ideas on internships, global mobility, becoming a self-directed learner, preparing for the world of work, and understanding new and emerging employment opportunities:
Travel and Tourism
30 Minute Talks have followed and analysed the immediate impacts of COVID-19 on airlines, cruise ships, and destinations. As the world moves into the crisis recovery phase, they will be considering strategies for tourism destinations to get back on their feet. In the post-recovery phase, the industry will be needing to shift their focus towards health and sustainability.
Hotels
30 Minute Talks examines the increasing need for innovation, the adoption of emerging technologies, and how ‘hospitality’ will be redefined in the post-COVID age. They will also be considering the skills that the manager of the future will need to manage more technology based operational environments.
Restaurants
Operational considerations for the restaurant industry will increase, and 30 Minute Talks considers how the industry is going to have to adopt to the heightened levels of health, sanitation, and social distancing in its operations, and what this means for the management of tomorrow’s F&B operations.
The Future
COVID-19 is just one aspect in a constantly changing landscape of issues facing the industry. 30 Minute Talks will be expanding their topics to meet the needs of educators and the industry as well as students and, while the focus is now on health, issues relating to changes in consumer behaviour, environmental sustainability, and how to prepare for the next unprecedented crisis will be looked at in more detail.
Question and Answer with Dr Andy Nazarechuk, 30 Minute Talks
Who should attend 30 Minute Talks, and what should they expect to gain from the webinar or webinars they attend?
Our “30 Minute Talks” are designed to focus on current hospitality and tourism topics that are appropriate for both academic faculty and students. Keeping our content discussions to 30 minutes allows these programs to be used in the classroom to spark in-class discussions.
How can participants ensure they get the most out of their 30 Minute Talks experience?
We provide certificates of attendance to members of our academic partners. They are required to attend the program, complete a survey, and also provide a short essay on their key learnings from the program. We also engage attendees each week through program polls. Finally, we have hosted a “challenge” in the past that allows attendees to submit their projects for review and to win various prizes. We will be doing more once school starts.
What topics have been covered in webinars so far?
Good question: plenty!
- Hotel Operating Standards
- Updating Teaching Methods
- New Career Paths
- Delivering the Customer Experience in a Post-COVID World
- Technology in a Hotel Room
- How Will Restaurants Survive with Social Distancing?
- How do we re-start travel Again?
- SMART Tourism
- Restaurant Service Procedures
- Room Amenities, Post COVID19
- Do cruise lines have a future in a Post-COVID19 World? Guest Speaker: Professor Ross Dowling
- 5 Top Tech Trends in Hospitality
- Contact Tracing
- Really Knowing Your Customer
- Destination Macau: From Tourism Lockdown to Tourism Recovery. Guest Speaker Dr. Glenn MaCartney
- What is Happening Now that the World is Starting to Re-open?
- Las Vegas History & and Current Situation
- In Tourism Will the Next Normal Be the Old Normal? Dr. Bert van Walbeek
- Accreditation: What Does It Mean and Why Is It So Important?
- Coffee & Tea Tourism. Li-Hsin Chen, Ph.D., Dr. Martin Bazylewich, and Prof. Lee Joliffe
- Hawaii. Guest Speaker Dr. Jerry Agrusa, Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii
- The Complexity of Choice. Guest Speaker Dr. Andy Nazarechuk
- Getting Back to Business: Restaurants & Bars. Guest Speaker Mr. Alan Williams
What is the “90 Seconds” segment, and what does it offer to attendees?
The 90 Second show segment has become very popular! Recently we created a very short 90 second video that allows us to share ideas on a variety of topics. Short, to the point, and providing something for each attendee to think about. These topics vary depending on the presenter and have included:
- How to use a Green Screen
- Going local to support your community businesses
- Deciding on which Webinars to attend
- Buffets – the new way
- Reopening ideas
- Wearing Masks for COVID Protection
Click here to visit the 30 Minute Talks website for more information