IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research
Taking responsibility to conduct research in areas that matter to the tourism industry
The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) has launched the IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research. Students from IIHM as well as from other institutions across the world will be welcome to join the research groups at the Centre. Suborno Bose, CEO & Chairman, IIHM Hotel School, shares more about this enterprising project, much needed for the tourism and hospitality industry.
The IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research, which will be affiliated with the International Hospitality Council (IHC) London, will be located in three cities – Kolkata, Delhi, and Goa. The research centre in Goa will be a residential facility where researchers from all over the world can conduct research on a long-term basis. Research at the Centre will be conducted in various focus areas of the industry, such as how the industry will move on after the pandemic in terms of business, new ideas, strategies, the food cycle, extensive use of plastic, etc.
The most important highlight of the Centre was that it was officially inaugurated by the UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili on the occasion of World Tourism Day 2021. On this, Bose expressed, “IIHM is deeply honoured and humbled by the recognition and affirmation of our role by the UNWTO. This will only strengthen our resolve and that of our partners to champion the cause of hospitality and tourism across the world. We would like to function as the Kolkata chapter of the UNWTO, spreading their message on tourism and hospitality across India and the world.”
The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) is a chain of premier hotel management training institutions with 10 campuses spread across India and the world, namely, Kolkata, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Goa and Bangkok, and Samarkhand. This leading hospitality and culinary arts training college in India has been preparing bright and industry-ready hospitality professionals for almost three decades through its advanced training in hospitality and culinary arts, upgrading itself to adapt to changes and up gradation in the industry and making students industry-ready.
IIHM’s modern and advanced infrastructure is at par with any leading hospitality institution in the world. IIHM follows an international curriculum that includes masterclasses with international chefs and hospitality professionals. This enables to give students world-class exposure to hospitality and culinary trends. IIHM believes in practical training along with classroom teaching. The institution has two hotels attached to it in its Kolkata and Goa campuses for the practical training of students.
On asked about the thoughts put behind launching the IIHM Research Centre, Bose says, “The post-COVID era will be different in many ways as the focus for every industry has changed. Tourism and hospitality, too, will experience a transformation as it will be intertwined with various other industries. As an experienced educationist associated with the hospitality industry for almost three decades, I understood the need and relevance of research in the Tourism and Hospitality sector more than ever. Keeping this in mind, I decided to start the IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research.”
The IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Hospitality plans to provide the infrastructure to help in research in various areas to help increase tourists in the future. India is a favourite tourist destination across the world. It is known for its art, culture and unparalleled hospitality. Tourism in India generates several small and large job opportunities, creating self-employment opportunities and generating enormous taxes. The Indian tourism industry can be divided into three segments – inbound tourism, domestic tourism and outbound tourism. In order to study the various opportunities and avenues in all three segments, IIHM Global Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research will provide the necessary infrastructure and support to conduct research in this field. Interested people can visit the centre for important references and information regarding tourism and hospitality.
“Research is essential in any industry and in the present circumstances, in the
tourism and hospitality fields, research is required now more than ever. In the postpandemic era, it is necessary to understand the characteristics, preferences, attitudes and opinions of visitors and the travel trade. The market research also enables to identify new areas of diversification and further, understand the performance of the tourism sector in our country,” shares Bose highlighting the importance of research in the tourism and hospitality industry.
Bose also feels that it is important now to upgrade and upsell our skills, talent, and personal development. “In the Next Normal world, the way people work and function has undergone a sea change. People have made huge lifestyle changes as a way of adjusting to the pandemic situation. Careerwise, too, young people are looking for other lucrative options and are choosing different professions and developing new skills. For example, there is a huge surge in students wishing to become entrepreneurs. Many have started their own start-up ideas in the pandemic and are running them successfully,” concludes Bose.