What is the current state of tourism in the Republic of Cyprus? How can Cypriot hospitality and tourism services be improved on the island? What is STR SHARE Center and what can it offer to students studying Hospitality Management and Tourism Management?
Steve Hood, a guru of the international tourism industry, was presenting and analysing during a lecture organized by the Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management of the University of Nicosia at Cine Studio of the University. Steve serves in various advisory committees for industry and the academic community. In 2012, Steve was honoured by ICHRIE (International Board of Hotel Food and Institutional Education) with industry recognition for his proven dedication to advanced hospitality and tourism education.
Having signed a memorandum of cooperation between the University of Nicosia and the world's leading STR SHARE Center, Mr. Hood, he has thoroughly analysed the advantages of this memorandum for University students. The Company is recognized by many pioneers in hotel research, providing extensive information to and for the tourism industry and especially hotels. This accounts for nearly 75% of hotels in the US and 55% of hotels worldwide, including 90% of hotel chains and most of the world's leading hotels.
"The Cypriot hotel market does not yet have large hotel chains, but this is not done overnight. It requires patience, persistence and cooperation between local and international companies at a time of intense competition in the international tourism industry, "he said.
STR provides monthly, weekly and daily information for more than 62,000 hotel units across the globe, and has data for more than 200,000 hotels worldwide. It has been operating since 1985 and has maintained 20 offices around the world, regularly organizing presentations at international conferences, and offering a wide range of products and services to a wide range of businesses, such as hotel brands, tourism organizations and consultants, while supporting Academic Research and Education.
"With the memorandum we signed, our students will now have access to a huge record of global hotel industry information, such as STR SHARE Center," said Gianna Orphanidou, head of the Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Administration Department of the University of Nicosia.
Among the many interests spoken by Mr Hood were the effects on the hotel industry, in countries that organized major international fights, such as the summer and winter Olympics, the control of the performance of those working in hotels, the control mode RevPAR, the economic situation of each country in which there are control hotels from STR, and the goal of Academic Research and Education. This, among other things, is to provide universities around the world with accurate information on tourism and hotels for research, student projects and classroom use. It also aims to "bridge the gap" between the tourism industry and Education.
"Today, the STR collaborates with 800 tourist schools and universities from 72 different countries, including the University of Nicosia," the speaker concluded.