A Week in the Life of Hospitality Professionals

Our Hospitality and Multimedia students experienced the life of industry professionals when they spent five days exploring the historic cities of Boston and Salem, MA during their Familiarization (FAM) trip. A FAM trip is a common practice among hospitality professionals who need to experience, first hand, different destinations with goals of learning about different products and services, creating relationships with vendors, and ultimately providing informed recommendations to the client. It’s this kind of travel experience that helps to prepare our students for a wide range of hospitality careers after graduation.

Before they left Pittsburgh, they had a lot to prepare. From fundraising to selecting a destination to creating an itinerary and negotiating with vendors, our students gained an appreciation early on for the work that goes into the hospitality profession.

During their trip, they explored different modes of transportation, accommodations, entertainment, excursions, and neighborhoods, and went behind the scenes at Delta Air Lines, Atlas Travel, Boston Marriott International Copley Place, and Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. They were exposed to industry personnel and met with guest speakers—general managers of hotels, visitors’ bureau, conventions, and restaurants. 

Afterwards, our students prepared for and hosted a Travelogue Show which provided guests with an engaging and first-hand look at all that they experienced and learned during their trip. Not only were family, friends, faculty, and staff invited to this show, but industry professionals and prospective employers were in attendance, as well.