In 2006 Glion’s Governing Board approved the creation of the Center of Marketing Excellence in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management.

The vision was simple; to take Glion’s understanding, ethos and reputation, and apply it to creating a centre in which leading academics and industry professionals shared marketing knowledge in the face of a rapidly changing global market.

The unrelenting developments made in technology and an acute understanding of how these changes were transforming the way successful businesses operate, acted as the driving force, and a concept was put into motion.

Having taught to the next generation of hospitality leaders for 50 years, the plan for the Center of Marketing Excellence continued Glion’s proud reputation, as both under graduate and graduate programs were developed to accommodate expert understanding of evolving marketing practices.

Today, the center continues to strive towards its vision of excellence and now focuses on providing consultancy services directly to those currently working in the industry.

Glion Online Program Director Kate Buchanan-Jack currently teaches Marketing to industry professionals around the world as part of the online suite of programs now offered by Glion. Having an established international marketing and consulting background, she suggests now more than ever marketing trends require a more dynamic approach due to the powerful influence of the virtual world.

“What makes marketing so much more challenging these days is its’ revitalized, dynamic nature and it’s constantly evolving characteristics. The needs of the consumer are changing and through the internet we have found a way to connect with them directly. Marketers need to be both successful and effective and must adapt strategies to the changing needs and demands of the consumer. In the hospitality and service industries world, customers like to feel unique and nurtured and this makes the blend between the product and the service ever more ambiguous.”

Put into practice this understanding translates into on the ground training for companies across the service industries. Director of the Center of Marketing Excellence Dr. David Horrigan has a MA in marketing communications and a PHD in educational leadership. He explains how the academics focus on delivering expertise to the industry:

“We just debriefed from the general management training program we held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Al Hokair Group which has 4 star hotel brands and 32 properties asked us deliver a training program to their general managers that covered various finance, human resources, marketing, and strategic planning subject matter.

The five day program was a successful event and everyone had a great time. We will be following up with other training programs that focus on targeted disciplines such as finance. This way, the attendees will be able to focus more deeply on one specific area for a longer time. A program series will be tailor designed to cover multiple disciplines for the Al Hokair Group’s needs and a combination of onsite and online delivery methods are being discussed. The idea is to create an ongoing management training program for their managers’ development.”

In striving to bring together international industry and academia, Glion has facilitated learning that not only benefits the hospitality professionals of tomorrow, but also those working in the industry today.

Learn more about studying online with Glion.