3rd Annual Industry Conference/Symposium on ‘ICT Development for Hospitality Industry’

The Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM) enriches the lives of 400(+) students, local and international. Based in the SLIIT campus in Malabe, the Academy provides a 100% Australian qualification through the partnership with William Angliss Institute (WAI), Australia. Together the partnership has successfully ensured to produce “job ready” graduates to the industry of foods, hospitality, tourism and events.

The Annual Industry Conference is an event that the students look forward to the most as it gives them the opportunity to meet many industry dignitaries. The topic this year is ‘ICT Development in the Hospitality Industry’ and the conference will be held at the SLIIT Auditorium on 17 November. At the press briefingthe panel of speakers comprised Steven Bradie-Miles (CEO of CAHM), KasunAbeynayaka (Senior Teacher at CAHM), Shalini Perera (PR and Branding Manager of CAHM) and DimuthRubesinghe (Teacher at CAHM).

Seshaya Gabriel, a student of the Academy and also the Chairperson of the Organising Committee, delivered the welcome speech as she touched on the basic elements that was discussed later on by the panel. A short glimpse of the two previous conferences organised by the Academy was discussed and the topics were ‘Challenges of Hospitality Industry and Integrating the Management participation for Hospitality Development in Sri Lanka’ and ‘The growing concerns of Strategic and Operational challenges in MICE tourism’ respectively. 

As done in the previous year, CAHM launched the publication that was compiled for the 2nd Annual Industry conference during the press briefing which lead up to a speech by Bradie-Miles who gave an introduction to the Academy, the services and courses offered and also future plans that will be introduced to the market. He also highlighted the success stories of some the alumni students, and also the events held here at the Academy organised by the students themselves. Namely, the Avurudu festival, The Great Gatsby ball and also the masterclasses conducted by Celebrity Chef Adam D’Sylva from Melbourne and by Masterchef Australia contestant Rishi Desai. These opportunities are given to the students in order to expand their knowledge in the hospitality, tourism, foods and events industries. 

The 3rd Annual Industry Conference is based on the topic of the importance of Information and Communication Technology in the Hospitality Industry; ICT is very much a growing industry on its own, the hospitality industry depends on the ICT industry in large way as the main component of maintaining an image globally is predominantly through online mediums. Websites, making reservations, sales promotions and other ways of reaching out to a larger audience solely depends on ICT. 

The objectives of the conference were discussed by KasunAbeynayakaas follows;

To help students identify new opportunities that they can pursue in the hospitality industry. 

To give students an idea of how ICT has an impact on the hospitality industry. 

To encourage the innovative and analytical thinking for developing unique and novel hospitality products and packages which will allow students to tap into new and emerging markets. 

To provide knowledge on how to develop, market and operate resource based hospitality products and packages, which go beyond the conversational boundaries and horizons. 

To provide a useful and instrumental publication as a reference document and source of information for hospitality experts to promote hospitality development. 

As the target audience for this conference are hoteliers, dignitaries from the ICT sector, marketers, digital marketers, web developers and designers, researchers, students, media personnel and those involved in the development of ICT in the hospitality industry,. Shalini Perera spoke of the partners and sponsors who have supported this conference that will be held on 17November and took the opportunity to thank them accordingly. 

Dimuth Rubesinghe, a teacher of CAHM spoke of incorporating the research element where many Higher Education Institutes will be invited to a symposium held after the conference to present their findings on the importance of ICT in the hospitality sector. 

Log on to www.cahmconferences.com for more information on the conference or log on to www.cahm.lk for more information on the Academy. Call +94112407780 for more information on enrolments as the next intake due for September.