Big World Wide / Great Hotels of the World

Placement organization

Name of organization: Big World Wide / Great Hotels of the World
Town/city: London
Country: Groot-Brittannië
Website:

Name of student: Fabienne Gorissen

Specialist area: ITTI
Placement period: 2014-2015

Information about placement organization

Type of organization: Technology/Media/Travel company
Organization’s activities: evolution provides distribution, reservation and digital marketing solutions to discerning hotels around the world, and has a reputation as one of the most innovative technology companies in the marketplace. Their mission is to give independent properties and small chains the chance to compete with hard brands with massive budgets. evolution has leveled the playing field with its smart, user-friendly, groundbreaking and affordable technologies.

Great Hotels of the World has been at the forefront of hotel innovation for over a decade, providing global reservation, sales and marketing services for an exclusive portfolio of primarily independent hotels and resorts. Each hotel’s core business is different – and therefore their needs are different.
Target group of the organization: Independent Hotels and small chains – Corporate Business
Company culture: The company culture is great. Everyone is very friendly and willing to help if you just ask! The communication within the company is quite informal. However, when clients are approached, they are approached in a very formal way.
Number of employees: 65
Dress code: casual
Did the organization meet the agreements you made beforehand? Yes

Information about your placement

In which department(s) are you working? I’m working in the Corporate department of Great Hotels of the World and evolution. The corporate department focuses on their corporate hotel members. These hotels focus on business travel.
Brief description of your daily activities: Within the organisation I have several responsibilities. I have to take care of direct rate loading requests of hotels, requests for proposals, support the sales and marketing team and support our hotel members.
Moreover there are some ongoing projects within the company.
Brief description of your company assignment: For one of our members I have to contact several TMCs in order to promote the hotel and increase the consortia production. Once done, I need to measure the production of this project. During this project I’m in contact with several TMCs and with the Director of Sales of the hotel.
Comment briefly on your supervision by the organization: I have two great supervisors. We work in a team of four and I’m a part of the team. We help each other when necessary. Also, they help me with my school assignments by giving tips and feedback.

Requirements for students on placement

What kind of personal skills are required for this placement? teamplayer, sociable, flexible, stress-proof, independent.
Additional company requirements for this placement? writing skills, MS Office, communication skills
English: Advanced
Spanish:
French:
German:
Italian:
Other languages:

The trip

Mode of transport to reach your destination: By train (eurostar)

Accommodation

How did you arrange your accommodation? I went to London two weeks before the start of the placement, then I went to a letting agency and found an accomodation
How did you go to work every day? Public transport

Visa / work permit / vaccinations

Do you need a visa? no
Do you need a work permit? no
How did you arrange the necessary documents:
How much time did it take to arrange the necessary documents?
Did you need certain vaccinations? No
How long in advance?

Language course

Did you take a language course before you started your placement? No
Would you recommend to have a language course prior to this placement? No, but you should have advanced English language skills

The costs in euros

Travelling expenses (e.g. return ticket): € 50 one way, by train
Accommodation (monthly): € –
Local transport (monthly): € Local transport is compensated by the company
General costs of living (monthly): € 250
Costs of visa: €
Costs of work permit: €
What did the company pay for/to you? Transport and lunch meals

Culture

How did you prepare for the country’s culture?
I did not prepare for the country’s culture.
Did the culture of the country influence your performance during the placement in any way? No

Future students on placement

Future students are free to contact me for further information: Yes
My e-mail address: 121699@nhtv.nl

Other information

Recommendations on what to do and what not to do: –
Leisure possibilities in the city/surroundings of where the placement took place: London is an amazing city and you will never be bored over here. Every weekend (and also during the week) one ore more events take place in the city.

Media

Youtube link Youtube placement video link