One really interesting aspect of this year’s THETRADESHOW, held in Las Vegas last month, was the inclusion of about 20 travel, tourism and hospitality students that were awarded scholarships by Tourism Cares, the official philanthropic arm of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).
In addition to monetary awards ranging from $750 to $4,000, the scholarship recipients are also invited to attend the “Tourism Cares Experience the Industry Student Program” (how’s that for a mouthful?) at the National Tour Association Annual Convention in Reno, Nev., in November. The program gives students the opportunity to “shadow professional mentors and participate in convention workshops.”
“It is a top priority of Tourism Cares to provide financial support and educational opportunities for travel, tourism and hospitality students,” said Bruce Beckham, executive director of Tourism Cares in a press release. “It’s particularly important during these challenging times.”
This year’s recipients are from schools across the country and include nine Bachelors, three Associates, four Masters, two Doctorates and two non-traditional students.
I really like the idea behind this and think it would be a great way for the industry to work on inspiring the next generation to get into the travel business. It’s especially important given the labor shortage the industry has seen in recent years.
More information can be found at the Tourism Cares Web site.