The round table on the topic “The people as a key to excellence in tourism” held in the facilities of the University College Aspira was organised to discuss the quality of the staff in the hotel and tourism industry. As part of the above mentioned event, the Minister of Tourism, Mr Darko Lorencin, handed the licence for carrying out study programs of the International Management in Hospitality and Tourism to the Dean of the University College Aspira Slobodan Dragičević, doc. Ph. D. The aim of the roundtable was to show the importance of management and other personnel in the hotel industry and tourism, which are at this time especially scarce, even though the development and improvement of the quality of Croatian tourism depend on them. Minister Lorencin stressed that the study of International Management in Hospitality and Tourism of the University College Aspira is really something refreshing and expressed a special pleasure to be the guest of this ceremony.
He emphasised the fact that Aspira is the key place in Split, Dalmatia since it offers increasingly needed excellence. In the end, he wished a lot of students and a long tradition to his hosts, the University College Aspira. The round table was attended by Minister Lorencin, Ratomir Ivičić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board, Jurica Glavina, a member of the Board of the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies, Joško Lelas, vice president of the Association of Employers in Croatian and Ružica Mikačić, journalist of Slobodna Dalmacija – moderator. The audience was also addressed by Ms Silvia Markotić, director of Atrium hotel and consultant for the International Management in Hospitality and Tourism study, speaking of the importance of the above mentioned study program from the viewpoint of the hospitality sector.
As part of the ceremony, the Chairman of the Board of the University College Aspira, Mr Alen Jerkunica signed a cooperation agreement with the representative of the prestigious Swiss faculty group Swiss Education Group, Mr Alain Belizaire. The cooperation includes the opportunity for Aspi ra’s students to continue their studies at the prestigious Swiss University, Hotel Institute Montreux after graduation, and thus gain two diplomas, Swiss and American. Topics that were discussed at the roundtable concern quality human resources in the hotel industry for which participants stressed that there is certainly a lot of room for improvement. According to Mr Ivičić, it is crucial for today’s touristic workers to be creative and excellent because it is the only way to keep pace with international requirements. According to Mr Lelas, today it is difficult to seek excellence when, unfortunately, the first savings are made at the expense of workers. It is therefore very important that hoteliers find an opportunity and make the right ratio. Minister Lorencin shared with the participants his experience of working at the Tourist Board of Istria and education abroad, which is very important for every individual. Staying abroad opens new horizons for every person. All participants of the round table highly praised the development of Split as a tourist destination, which develops in lightning speed every year. It ceased to be a transport city and it is becoming increasingly important brand. After this, the audience was invited to ask questions, which were mostly related to amendments to the Law on the Provision of Tourism, thus developing the discussion.