A team of four students representing the Galway International Hotel School at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) has been selected as the outright winners of the 37th Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) National Hospitality Business Management Game 2022.
The winning team of Emer Leonard, Milltown, Co Galway, Skye Stagno Navarra, Ennis, Co Clare, Ellen Ryder, Strandhill, Co Sligo, and Julia Rodriguez de la Fuente, Toledo, Spain, scored top marks in the competition that attracted teams representing tourism and hospitality colleges around Ireland.
Another GMIT team of five students was placed second overall in the national competition, ensuring a great result for the Galway International Hotel School. The team consisted of Angelica Wilcox, Sweden, Kerryn O’Sullivan, Ballymahon, Co Longford, Ronan Kingston, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, Shane Egan, Sligo town, and Éire Garvey, Dublin.
The students are studying across a range of degree programmes in GMIT including Event Management with Public Relations, International Hotel Management, or International Tourism Management.
Cáit Noone, Head of the School, conveyed her congratulations to the team, mentors, and organisers, says: “This event is a live competition testing students’ business acumen, knowledge and skills. We applaud the team’s success and thank them for their commitment in preparing and participating in this event when they are naturally busy with their final year studies. I am very grateful to mentors John Carty and Colin Gilligan and all the faculty who individually have played a role in preparing the students for the world of work and in turn this competition.”
Tutor to the teams, lecturer John Carty says: “We are very proud of the achievements of both GMIT teams. It was great to win back the title that we also won in 2021 and to have our other team place second. This competition is a great opportunity for students to test themselves and to learn in a high-pressured environment. It was particularly pleasing to see the collaboration of students across our Event Management with PR, International Hotel Management, and International Tourism Management programmes, highlighting the practical knowledge, skills and team work ethic which are central to these programmes.”
The competition, supported by Fáilte Ireland, The Russell Partnership, and Irish Hotels Federation and Center Parcs, saw the teams complete three challenges which tested the students’ business acumen and management skills in the areas of financial planning, human resources, and business development strategies.
Winning team Captain Emer Leonard shared her excitement: “What an amazing experience! We are ecstatic to have had the opportunity to represent GMIT and very proud to have walked away as the IHI Business Management Games winners. From this competition we have gained lifelong skills that we will carry with us in our future careers. We are very thankful and appreciative for the time and guidance given to us by our tutor John Carty and the support received from GMIT”.
Second place team captain Angelica Wilcox stated: ”This competition is an experience we will never forget! Going in to the IHI Business Management Game I did not know what to expect, but I can now say it has definitely developed our skillset in various ways. I can also testify that this competition has given me a significant boost in confidence! We are all honoured to have represented GMIT, and we encourage all final-year students to participate next year, as it is an amazing opportunity and an unforgettable experience.”
Tina Maree, National Executive Officer at the Irish Hospitality Institute, said: “We are a people industry, so it was wonderful to host the Game live after two years in a virtual environment and to meet the exceptional team participants, our next generation of hospitality professionals”.
The Galway International Hotel School, GMIT, is located on the Dublin Road campus, Galway city, offering courses in International Hotel and Hospitality Management, Event Management & Public Relations, International Tourism Management, Heritage Studies and Culinary and Gastronomic Sciences. The school was the first in Ireland to award degrees in Hotel Management in 1977. For further details, click here.