CANNES FESTIVAL of film The Impact of Experiential/Hands-On International Experiences on Hospitality, Event, and Tourism Students Dr. Lorie A. Tuma, Dr. Patty Janes, Dr. Roy Cook

INTRO & Purpose of study This research was designed as an exploratory (PILOT) study to measure: competencies of hospitality, event management, and tourism students; development of skills while serving individuals from a variety of international cultures their knowledge of various cultures through an 18-day experiential learning project at a major international film festival held in Europe each spring

LITERATURE shows: increased interest in hospitality students to gain international experience by studying abroad (He & Chen, 2010). students in hospitality and tourism programs need to develop cross-cultural knowledge to prepare for careers in the industry (Bosselman et al., 1989). traditional study abroad programs have a positive impact on cultural receptiveness, interest in learning languages, relevance to future job opportunities, and personal growth (Bosselman et al., 1989; Novelli & Burns, 2010; Van Hoof, 2005). Data led to improvements in study abroad practices for hospitality and tourism programs, including: connectivity during the international experience between home institutions and students, preparation of students for the experience management of overseas placements, and the design and marketing of successful study abroad experiences (Cardon et al., 2011; Gibson & Busby, 2009).

Why was this study Significant? it targeted hospitality, event, and tourism students’ perceptions of international cultures while providing such an experience provided insight into the impact of intense, short-term experiential learning projects Focused on the development of student cultural awareness and competencies.

methods 14 students participated in the study abroad program They were asked questions pre-, during, and postexperience The pre- and postexperience questions were developed and administered in a quantitative online questionnaire via SurveyMonkey prior to their departure from the USA. All students responded to the questions prior to beginning the pretrip discussions. Students were then e-mailed the postsurvey 1 week after the conclusion of the study abroad experience. The importance performance analysis (IPA) technique was used.

What does the IPA do? The IPA consists of a pair of coordinate axis where the ‘importance’ (y-axis) and the ‘performance’ (x-axis) of the different elements involved in the service are compared The combined ratings for those two components then provide an overall view of satisfaction with clear directives on where to focus future resources.

importance performance analysis - IPA -

The methodology was articulated in 3 steps: selection of variables to be included in the surveys that were consistent with the survey research & course outcomes; definition and execution of the survey; and data-analysis and presentation of results.

Findings The students found that they did learn about the local area and that the experience exceeded their expectations. Students had levels of satisfaction that were higher than expected in regard to their skill in communicating with different cultures and knowledge of different cultures. Students did not expect, nor did they receive, enhanced knowledge of the international language during the experience. Students left the 18-day experience expecting more from their understanding of the culture (Figure 1).

Feedback from students It showed me that just because of language barriers and because of increasingly difficult schedule changes, an event can come together and become a staple event at the [festival]... Living and working in another country, one that speaks a different language from my own, taught me a lot about the value of communication within our world and, more specifically, our industry. One of the biggest takeaways for me professionally was that every event is essentially the same at its core.

implications although these types of experiences provide opportunity for developing knowledge and skills in working with different cultures, students are not necessarily interested in this. Faculty engaged with this short-term international experiences should provide in-depth information helping students understand the local culture. This could be done prior to arriving at a destination as well as during a student’s experience. These data prove that what faculty think is important, is not necessarily important to students, Efforts to help STUDENTS learn how to communicate within the culture, could be used to help them understand the culture. IPA could be used for other programs to identify disparities or build enhancements.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES The researchers suggest that future studies should be replicated with a larger sample of students. Additional future research should also focus on long-term international experiences and areas where English is not spoken as a second-language.

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