HTLacademy offers state-of-the-art course in management

On May 2nd, MODUL University Vienna launched an exciting new venture with the announcement of the HTLacademy. Founded on the basis of providing management seminars for professionals in the Hotel, Tourism and Leisure industry, the HTLacademy will establish MU as the nexus for educational development in this field.

New concepts, brands and operators are continually cropping up in Vienna, transforming the city into a highly modern tourism destination while maintaining its old world elegance. Not only is Austria’s capital a sought after market, but the neighboring lands of Central and Eastern Europe are currently enjoying a surge in development in the real estate market, particularly in hotel construction. This development generates a high demand for flexible, innovative, and educationally-prepared employees in the tourism industry. To ensure that this vital economic sector continues to live up to its reputation, the HTLacademy is providing education for success. Taking into account recent trends and developments, it has been designed under consultation from leading experts in the field; PKF hotelexperts in particular.

PKF knows their stuff. Whether in financing, project development or consultancy,''Austria as a business location that not only benefits from an improving economic situation in the CEE, but also contributes to this growth through its own know-how transfer,'' said Michael Widmann, the company’s managing partner. To put it succinctly: "know-how is the currency of the future. The success of economies is considerably shaped by the education system.''

Dagmar Lund-Durlacher, Professor and Head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management and MU’s key figure in bringing the HTLacademy to fruition, said ''the courses not only deliver the basics on a particular theme, but also confront the participants with the latest developments in their fields and challenges to meet for the future.'' The three-day courses follow an innovative and intensive format: ''The teaching-team approach of academics and practitioners enables seminar participants to cover both methods, concepts and deep theory, as well as direct implementation of case studies with business experts and lively exchange'' said Lund-Durlacher.

Beginning in September 2011, the HTLacademy will kick-off with a three-day seminar, including supporting programs with operational excursions. In the next 5 years, the program will be expanded into various branches of the hotel and tourism industry, e.g financial management, marketing, and social media. Lund-Durlacher is optimistic, ''the challenges of the 21st century require managers in the hotel, tourism and leisure industries flexibility, commitment, and customer focus, we give people the skills they need and contribute to sustainable career success in the industry .''

MODUL University is the only university in Austria to offer tourism programs at both the bachelor and master levels, and the management development centre is one of a kind in this region. Find out more information at www.modul.ac.at/mdc/htl

In the image L-R: Mag. Wolfgang Kleemann, Austrian Hotel and Tourism Bank, Prof. Dr. Dagmar Lund?Durlacher, MODUL University Vienna, Diplom?Betriebswirt Michael Widmann, PKF hotelexperts