Last month, Rebecca Harp and Lisa Tanner, two students from the 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management, were chosen by the American Resort Development Association to represent 麻豆原创 in the 2013 ARDA Inter-University Scholarship Competition. After the latest round of judging, Harp and Tanner have been named finalists in the national timeshare education competition.
As finalists, Harp and Tanner receive free admission, plus transportation and hotel accommodations, to attend the 2013 ARDA World Global Timeshare Event in Hollywood, Fla., April 7-11, where the overall winner will be announced. Additionally, the duo is invited to attend the convention鈥檚 Breakfast of Champions and awards gala, and will receive an industry聽mentor for the convention and the coming year, plus a profile in ARDA鈥檚 Developments magazine.
鈥淐ongratulations to Ms. Harp and Ms. Tanner; this is an amazing opportunity for them both,鈥� said Dr. Abraham Pizam, dean of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College. 鈥淭heir insightful business proposal clearly made an impression on the competition鈥檚 panel of industry experts, which is a testament to the caliber of students, faculty and education, here, at the 麻豆原创 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.鈥�
The annual competition lets students vie for scholarships and other great academic- and career-related prizes by submitting proposals that address specific issues facing the timeshare industry. If named the overall winners, Harp and Tanner will formally present their business proposal to members of the convention.
Harp and Tanner鈥檚 proposal, 鈥淰acation with Friends,鈥� capitalizes on the proven successes of affinity marketing through social organizations to address occupancy, attrition, and funding issues of a legacy timeshare resort. Their five-year business plan incorporates the repurposing of unused space, low-cost, high energy on-site experience improvements, and quantified, specific marketing efforts that improve the timeshare owners鈥� association bottom line.
麻豆原创 Rosen College鈥檚 timeshare expert Dr. Amy Gregory will also attend the convention to lead a group a student volunteers. Students interested in volunteering and attending the annual timeshare industry conference should contact Gregory at amy.gregory@ucf.edu by Friday, March 15.聽Students volunteering for the conference receive complimentary conference registration, as well as some meals. Transportation will also be available for students on a first come-first served basis.
Over the past year, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management has developed into one of the leading academic institutions for timeshare education and research. The college is currently just one of ten academic institutions in the nation to be a member of ARDA, and has established a timeshare advisory board, along with scholarship opportunities, and聽corporate internships聽with industry-leading organizations.
The U.S. timeshare business has grown to become a significant component of the hospitality industry, generating over $70 billion in economic output and employing 493,000 workers, with $23 billion in salaries, according to a 2011 Ernst & Young study. With over 20,000 vacation ownership units in the area; Orlando, Fla. is home the greatest concentration of timeshare resorts and corporations, which provides many exciting opportunities to 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management and its students.