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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
KCC students and faculty
get schooled on travel businessThe newest branch office of Regal Travel Inc. is open for business at Kapiolani Community College.
This is one of those public-private partnerships that people will describe as a win-win situation.
Students will benefit from hands-on internships, the school benefits from an on-campus travel agency and the company benefits from free student labor.
"There's two parts of this partnership," said Ron Umehira, chairman of the Hospitality & Tourism Education Department.
"One is the educational component where our hospitality and tourism students will have an opportunity to intern in the branch office and they can gain some valuable work experience before they get out into the industry."
Students will also have access to 25 computer terminals outfitted with Apollo, the online airline reservation system used by United Airlines, Umehira said.
"Our instructor can teach a live airline reservation system," which will show routes and fares and other data, but won't reveal customer information, he said. Students won't be able to book travel in the lab, but they will learn how the system works.
Regal's connections also will give students access to internships with Norwegian Cruise Lines Ltd. With that range of hands-on education, KCC graduates will be more appealing to future employers, he said.
There's also the business component, Umehira said.
"Regal Travel understands the university's objective, to save as much money as possible on business travel. All 10 campuses in the University of Hawaii system can inquire, if traveling on business, but also for pleasure."
The office is open to the general public at 4303 Diamond Head Road, in Olapa Building, Room 112. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except federal holidays.
Branch Manager Mary Jane Smith is enthusiastic about the fruit the partnership may bear.
"We're searching for a way to perpetuate the profession. We're finding that there is a need for trained agents out there in the travel field, so we're interested in being an integral part of the training process."
Smith is undeterred by recent news of Cheap Tickets closing its Honolulu call center, citing increased self-booking of travel online.
The partnership is about training travel professionals, not just call-takers, she said.
"An agent has services to provide the public that go beyond the online information services you can get. These are travel agents that can plan vacations for you, that can make that magic happen," Smith said.
"We bring to the table lots of options you may not have considered. That's our purpose."
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com
