Voices Magazine Vol2-Issue-6

29 February - March 2019 | VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica Dr. Carole Guntley (3rd left), former Director General of Tourism examines a cook book produced by final year SHTM students during a visit to their display booth. The book reflects the group’s research project titled, “How can the Jamaica agriculture industry utilize drought resistant crops to provide more plant-based meal options?” Participating in the cutting of the ribbon marking the opening of School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM) Day 2019 (from left) are Dr. Andrew Spencer, Executive Director, Tourism Product Development Company, Dr. Gaunette Sinclair Maragh, Head, SHTM and Dr. Carole Guntley, former Director General of Tourism. SHTM Day was held on March 28, 2019 at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, Papine Campus. T he annual SHTM Day provides final year SHTM students with a platform to showcase their final research and innovation projects related to the tourism and hospitality industries. The students’ research projects covered the areas of hotel and tourism management and food service management. Professor Paul Golding, Dean, COBAM, who brought greetings at the opening ceremony, encouraged the students to develop their research into businesses and to create job employment opportunities within the hotel industry. In her remarks, Dr. Gaunette Sinclair-Maragh, Head, SHTM congratulated the students and also implored them to develop their research into tangible goods and services. Keynote speaker, Dr. Andrew Spencer, Executive Director, Tourism Product Development Company highlighted that heritage and cultural tourism presents an excellent niche for growth and development in Jamaica. He cited United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) data which estimates that heritage and cultural tourism accounts for 40 per cent of the international market. The data he said also shows thatt heritage tourist spend 38 per cent more per day and stay 34 per cent longer than traditional tourists. He encouraged students to think about these developing trends. SHTM DAY 2019