"Professionals need to be prepared and oriented
towards change, to the client and to service quality"
JOSEP RODRIGO. Manager of Hotel SB Corona Tortosa
I am a former student of the Tourism Diploma in the first promotion of these studies at the URV. I currently run a 4 star hotel in Tortosa, in the heart of Terres de l'Ebre. In high school I knew that I wanted to study tourism because I have always been passionate about the sector, especially the hotel and restaurant industry. My university years gave me the necessary knowledge to be able to dedicate myself professionally in the field of hotel and destination management.
I also learned about institutions as I was part of University governing bodies and the University senate as well as the Inter-University Council of Catalonia.
But it was the subjects Practicum I and II that gave me the opportunity to enter the work market as revenue manager of the SB Hotels group, which was based in Tarragona at that time. This position had just been created and coincided with the online marketing and Internet revolution as well as Web 2.0 websites.
Now, as a hotel manager, I always give trainees special priority and interest, because this is when I can find the talent necessary to fulfil the day-to-day operation of the hotel in all of the departments.
Terres de l'Ebre, and all of Catalonia, has enormous tourism potential. Due to the competitiveness with other destinations and the changing demand, professionals need to be prepared and orientated towards change, to the client and to service quality.