UQ Business School graduate Maria Golubovskaya was invited to participate in the World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL) Talent Boost, held in Shanghai, China this year.
The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is a global platform for the best young talents who are dedicated to designing new strategies and creating a shared vision for the future of tourism.
It selects the highest achieving young scholars from universities across the globe and brings them together to meet global leaders of hospitality and tourism. There they are given the opportunity to voice their views on the major issues and challenges facing the tourism industry.
Maria was invited to China as a result of having received first place in the Young Talent Awards at Switzerland’s prestigious World Tourism Forum in 2013. As a guest speaker, she provided insight on building a career in hospitality from the perspective of Gen Y.
Tourism graduate Maria said that students are lucky to have the World Tourism Forum platform as it devotes great attention to young talent management.
“It provides you with rare and unique opportunities to meet the tourism global leaders, representatives of academia and government. Students get to talk on equal terms, develop networks and are recognised, initialising a long-term relationship with global leaders,” she said.
The University of Queensland has been an academic partner of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne since 2011, with UQ tourism students having represented 2 of the 8 finalists at both the 2011 and 2013 events. On both occasions the students were awarded first and second prize in the young talents scheme.
UQ Tourism’s WTFL Coordinator, Dr Gabby Walters, is currently preparing 13 students for the 2015 event at which she hopes to continue showcasing the talented graduates from UQ Business School’s tourism program.
“Over the past two forums our student finalists have been showcased at the forum as future global tourism leaders. Students not only attend the event but are given the opportunity to share their ideologies about the future of the tourism and hospitality industry with global tourism leaders – the opportunities and employment prospects for our finalists are endless,” she said.
To find out more about the World Tourism Forum Lucerne.
