“The training the IPW ambassadors receive will most certainly come across to all conference attendees, demonstrating why Kendall College is the city’s top hospitality school.” - Kendall College President Emily Williams Knight
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) March 28, 2014
Kendall College, the No. 1 Chicago school for preparing students for a career in hospitality management and culinary arts, has been selected by Choose Chicago to serve as the “Official Training Partner” for the hundreds of volunteer ambassadors who will be supporting this year’s U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2014. Chicago last hosted IPW in 1998, and since has experienced exponential growth within the industry to become a global travel hub. Kendall will deliver focused training sessions for IPW ambassadors that reinforce “best in class” hospitality practices especially geared toward an international audience.
“We couldn’t be more excited to work with Choose Chicago on what is the most meaningful global conference for hospitality and international tourism to the U.S. and the great city of Chicago,” said Emily Williams Knight, president of Kendall College. “The training the IPW ambassadors receive will most certainly come across to all conference attendees, demonstrating why Kendall College is the city’s top hospitality school.”
The focused hospitality training program developed by Kendall College’s School of Hospitality Management will be a crucial component of making IPW a success in Chicago. Training sessions will take place from March 20-27 at Kendall College, the Chicago Cultural Center, O’Hare International Airport and McCormick Place. The volunteer IPW Ambassador force will number close to 800 and will include representatives from Chicago’s hospitality and business industries, as well as other volunteers who want to help welcome conference attendees.
Kendall College’s leadership at a top international conference such as IPW 2014 comes at the perfect time. Chicago’s visitors are consistently growing every year, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel has set high goals for the future of the city’s tourism. Hospitality education, specifically when it comes to international relations, is where Kendall College students stand out.
“It was a natural choice to partner with Kendall, as we’ve seen first-hand what the students and faculty have done consistently to help raise the bar for Chicago as a global visitor destination,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Choose Chicago. “Kendall’s commitment to supporting the Mayor’s mission to bring 55 million visitors to Chicago by 2020 is incredible, and that’s the caliber of partner we need to make IPW 2014 and Chicago a memorable experience.”
A recent report by Rockport Analytics, LLC, notes that IPW Chicago, as evidenced by its effect on 2013 host city Las Vegas, will result in a $1.06 million increase in the total number of international visitors over the next three years, an increase in tourism spending of $1.6 billion, and a direct economic benefit of $891 million. Reaching the Mayor’s 2020 tourism goal would mean 30,000 additional industry jobs in Chicago.
For additional information, visit http://www.Kendall.edu.
About Kendall College
Kendall College, founded in 1934, is located in Chicago, Illinois and is a member of Laureate International Universities, a network of more than 75 accredited campus-based and online institutions in 30 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. More than 800,000 students study at Laureate schools. Kendall offers undergraduate degrees in business, culinary arts, early childhood education and hospitality management to a diverse community of more than 1,650 students. Kendall College was ranked the number one program in Chicago for preparing students for careers in hospitality management and culinary arts in a survey of management at Chicago's leading hotels and Michelin Guide restaurants (TNS Global – 2013 Survey). Kendall College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), http://www.ncahlc.org; 1-312-263-0456. For more information, visit http://www.Kendall.edu.