 Years of hard work have paid off for a La Trobe University student who has won a $2000 prize and invaluable future employment contacts by taking out a prestigious industry award.
Karen Kavanagh, a final year student in the Bachelor of Business (Tourism and Hospitality) degree at the Bendigo Campus, has been awarded best entry in the Melbourne Airport Developing Tourism Leaders Competition.
She also took out first place in the Tourism – Attractions, Visitor Services and Tour Operators category.
Director of Programs (Bendigo) in the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Dr Garry Price, says he is proud of Ms Kavanagh’s achievement.
“It’s very significant because it’s a statewide competition open to all final year university and TAFE tourism and hospitality students. I’m very thrilled for her and it’s a good thing for the School,” Dr Price said.
“Karen is extremely conscientious, relates well to other people and is very enthusiastic in what she does. She’s very astute; she puts in valuable contributions and asks probing questions – she keeps me on my toes.”
Ms Kavanagh says the win is a “dream come true”. Her winning entry was a business plan for bike-riding winery tours around Bendigo. “It was a unique idea; it’s something that is done in Italy and France but not in Australia,” Ms Kavanagh says. The proposal took into account the various challenges such a business would face, including the risk management concerns associated with mixing cyclists and wine.
Ms Kavanagh, who is from Robe in South Australia, says her interest in tourism was fostered by an early introduction to travel by her parents who took her around Australia twice when she was young. She decided to study at Bendigo after investigating various options at different universities, and deciding this was the most comprehensive course.
Dr Price says the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management has only operated at the Bendigo campus for the past three years, so Karen's achievement is a real coup. It is the first time a La Trobe student has won the first prize since the degree course was launched at the Bundoora campus 12 years ago.
Dr Price says there is an increasing demand for the degree, which involves general business subjects such as economics, accounting and law, but with a specialisation in tourism and hospitality.
“It’s reflective of the fact that tourism and hospitality is becoming more professional. There is an increasing demand for people with formal qualifications and La Trobe’s course is well placed to deliver students with the kind of training and experience sought by industry.”
Ms Kavanagh says she is delighted with the $2000 travel prize, which she plans to use to tour China, but she was prompted to enter by the opportunity to complete work experience with one of the competition sponsors, including Melbourne Airport, Crown, the City of Melbourne and Tourism Victoria. She has also been invited to apply for an honours year in 2008.
After finishing her final exam on Friday, Ms Kavanagh says she is feeling very excited about the possibilities presented by the award, and her ability to achieve her goal of working in resort management.
Further information:
Dr Garry Price
Director of Programs (Bendigo)
School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management
Email: garry.price@latrobe.edu.au
Tel: +61 3 5444 7275
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