The Yin and Yang of
Social Media and Hospitality
SAN
FRANCISCO (March 30, 2012)–The University of San Francisco (USF) is pleased to
announce the 22nd annual Hospitality Industry Symposium will take
place on April 27, 2012 at The Fairmont San Francisco (950 Mason Street). The
theme of this year’s symposium is best
practices for integrating social media into marketing and human resource
strategies within all areas of hospitality. The symposium is organized and
hosted by USF’s Department of Hospitality Management within the School of
Management.
This
symposium will highlight the most effective uses of social media in marketing,
operations, and human resource strategies, and will feature panelists from such
companies as Bacchus Management, Fairmont, BranchOut, Andrew Freeman & Co.,
San Francisco Travel Association, and HR Futures. Panelists will discuss the
legal issues surrounding the use of social media, how to implement social media
as a successful marketing tool, as well as explain how not to use it.
“Many
may see social media as a challenge, especially considering the hands-on,
people-intensive nature of the hospitality industry,” said Michelle Millar, assistant
professor in USF’s Department of Hospitality Management and this year’s
symposium coordinator. “Social media is the antithesis of this, but these two
apparent opposites can in fact complement one another very well.”
Michael Tchong, author of the book,
“Social Engagement Marketing,” will serve as the luncheon keynote speaker. Mr.
Tchong is a media analyst who spent six years writing the ICONOCAST online
marketing newsletter. His ability to identify emerging trends is demonstrated
by the five start-ups he has founded. Mr. Tchong will speak to the trends he
has witnessed in social media, while providing some fascinating statistics that
will make one wonder how the hospitality industry ever thrived without it.
“Social
media is front and center in just about everyone’s lives, whether we want it
there or not,” said Millar. “The real issue, though, is how can businesses
embrace it and incorporate it into concrete practices that engage customers,
while not detracting from the face-to-face interaction that is the key
component of the hospitality industry. We are looking forward to a dynamic
symposium that addresses those concerns head on, and provides attendees with
tangible best practices to take back to their businesses.”
For
more information, please visit www.usfca.edu/hospitality, or contact K.O.
Odsather at 415.422.2581 or hospitality@usfca.edu. USF’s Department of
Hospitality Management is on facebook.com/usf.hospitality
and Twitter
@USFHospitality.
About USF’s Hospitality Management Program
USF
offers a four-year undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a
concentration in Hospitality Industry Management. The program provides the
training for graduates to become owners, operators, and managers in the field
of hospitality. As part of the School of Management, the program is based on a
strong business background — the foundation on which a career in management is
built. The program was co-founded in 1980 by (then) USF President Rev. John Lo
Schiavo, S.J. and the late Richard L. Swig, (then) CEO and Chairman of Fairmont
Hotels.
About the University of San Francisco
The
University of San Francisco is located in the heart of one of the world’s most
innovative and diverse cities and is home to a vibrant academic community of
students and faculty who achieve excellence in their fields. Its diverse
student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small classes, and outstanding
opportunities in the city itself. USF is San Francisco's first university, and
its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a student’s passion for social justice
and a desire to “Change the World from Here.” For more information,
please visit www.usfca.edu.
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