Honour for crisis management tourism expert

12 Aug 2016 2038 | World Travel News

Dr Bert ‘Bow-Thai’ van Walbeek was honoured by the University of West London (UWL)’sLondon College of Hospitality and Tourism on Thursday 21 July. The University’s annual graduation ceremony took place at Wembley Stadium and the honorary degree recipients were joined by more than 1,700 graduates.

Dr van Walbeek was recently bestowed by the University of West London (UWL)’s London College of Hospitality and Tourism with the Honorary Doctor of Letters ( Hon DLitt ) award. He has worked as a hotelier for many years, mainly in Thailand. He has advised destinations across Pacific Asia about how to deal with crises and manage risk, both general and in reaction to specific crises in Bali, Chengdu d recently Nepal. Dr van Walbeek runs a boutique consulting company, The Winning Edge, and has lectured extensively across the globe.

In his short presentation, Dr Bert ‘Bow-Thai’ van Walbeek mentioned the importance of "Attitude" and of "Putting the Guests First".

On being awarded his honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt), Dr van Walbeek, in his full speech said:

“Dear students,

Where you are sitting now, I was seated 52 years ago, for you it is the start of your career, for me the finish, a fabulous finale!

I was not a very good student, but I had one great bonus, a gift from my parents called “ATTITUDE“. And during my career it was proven time and time again that IQ might be good for getting through university, but that EQ is the real key to success!

My EQ secured me the honor of a job in the “hospitality heave” of the 60 and the 70’s, a Hilton Hotel. And EQ is the reason that I never had to apply for a job during the rest of my career, I always was offered promotions.

I realize that these days, sadly, hospitality is all about RevPar, Food Cost and GOP and even more sadly, safety & security.

Guests, the actual source of revenue, are often seen as “troublesome“, and thus we now observe many hospitality leaders with great IQ, but, oh, so poor EQ!

However, basically the hospitality industry did not change much since the hostelries in Bethlehem were fully booked and a people-orientated inn keeper offered his stable as accommodation.

This was the first step towards a hospitality segment we now call AirBnB!

It is time that “ putting our guests first “ becomes the primary commandment of our industry again and I hope that you will remember that mandate in the first career steps you will now take.

While taking these steps you will endure good and evil experiences with your bosses, and with the guests too, and hence please accept one more word of wisdom from me.

The Chinese word for crisis is Weh Xie. The two characters representing this term stand for Problem and Opportunity

You will, like I did, face many crises, small in the beginning, but as your career grows, the crises get bigger too.

Therefore please remember the next time you are in trouble that every crisis offers an opportunity, if you look for it!

The way you react (or not react) will define your career as much as your EQ!

But for now: Congratulations and go for it “kids”, I wish I could sit there once more, and I am really jealous.

Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Board of Governors, Distinguished Faculty,

In closing please allow me to express my extreme gratitude for this honor which I humbly accept, with the sincere promise that I will do everything possible to help achieve the laudable objectives of the UWL.

I have received 100’s of congratulations for this honor, please allow me to just read one, from the Nepal Tourist Board: “The recovery advice we received after the 25/4 earthquake from PATA, from you and from the UWL team will never be forgotten “

Last but not least, please allow me to thank my family, and specifically my wife, Gisi, for backing me up “ for better and for worse “ and for being there for my career and for me during day, and often, night and I also apologize to my daughter, Saartje, for the gipsy life she had to live while growing up.

Dear faculty, dear students,

Please know that I am only “ one click away “ from all of you, wherever you will be in the worldwide hospitality world, and that I am eager to do honor to this wonderful distinction by offering you my support !

Dank U wel, Thank you, Danke schoen, Merci Beaucoup, Muito Obrigado, Shukran, Sheh Sheh, and Khob Kun Mah Ka.”

The graduation ceremony marks the end of the academic year for the University where 96% of students are in employment or further education within six months of graduating. Each of the University’s eight schools confer honorary degrees to recognize business success, contributions to civic and cultural life and long-term support for the University’s work.

The University’s July 2016 Honorary Award recipients are:

• Lord Daniel Finkelstein, Associate Editor at The Times and member of the House of Lords – awarded Honorary Doctor of Law (Hon LLD)

• Katrin ‘Kay’ Fitzherbert, creator of the Pyramid programme – awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt)

• Trish Knight, Health Education and Workforce Adviser – awarded Honorary Master of Science (Hon MSc)

• Professor Jeremy Levy, Consultant Nephrologist, Clinical Lead for Health Education England North West London – awarded Honorary Doctor of Science (Hon DSc)

• Lord John Lytton, Chartered Surveyor, Vice-Chancellor of the Institute of Professional Engineers and member of the House of Lords – awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt)

• Rami Ranger, Chairman Sun Mark Ltd and Sea, Air and Land Forwarding – awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt)

• Frank Renton, Musician, Broadcaster and Principal Conductor, British Concert Orchestra – awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt)

• Dr Bert van Walbeek, Hotelier – awarded Honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon DLitt)

sourced:traveldailynews.asia