With the quest to promote advancement in student and faculty development parallel to the internationalization program as the University of Baguio’s School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management (UB-SIHTM) continues to go global, UB-SIHTM sealed a partnership with Centara Hotels and Resorts through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement at the Centara Reserve Samui, Koh Samui, Thailand last October 16, 2022. Thus, the University became the only partner university of Centara Hotels & Resorts in the Philippines and outside Thailand.
The partnership kicked off with the 2 SIHTM students who completed their cultural immersion and hotel & resort industry exposure in Centara Reserve Samui from October to December 2022.
Further strengthening the ties with the Centara Group, 66 SIHTM students together with UB’s Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Janice Kaylyn K. Lonogan, Linkages Director Ms. Melanie Rulla-Saro, SIHTM Dean Ms.Jenelyn Mangangey-Magpatoc, and SIHTM faculty members were welcomed by the company during an opening ceremony at Centra by Centara Government Complex Hotel & Convention Center Chaeng Watthana on December 12, 2022. During the event, Kun Siriwan Wangthamrong, Centara Group’s Executive Vice President of Human Resources, expressed her warm welcome and hoped to make the partnership long-term.
An orientation on Centara’s core values and Thai culture followed thereafter. In response, the University of Baguio expressed its heartfelt gratitude and commitment to include the Centara brand in its service training standards.
After the orientation, the students were assigned to different Centara hotels & resorts located in various areas in Thailand namely Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World, Centara Villas Samui, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin, Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, Centara Villas Phuket, Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa Krabi, Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa Krabi, Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, Centara Karon Beach Resort & Spa Krabi, and Centara Kata Resort Phuket for a 3-month immersion and exposure to hotel or resort operations.
Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel group, with 46 deluxe and first-class properties across Thailand, as well as 24 hotels and resorts in the Maldives, Vietnam, Bali, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Laos, Oman, Turkey, and China. Centara also operates 30 branches of Spa Cenvaree, an award-winning spa brand, together with 6 branches of the value brand ‘Cense by Spa Cenvaree’. The company’s Kids’ Clubs are available at all their family-friendly resorts. Centara also operates three state-of-the-art convention centers in Bangkok, as well as two in northeastern Thailand.
