Hospitality management students, alumni, faculty and staff from Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus will travel to Italy for nine days in late March to visit the cities of Reggio Emilia, Florence, Bologna, Modena and Parma, to learn more about the country’s hotel, restaurant and tourism management business practices. 

The study abroad trip will provide students the opportunities to observe human resources, operations management, legal and environmental standards, customer service and travel transportation systems of Italy as the itinerary will consist of seminars and lecture tours of hotel properties, restaurants, foodservice businesses, iconic destinations, a vineyard/winery and museums. Students will go behind the scenes at various venues and attractions and interact with local professionals at numerous cultural points of interest. 

The Hotel Posta in the town of Reggio Emilia will serve as their base location in an area rich with gastronomy, history and tradition. The group will spend two days with CSUSB’s academic partner, Florence University of the Arts and Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence, which will include cooking lessons, activities and dining at the school’s restaurant that is operated by students. The group will also participate in food factory demonstrations and guided tours with area historians and experts.  

“Florence University of the Arts believes in the importance of a cultural approach to learn about hospitality by examining the unique context of cities and countries in a global framework where hospitality is enhanced by the local culture of a city,” said Joe Tormey, director of the hospitality management program at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus. “What the student receives from the experience is a new-found understanding and perspective that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives,” he said.

For more information about the hospitality management program, visit the CSUSB Hospitality Management webpage.

About PDC: The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a doctorate in educational leadership, teaching credentials and certificates. Serving more than 2,200 students, it is the Coachella Valley’s four-year public university and plays a vital role in educating and training the region’s growing population.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Strategic Communication at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.