Hotelier by vocation and traveller by avocation - Helen Bayne’s trip to Croatia

“What a fortuitous opportunity, to be invited as a guest lecturer at ASPIRA, the University College of Sports Management, in Split, Croatia; a country that has long been on my list of places to visit.

 

 

Reading about the area, I was expecting a warm, Mediterranean climate, blue sea and a small village. Driving in from the airport, I was surprised at the proximity of the Dalmatian mountains to the seashore, the amount of construction in preparation for the summer season and the lack of greenery and farmland. My hotel was in the center of historic Split – adjacent to the Diocletian Palace – dating back to the Romans. What a delight: from the artful furnishings, to the modern amenities and friendly welcome. The walk from the parking lot to the hotel took me through the 4^th century AD entrance, down to the cellar converted into market stalls, up past Jupiter’s temple and across the arched walkway.

 

 

From the ancient to the modern, was a matter of steps. Once outside the ancient walled city was a modern waterfront promenade, lined with cafés and shops, with the ferries that take passengers and cargo to the not-too-distant islands. There was definitely going to be lots to explore in my free time.

 

 

 

ASPIRA campus is a short drive from the old city, in the business district. Classrooms are rather large for lecture-style teaching, although there was one with computers, so students could do research during class.

Hospitality is international and Croatians bear witness to that: they are friendly, smiling, engaging and eager to create a memorable experience. The faculty is much like HIM with lecturers that are both academically qualified and have extensive industry experience: marketing, sports, wellness and more. In addition to teaching, most of the faculty are actively engaged in developing the college by creating partnerships, looking for marketing opportunities, enhancing practical experiences and keeping updated on new trends in tourism. One of the lecturers was also my tour guide on a fascinating evening walk through the old city. He could make the history of Split come alive and painted verbal pictures as we wandered through the ages, from the Romans to the 21^st century.

 

 

The students were as anxious as I felt, self-conscious about their lack of English fluency and not at all sure of what format the lectures would take. By the time we finished the introductions, everyone was more relaxed and they participated in researching and reporting on their findings – examples of destination marketing programs. They were at much the same level as our students in HIM and their English was very good; with the same reticence, to start, about standing up and presenting to their classmates, then becoming confident, fluent and more analytical. I had been apprehensive about keeping their attention for 5 hours, but the time flew by.

The Director, Alen Jerkunica, invited me to lunch and a debrief: once to a lovely beachfront restaurant and the second time, with another visiting lecturer to a gourmet restaurant in a modern shopping mall. He, as many Croatians, suggested local specialties and his favorite wine from the islands. One does eat well and copiously, a healthy Mediterranean cuisine. He was most interested in feedback on the course, the students and how we could strengthen academic and professional collaboration between HIM and ASPIRA. From my classes with the students and casual chats during the breaks, I would agree with him that there is huge potential that may result in benefits for everyone.

Visiting Split, Croatia for work and leisure was as fulfilling as I had hoped. The response from the students was gratifying and I look forward to seeing their successes. Their marketing lecturer was impressed by the innovative, interactive teaching style and cited several learning outcomes she intends to implement herself. Personally, I am still grateful for the opportunity to share my knowledge and insights in a different setting and feel much more confident about continuing with more guest lectures, on various subjects, in the future.

I remain an hotelier by vocation and traveller by avocation.”