“This is a wonderful project and an excellent educational programme”
“I am honoured to be here today. This is a wonderful project and you are enrolled in an excellent educational programme,” says mayor Jan Rijpstra of Noordwijk. Rijpstra is there to attend the official opening of Hotel Winterbries, which is run entirely by Tio hotel school students. At the end of his visit, the mayor invites several Tio students to visit the town hall in Noordwijk.
Students, lecturers and guests listen attentively to Mayor Rijpstra. The only other sounds come from the press photographers’ shutters. He is thrilled to have this project in his town. “Hospitality is extremely important, especially for a municipality such as Noordwijk. We have some amazing hotels and convention halls here, such as Leeuwenhorst, Hotels van Oranje and Huis ter Duin.”
Ouderenfonds
Before he officially opens the hotel, he wishes the students the best of luck. “I hope you raise a nice sum for the Ouderenfonds!” The profits earned by the students go directly to charity.
Invited by the mayor
Tio student Tijn Bink: “It was great that the mayor attended the opening. Maureen Wakelkamp, a fellow student, and I were invited to visit him in his office to think along about Noordwijk’s nightlife policy.” Maureen adds: “I love the fact that Tio organises this project. You learn so much and it is awesome to pull something like this off together.”
Tijn and Maureen both serve as General Manager, which means they carry a significant burden of responsibility. “I was nervous beforehand,” Maureen says. “But things are going well and everyone is excited.”
About the Hotel and Event Week
During the Hotel and Event Week, students of Hotel and Event Management (higher education) and Hotel Management (vocational training) run several hotels all over the Netherlands for a period of one week. The event requires six months of preparation. Creating menus, drawing up staff schedules, calculating cost prices, organising workshops, purchasing goods, bookkeeping; running a hotel is not as easy as it looks!