Miriam Vetter
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland

• How did Anantara capture your interest? Why did you choose Anantara ?


The first time I heard about Anantara brand was through the visit of two representatives of Minor International at my hotel management school. While gaining more knowledge about the company I was surprised and excited about the diverse business portfolio that Minor International provides. Especially Anantara, planning future projects in Asia and the Middle East, made me pay attention immediately! Anantara is still a small brand, indigenous and grounded while having laid-back luxury, that I highly appreciate when working in a resort. Anantara itself is a brand that offers great destinations, for guests and employees, which facilitated my decision to work for them.

• Has your view of Anantara pre-employment and post employment changed. If so, in what way?


My experience, working for the opening of the flagship, Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa, was a unique experience. My view has changed in a way that I realized even more how rapidly the brand is growing and that makes me more excited for their future development.

• What was your job?
  
  
Management Trainee, first in Reservations and later the Sales & Marketing department, during the pre and opening phase of Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa, June-December 2008. The hotel opened on 01 October 2008

• What was a typical day like?
  
  
In the first three months my work spectrum encompassed day-to-day marketing and communications activities for the hotel such as replying to incoming fax, e-mail and telephone calls, dealing with guest queries, providing customers with information and special requests, checking for new bookings, sending confirmation letters, and at last creating profiles, reservations, blocks/allotments for wholesalers and travel agents in OPERA. After three months I carried on my work as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator. My daily schedule was filled by effective handling of administrative duties in the department, conducting site inspections, hosting fam groups, being contact person for travel agents and issuing contracts and addendums.

• What were the interesting aspects of your job?
  
  
My work in the Reservations and Sales and Marketing department gave me the chance to work closely with customers and business partners such as travel agents and media representatives. It was very interesting to see what strategies and approaches were used to meet and exceed the different expectations of Anantara’s future customers. Overall I could see the managerial side of a hotel resort, its organization and work performance that combined to an interesting learning aspect.

• Did the internship match what you had in mind?
  
  
The six-month-internship was a thorough and unique learning experience, a challenge in many ways to be part and responsible to build up a brand new resort and so it required significant amount of persistence, observation and communication skills. The internship definitely provided me with many insights into the real business and strengthened my professional skills in many aspects - It was the right balance between an office and an operational work task that was one essential requirement for joining an internship offer.

• How do see your career path and future opportunities in the industry?
  
  
The internship helped me to further narrow down my career wish to working in the luxury hotel industry and on the managerial side of a hotel.
My preferences lie in smaller and familiarized companies being involved in their development and growth.

• What advice would you have for other graduates about succeeding in a luxury resort hospitality company?
  
  
Be committed to serve and live the culture of the company by expressing it to your colleagues and customer’s. In order to succeed in a luxury resort hospitality company it is more than essential to be currently aware of environmental changes that you need to realize and enforce in the company. It requires a flexible attitude and especially the passion for changes that do good for the company and the society affected.
At last it is a must to know the company, its potential and realistic growth opportunities in order to gain the maximum.