Let’s Have Class in a Tropical Destination - by Abigail Clayborne

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?  Obviously, I jumped at the opportunity to go and study hospitality and tourism in such a beautiful and unique country!  This course was unlike any other class I had ever taken, and I really enjoyed all of the hands on, often impromptu learning that took place during our time in Cuba.

Although I may not have realized it, I was learning during every moment of this trip.  Whether it was about Cuban culture or customer experience management; I felt like I was a sponge, constantly absorbing knowledge about all of the different aspects of tourism.

The main thing I learned from my interaction with the Cuban people is that they are incredibly resilient and resourceful.  I loved staying in the Casas Particulares and having a new family to eat with and learn from.  I am so fortunate to have experienced living life the Cuban way.   The Cuban people have a spirit unlike any other, and that is something that I truly admire.  I am very thankful to have been able to participate in a people to people tour where I was so immersed in the Cuban Culture.

In terms of the tourism and hospitality class I was taking, the main thing I learned was how important it is to come up with methods for evaluation that are as objective as possible.  When making recommendations on how to improve the customer experience, it is incredibly important to have legitimate data that was produced in an unbiased way.  This way, when the recommendations are implemented they will yield the best results for a variety of customers.

My main takeaway from this trip is that prior planning can make a world of difference.  Honestly, with fall semester ending and the holiday taking up much of my brief break at home, I did not have much time to research Cuba or look into the itinerary.  I think that if I knew more about the general information, my experience would have been a little smoother.  I am usually a go-with-the-flow kind of person, but this mindset does not work all the time.  Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Cuba; I just think that a bit more preparation would have been helpful.