Educational Institute Celebrates 10 Years in China with Extended Visit

Several senior executives of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) will visit China for ten days in April to celebrate the Educational Institute's decade-long presence in that country.

Robert L. Steele III, CHA, president and COO; Brenda L. Vazquez, CMHS, CGSP, senior vice president, marketing; Brenda Moons, CMHS, senior vice president, sales; Ed Kastli, CMHS, CGSP, vice president, international sales; and Leon Shi, CHE, EI's country manager of operations for China, will travel throughout China to locations in Shanghai, Guangdong, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Beijing. They will meet with EI's regional partners, address academic institutions and hospitality conferences, and present information on EI's professional certification and training programs to the country's hospitality leaders.

One year ago, EI restructured the way that it was represented in China by contracting with several provincial partners throughout the country, as well as reestablishing direct relationships with academic and industry institutions. Shi was hired in April 2013 to manage and grow EI's presence, which currently includes ten regional partners and seven Global Academic Partner (GAP) schools.

"China has one of the largest hospitality industries in the world, with over 8,000 three-star and above rated hotels, 1,750 hospitality and tourism institutions, and an industry employing 1.5 million workers at large," said Steele. "EI is proud to help the hospitality industry in China achieve its professional development goals."