We recently had the opportunity to be part of a really cool event here in town in conjunction with a partnership with ASU’s Tourism Student Association program. 30 students from the program came up to Rim Country for the day to learn all about life in several different hospitality and tourism related businesses. Read ahead to learn all about what TSA is, what our role was in their visit, and how else they spent their time up here!
The mission of the Tourism Student Association (TSA) at Arizona State University is to encourage lifelong professional exploration of tourism development and management collaboratively among current students by harnessing the talents and skills among alumni, industry leaders, professional related associations, research centers, the university at large, and in the community. TSA members seek to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it to professional development, networking, serving, and connecting with those who share a similar passion for tourism.
We’ve been fortunate enough to hire several students from the program as either interns or part-time employees. We’ve always been so impressed! That’s why we were thrilled when we were invited to be part of this event. And even though I’m a UofA alum, it wasn’t hard to be nice to them; they’re a great group of future leaders!
It’s important to us to share what we’ve learned with the people who are coming next in this industry. During their time at the Inn, Carson and I talked with them about the process of remodeling a run-down motel and turning into a stylish, Instagram-able location, and how we expanded our offerings over the years, and how we’ve navigated some of the challenges we’ve faced as small business owners. As important as mentorship is, we also learned a thing or two from the students, too!
During the rest of their visit to Rim Country, the TSA students visited the Pine Lavender Farm to learn about agritourism, Fossil Creek Trailhead for a talk from a park ranger, Old County Inn for lunch, and Tonto Natural Bridge for a talk by another park ranger!
You can read more about their trip by checking out their article about the experience. Follow along with them on Instagram, and their website.
Thank you again, ASU TSA for including us in your day trip!
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