On May 12, 3rd year students enroled in Gastronomy and Enology visited Freixenet celler in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, together with their professor, Mr. Miguel Sánchez.

The tour lasted an hour and a half. The guide, from the PR team (to whom we would like to dedicate a special Thank You) told them everything about the history and the current situation of the Freixenet Group (the first exporter of champagne and sparkling wines in the world, with an annual production of 205 million bottles and 24.000 hectares for growing grapes). Our students visited the facilities, ranging from the first celler, hand-carved in the rock, to the modern robots that process 25.000 bottles per hour. At the end of the tour, our students could try the product.

On May 4, 2010, the journalists, and tourism and economy writers memeber of ACPETUR (Catalan Association of Tourism Journalists and Writers) met in the innovative and recently inaugurated Porta Fira Hotel (Hoteles Santos Group), together with distinguished personalities such as politicians, tourism professionals and economists. They celebrated the XIV Edition of the Tourism and Economy Journalism Night and the Ali Bei Award Ceremony for 2009.

CETA students acted as hosts and hostesses and helped with the coordination upon the arrival of all guests in this event that was presided by the Mayor of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Mrs. Núria Marin, and the Couselor for Innovation, Universities and Enterprises, Mr. Josep Huguet.

Click here to read the full press release by ACPETUR.

During the first semester of the 2009-2010 course, CETA welcomed a group of students from Dresden, Germany, who were part of the International Spanish Study Program for Tourism in Barcelona.

Through this program, students continue their tourism studies in CETA, while preparing for the Certificate in Spanish for Tourism Exam organized by the Chamber of Commerce in Madrid, of which CETA is an examining centre.

This program included not only the academic lessons, but also the social part of the experience abroad. To encourage a more complete experience, CETA set up a buddy system through which local students assisted foreign students, in and out of class on a regular basis, plus a weekly excursion around the city that allowed all students (both local and foreign) to get closer to what tourism is, get to know the city better, meet new people and practice a new language. 

On December 2nd, 2009, our Master in Planning and Organization of Congresses, Meetings and Events’ students attended the EIBTM, together with CETA representatives.

EIBTM is an international Meetings and Incentives Event, gathering over 3000 Events suppliers from over 100 countries. This makes it the ideal place to discover new destinations, products and trends, or to develop networking actions while attending its many activities planned for visitors.

The Master in Congresses’ students visited this Fair as a part of their professional training, while they could also debate their ideas and share their opinions with representatives from all over the world. See more photos here

On June 17th, CETA celebrates its End of Course Ceremony, 2008-2009, in Palau Moja (Generalitat de Catalunya)

CETA, being part of the UNESCO associated schools, constantly promotes sustainable tourism as well as heritage preservation. Therefore, we have chosen Palau Moja to host our celebration, given this historic building has great cultural value, and has been declared a Monument of cultural interest.

Important representatives of the tourism sector, as well as the academic and professional world, together with our students and professors will be attending the event.

See more photos of the ceremony here

On May 20th, third year Tourism Marketing students visited Barcelona’s Airport.

Amongst great expectation and interest, CETAs’ students were introduced to the new T1 project, which is now a reality. They visited the current terminals and saw how the different departments at the airport work (handling, security, departures and arrivals, etc.). The students walked down along the waiting areas inside the terminal and even visited the VIP Lounges the airlines offer their clients.

See more photos here

In March, a group of CETA’s students travelled to Blois, France, to carry out their one-week cultural exchange. During their stay, they were interviewed by the local newspaper "La Nouvelle République"; you can read a transcription of the article below.

VISA TO LA VALLÉE DE LA LOIRE

On Tuesday morning one could breathe the travelling atmosphere in the Hotel Lyceum in Blois, France.
Five year-one students from the BTS Blois Tourism organized a trip to La Vallée de la Loire, as a part or their year’s training programme, for their colleagues from Barcelona.

The French students Gaëlle and Jaury Faye, with the support from their other classmates, prepared a schedule with the trip’s programme, which they gave to Aurora, the Spanish translator.

These five students will visit the region’s castles, such as Blois and Chambord, and will be hosted by the organizers.

These large scale types of exercises are highly motivating for the students. Monday night, the guests of honour were received with a big welcoming panel in the station hall.

During the second semester of the academic year 2008-2009, CETA has 9 students from other European universities in its classrooms. These students; from Portugal, Poland and Slovenia; have come here in the context of the Erasmus Scholarship for a full academic semester in Spain.

Besides attending classes, these students carry out several cultural, leisure and touristy activities, all organized by CETA. The itineraries are designed by CETA’s students, who then act as tourist guides for them.

This year’s first visit included a close look to the Montjuic Mountain in Barcelona. During the visit, our students had the chance to see Spain Square, Barcelona’s Fair, the Catalonian National Arts Museum (MNAC), the Olympics stadium and the old castle at the top of the hill, along with its beautiful gardens. Our next visit, programmed for the month of April, will include a walking tour along the peculiar streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Neighborhood.

See more photos here

In the context of the cultural exchanges that CETA organizes with several European countries, during the month of February, students from CETA spent a week in Holland, where they met once again with the Dutch students that had come to Barcelona last November in order to get to know the city and its culture.

Last November we received Dutch students who attended Spanish classes in CETA, and at the same time they carried out cultural visits in Barcelona and they stayed in houses of CETA students.

In return, during the month of February 2009, our students went for one week to Holland to complete the cultural exchange. They also attended classes, carried out cultural visits and stayed in their families’ houses.

These exchanges can be carried out from the first year of the degree, and benefit not only the students, but also their surroundings, allowing them to extend their global and cultural vision, in a frame of international cooperation.

Judit González Cubiló, who finished her studies in CETA in June 2008, applied to the special prizes given by the Autonomous Government of Catalonia for final assignments at university that had been awarded an A grade. She has been the winner.

Her work was titled: Viability project of a transfer in a sailing ship specializing in single tourism in the Catalonian coast, and it obtained a mark of 9 points out of 10. Her tutor was the Director of Studies: Matilde Ferrer.

From CETA we want to congratulate Judit and encourage all of CETA students to obtain all they want.