My journey into hospitality started right at home. On my father’s side, my grandparents owned a winery and a couple of hotels; my other grandfather ran a local coffee/tea shop. My father operated a bus company and a restaurant, and my uncle owned a cab company. So from a very young age, hospitality wasn’t something I studied—it was something I lived.

Last week, after more than five years, I decided to take Southwest Airlines to Kansas City for the NACADA advising conference. While I had general knowledge about Southwest Airlines' system, this trip served as a refreshment for me.

As a professor teaching hospitality and travel, I believe in practicing what I teach. Experiential learning isn’t just a fancy term for me—it’s a way of life! Last week, I hopped on a JetBlue flight from West Palm Beach to Massachusetts. The goal? To explore JetBlue’s service offerings and bring back valuable insights for my students (and, of course, for all of you here). Spoiler alert: JetBlue surprised me in more ways than one!

As a professor of hospitality and tourism management and the chair of Framingham State University's College of Business, my travels often revolve around understanding the pulse of the industry and diverse business practices across global destinations. Let’s explore the aspects that sparked my own curiosity and the unique qualities that continue to attract travelers from around the world.

As a professor of travel and tourism management, I often traverse the skies not just for leisure but as part of my professional commitment to understanding the intricacies of the airline industry. Recently, I had the opportunity to fly with SATA Airlines, an experience driven by two primary objectives: to evaluate their service quality and to understand potential areas for improvement.

Visit to CEEP José Pacífico de Moura Neto, Universidade Estadual do Piauí, Education Channel (Canal Educação), and Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI)

On the second day of our trip, representatives from State and Investepiaui organized a visit to understand the local school systems and explore potential collaborations.

A Visit to Teresina, Piauí

In the heart of Brazil, Piauí is emerging as a symbol of transformative leadership and innovation. Invited by InvestePiauí, we, representatives from Framingham State University and Framingham Public School System, had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the ambitious vision these young leaders have for their region.

Dr. Gulen Hashmi from Pakistan and Turkey, and John Umit Palabiyik from Turkey and the USA in a very informative session today also attended by Dr. Taleb Rifai.

Maureen F. Prindeville, Associate Director of Convention Services, Boston Park Plaza was our guest speaker last week. Her passion for the industry reminded us we are in a unique business: You either love it or you don't like it at all. There is no in-between!

Paul Larsen, President, Ed-Ventures, Inc. was our virtual guest last Wednesday. As he said "We are in the Experience Business" and "The hospitality workers are the game changer!"