Orlando, Florida, November 2012—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) presented hospitality training for guest service to nearly 200 students and professors during the Pan-American Confederation of Hospitality and Tourism Schools (CONPEHT) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this October.  The conference also marked the first anniversary of a collaborative academic agreement between EI and CONPEHT designed to foster and develop a stronger hospitality and tourism education system throughout Latin America.

The Educational Institute had originally anticipated a class of 100 students for its Guest Service Gold training and Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) examination, but had to add a second class to accommodate nearly double that number. Participants included ten hospitality professors from several countries who are considering adding the training and certification to their programs.

“This is the type of learning experience that our future leaders and professionals of the Latin American hospitality and tourism activity need to become a more competitive region of tourism destinations,” said Paul A. Rivera, Ph.D., CONPEHT’s president.

Guest Service Gold is having a global impact as numerous properties, tourism organizations, and schools implement the training and its accompanying certification. The program is being used in the United States, Canada, India, Switzerland, Panama, Nepal, South Africa, Greece, and Brazil.  To date, nearly 4,500 hospitality employees have earned the CGSP designation.

The Guest Service Gold program, which is available in English or Spanish, includes a DVD, pre-shift lesson plans, one trainer’s guide, and five participant workbooks (additional workbooks can be purchased separately). Guest Service Gold is also available as an online program, featuring the same video content and participant activities found on the DVD, as well as additional interactive activities to engage learners.

For more information on Guest Service Gold and other hospitality training solutions, visit the Educational Institute at www.ahlei.org.

About the Educational Institute
Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s mission is to continue being the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals worldwide. Please visit http://www.ahlei.org