First-year tourism management student Carmen Vollebregt struggles to choose the one thing she likes best about Tio. “There are so many great things,” she says excitedly. “Although the trip to Lisbon in November was truly special. We organised the whole thing ourselves. That responsibility is awesome!”
In just fifteen minutes, Carmen has to give her presentation for the finale of the Incentive & Event Travel course. “This subject is very educational, although it does take a lot of extra time to create a great presentation for the finale. On the other hand, I am of course very glad to be in the finals. Besides, I knew beforehand that studying at Tio would not be a cakewalk. All my hard work does enable me to complete my bachelor programme accelerated.”
Value for money
Carmen finances her study with the help of DUO and a contribution from her parents. “Keep in mind that you also have to buy study books and a laptop,” she advises. “You do get a lot of value for money here, though. The subjects are all very different and there is no overlap. I am in a class with just seven or eight other students. That means lecturers can give each student all the attention they need.”
Focus on practice
Tio’s focus on practical situations is another aspect she enjoys a lot. “It is great that my lecturers are people with experience in the field. You can really tell that they know their stuff. Their enthusiasm and their own experiences are great motivators. At Tio, you also gain practical experience immediately. This subject, for example, included presentation training. The Career Event is also very useful and a great place for networking. Our class also went to the Vakantiebeurs (Holiday fair), where I was able to meet some new people and lay the groundwork for my internship.”
Internship in Tanzania
Carmen has already completed an internship at an organisation that offers luxury safari trips to Tanzania. “Together with another Tio student, I got to supervise events, help with composing and planning of excursions, write reports on day trips, assist in editing newsletters and magazine articles and do marketing related tasks. It was a very fun and diverse internship!”
Follow Carmen on LinkedIn.