Hotelier Magazine: Hasmik Rostomyan – Hospitality Expert

As we know you graduated from the Yerevan State University (bachelor and master’s degrees), the faculty of physics, after Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel again in the field of physics, and directly after that you finished Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK department of International Hospitality and Tourism Management with master’s degree on hospitality. Can you please mention the lines when hotel industry and physics can go parallelly?
Well, it is quite difficult to make parallels between nuclear physics and hospitality! Actually, it was very hard for me to catch social sciences after being a researcher in exact sciences for over 9 years. They are exactly the opposite sciences. Analytical skill is the great feature that helped me to catch and understand hospitality “world”. As well as multitasking, time management, critical thinking, and data assessment and collection are the skills that made me a scientist and I used those skills in understanding the features of hospitality.

What gave you the Cardiff Metropolitan University of UK which you think here in Armenia doesn’t exist?
In my opinion, the main option in education at the university was the “freedom” that you had, e.g. in all the assignments that I had to pass I was free to make them the way I want. Specifically, it was appreciated to use your creativity and any type of innovation (even silly ones) on the given task. For instance, I used my mathematical skills on my project management examination.
Such attitude makes you feel self-confident, motivated and a decision maker.

Did you use the skills you gained from the university and what are the disadvantages and obstacles in hotel industry of Armenia according to your analyses?
Sure, I used them. In my opinion, in hotel industry everyone should have education specifically for that field. Such industry is so dynamic that you need to be very flexible and educated enough for giving great service, having smooth management and satisfied guests.
In Armenia hospitality is a part of our culture, but we Armenians do not know how to give flawless service. This is a matter of economics, politics, etc. Armenia is a “child” in hotel industry and there is a need for exactly hospitality education provided by specialists and professionals from developed countries, where hospitality is already in a high level.