Curtin Malaysia marketing students gain first-hand hospitality industry insights

Miri, Sarawak – 21 October 2026 – From hotel branding to guest experience, marketing students from Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) gained first-hand insights into the hospitality industry during an industry visit to Grand Palace Hotel Miri recently.

Organised by Curtin Malaysia’s Institute of Marketing Malaysia (IMM) Student Chapter, the visit offered the students a closer look at how marketing strategies, service excellence and day-to-day hotel operations come together to shape customer experiences.

A key highlight was a sharing session by Helen Choo – Burghardt, General Manager of Grand Palace Hotel, who drew on her industry experience to discuss effective marketing strategies, the importance of service quality and the need for businesses to adapt to changing customer expectations.

The students also explored potential career and internship opportunities in the hospitality sector and toured the hotel’s facilities to observe its operations first-hand.

Dr. Fayrene Chieng, Advisor to the Curtin Malaysia IMM Student Chapter, said industry engagement was essential in helping students translate academic knowledge into practical skills.

“Visits like these help students connect classroom concepts with real-world business environments. Listening to experienced practitioners and seeing how operations run first-hand gives students a clearer understanding of industry challenges and opportunities while preparing them for their future careers,” she said.

The visit reflects the IMM Student Chapter’s commitment to bridging academic learning with industry practice and equipping students with valuable insights into their future careers.
The chapter also expressed its appreciation to the management team at Grand Palace Hotel for hosting the visit and sharing its industry expertise with the students.

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Curtin marketing students with Grand Palace Hotel General Manager Helen Choo (front row, left) and Dr Fayrene Chieng (front row, right).