Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement with the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management to introduce the Crowne Meetings Director Certification Programme to more than 50 hotels across the Asia Pacific region.

The Crowne Meetings Director has been a successful and important brand and service differentiator for Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, which is a brand that specialises in all kinds of events and social interactions. In each Crowne Plaza hotel, the Crowne Meetings Director plays a pivotal leadership role in delivering a world-class meetings experience and is at the core of the interaction between the hotel and the client.

The Crowne Meetings Director Certification Programme has an executive training curriculum jointly created by Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts and Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management. The programme combines the hotel brand’s functional skill sets training with the broader-based industry knowledge provided by the institution.

The 18-month programme covers topics such as team management, customer service, and marketing planning. Candidates are also required to take part in a three-day intensive hospitality sales course in Singapore, offered as part of a professional development programme by the Cornell-Nanyang Institute.

Tony South, acting chief executive, IHG Asia Pacific, said, “The Crowne Meetings Director Certification Programme is the first of its kind in the hotel industry and further strengthens Crowne Plaza’s differentiation in the market. Over the past few years, the Asia Pacific region has experienced a strong growth momentum in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions market. Today’s meetings professionals need to keep pace with the latest industry developments and changing guest needs. With this programme, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts reinforces its commitment to the meetings segment and raises the bar for the industry.”

Judy Siguaw, dean, Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management said, “The Crowne Meetings Director Certification brings together academia and the hospitality industry with a unique programme that will enable Crowne Meetings Directors to acquire the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the growing meetings and events sector. These successful graduates will be able to provide the best possible Crowne Plaza meeting experience for their clients.”

Crowne Plaza has also initiated a meetings service training programme for all staff, aimed at aligning operations at each hotel to meet the customised needs of each guest. This is expected to result in an enhanced meetings experience for both meeting planners and attendees.