The Interim Dean of the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management (CNI), Dr Russell Arthur Smith, will address delegates to the upcoming Asia Connect Hong Kong conference, hosted by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association (HSMAI) Hong Kong and Macau chapter.

The event, which will be held at the Langham Hotel in Hong Kong on the 26th of November, will focus primarily on social media marketing, along with how the industry can prepare for it. Dr Smith will represent CNI on a panel discussion about how hotels and travel organizations should be organizing and resourcing their sales and marketing departments to meet the challenges brought in by the proliferation of new media.

Dr Smith will address how students are being prepared, and if educational institutes are already taking responsibility to develop the right kinds of skills to meet these new challenges. He will also communicate CNI’s educational opportunities and what executive training is currently available for today’s hospitality professionals to gear them for the future of new media.

Hospitality professionals who are interested in the relevant training opportunity can check CNI’s coming January 2010 Professional Development Programmes, which include Marketing Management, Strategic Marketing for Hotels & Restaurants and Interactive Marketing courses. The school is offering a USD500 discount for early registrations.