• 
• 
• 

Latest News

• • The Cat Islands of Japan

    April 3, 2020Source : www.landofcats.net/island-full-of-cats/ Are you a cat person who is planning on going to Japan this year? If so, then I have the perfect place for you to visit. More specifically, I have two perfect places for you to visit. Ao Island, or Aoshima, is a place that is well known as its nickname “Cat Island” or “Neko no Shima”. It is an island in the Ehime Prefecture that is known for its large number of feline residents. There are so many cats in the island that they drastically outnumber the human population that live there. How did Aoshima become the home of so many cats? Well The island itself was originally home to just a fishing village. Due to a rodent infestation that always feasted on the catches of the fishermen, the residents who lived there introduced cats into the ecosystem whose population eventually spiraled out of control into what it is now today. The residents themselves were very old, with only six residents left on the island itself after most of them died of old age. Compared to the residents, there are likely over 200 cats still living on the island, although most of them have been sprayed or neutered as a response to the decline of the human population. Keep in mind that if you plan on visiting the island, Aoshima was never intended to be a tourist spot. There are no cars, no hotels or restaurants. Not even vending machines. The elderly residents won’t turn you away but you should be respectful of the people who live there. Ensure that you do not litter or dirty the area, and to bring back your garbage with you. You are suggested to bring your own food and drink as well since you likely won’t find any there. Aoshima is accessible through Nagahama Port, which sends out ferries to Aoshima twice a day at 8 AM and 2:30 PM. The journey takes about 30 to 40 minutes and costs ¥1,360. The return trip is at 8:45 AM and 4:15 PM. As mentioned above, there are no overnight accommodations so you better not miss that boat ride back! Now if for whatever reason you’re not able to go to Aoshima, you could always instead try to go to Tashirojima instead. Tashirojima is a small island in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. It’s in the Pacific Ocean off of the Oshika Peninsula to the west of Ajishima. Like Aoshima, Tashirojima is also nicknamed “Cat Island” due to its feline population, and much like Aoshima, that feline population drastically outnumbers the human population. Also like Aoshima, Tashirojima introduced cats to hunt rodents, though it was not because the rodents were eating fish. During the Edo period, Tashirojima raised silkworms for textiles. Naturally, mice would be tempted to eat these valuable silkworms. It was the natural conclusion to introduce cats who would keep mice away from the silkworms. The majority of the residents in Tashirojima are over 65, with the village of Tashirojima being marked as a terminal village or “genkai-shūraku”. Being a terminal village means that if over 50% of the population is over 65, the survival of the village is threatened. It would only be a matter of time before Tashirojima’s population dwindles into nothing, and the village becomes a memory of those who once lived there. Although even then, Tashirojima still has about 100 people compared to Aoshima’s 6 residents. Tashirojima also has a small shrine dedicated to cats known as a “Neko-Jinja”, as the village had a much longer and closer relationship with cats dating back all the way to the Edo Period. Cats in Japanese culture have long since been thought to bring good luck, money and fortune to those who cross their paths.  In the Miyagi prefecture itself, there are ten cat shrines as well as 51 stone monuments in the shape of cats, most of which are concentrated in the southern area of the island where the silkworms were raised. Tashirojima is also known as “Manga Island” due to a manga-themed camping resort that was built on the southern tip of the island. The camping resort consists of cottages that are shaped like cats, featuring artwork from famous manga artists. The resort is open from July to October, and it is always closed on Tuesdays. Besides the manga-themed camping resort however, Tashirojima also doesn’t have many tourist facilities. There are no restaurants and very few shops but there are some family-operated bed and breakfasts called minshuku around Nitoda Port. So are you interested in having ten to fifteen fluffy cats crowd around you all eager for you to pet them? Just be sure to wash your hands and your legs afterwards because you don’t know where those cats have been. Written by: Edwin Soewono – Student of Hospitality and Tourism Business 2015... Read more...
  • CERITA LIBURANMU! PHOTO STORY-TELLING COMPETITION

    March 30, 2020Mengapa Lomba ini diadakan? Dengan merebaknya Virus COVID-19 di Indonesia, para siswa SMA banyak yang menjalani #stayathome dan #belajardirumah, namun tidak dipungkiri sebagai generasi Z yang aktif dan energik pasti tidak akan betah lama-lama di dalam rumah untuk waktu lama. Oleh karena itu Fakultas Pariwisata Universitas Ciputra ingin mengajak para Gen Z ini untuk tetap Aktif dan Produktif selama masa #stayathome dengan cara mengikuti Photo Online Competition bertemakan Liburan Terakhirmu. LOMBA INI FREE – TIDAK ADA BIAYA PENDAFTARAN SAMA SEKALI   Apa saja Hadiah Lombanya? Pemenang Pertama (Total : 1 Orang) Tour 3 Day 2 Night Singapore-Malaysia dari pergiramerame.com (bisa digunakan hingga tahun 2021) Pemenang Kedua (Total : 2 Orang) Tour Malaysia 2 Day 1 Night dari pergiramerame.com (bisa digunakan hingga tahun 2021) Pemenang Ketiga (Total : 3 Orang) 3 Tiket Pesawat PP Surabaya-Denpasar-Surabaya dari  pergiramerame.com (bisa digunakan hingga tahun 2021)   Gimana cara mengikutinya? Isi data dirimu, submit foto dan ceritamu di link Google Form berikut : http://bit.ly/daftarlombaUC Peserta harus berumur 16 tahun atau lebih (masih aktif sebagai pelajar di tingkat Kelas XI atau XII), merupakan WNI dan memiliki identitas dokumen yang sah (fotokopi KTP, SIM, Kartu Pelajar atau paspor). Cari foto terbaik liburanmu yang terakhir & Ceritakan isi pengalamanmu saat berlibur bersama dengan teman/keluargamu Foto bisa berupa pemandangan, selfie, foto bersama, dll yang instagramable Foto haruslah milikmu sendiri, tidak boleh mengambil copyright orang lain, tidak boleh  diedit dengan cara apapun, jadi harus benar-benar orisinal (panitia penyelenggara tidak bertanggung-jawab apabila di kemudian hari ada pihak lain yang menuntut terkait copyright) Upload Foto Lomba-mu di Instagrammu masing-masing dan tag IG kami @uc_hoteltourismbusiness dan @pergiramrame.id hingga maksimal tanggal 30 April 2020 Foto dan Story-telling tidak boleh mengandung unsur SARA, pornografi dan tindak kekerasan. Foto diposting berupa Feed IG dan Story-telling berupa caption, dengan cantumkan hashtag dan tag akun IG yang telah ditentukan.   Sampai kapan lomba ini diadakan? Lomba ini berlangsung mulai tanggal 1 April 2020 hingga 30 April 2020 Foto dan ceritamu akan ditayangkan di website Fakultas Pariwisata Universitas Ciputra – htb.uc.ac.id   Apa saja aturan lombanya? Untuk download Aturan Lomba yang lebih detail, kamu bisa klik link berikut : https://bit.ly/aturanlombaUC Jika ada pertanyaan, bisa chat melalui WA ke : Irene – 081336195996   FAQ (frequently asked question)? 1. Bolehkah mengikuti kompetisi Online Photo Storytelling Competition ini dalam kelompok? Tidak, ini merupakan individual competition 2. Di mana sajakah hasil Foto ini akan digunakan? Hasil karya yang terpilih akan digunakan di website resmi Universitas Ciputra di : htb.uc.ac.id dan Social Media Instagram Official Fakultas Pariwisata Universitas Ciputra @uc_hoteltourismbusiness 3. Bagaimana cara submit karya Foto dalam kompetisi ini? Kamu dapat mengisi link Google Form berikut : http://bit.ly/daftarlombaUC 4. Adakah ketentuan karya tertentu dalam menciptakan karya di kompetisi ini? Ada. Tiap poin bisa kamu temukan dalam brief pada Aturan Lomba. Untuk download Aturan Lomba yang lebih detail, kamu bisa klik link berikut : https://bit.ly/aturanlombaUC . Jika ada pertanyaan, bisa chat melalui WA ke : Irene – 081336195996      ... Read more...
  • Kuliah Tamu dengan Pembicara Dari Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta

    March 27, 2020Dalam mata kuliah Human Resources (9/3), mahasiswa/i Hotel and Tourism Business Universitas Ciputra mendapat kesempatan untuk memperoleh informasi dari Bapak Aziz Fauzi. Beliau merupakan Human Resources dari Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta. Beliau memaparkan beberapa materi dan juga memperkenalkan mengenai Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta Hotel Tentrem sendiri berlokasi di Jl. P. Mangkubumi No.72A, Cokrodiningratan, Derah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Hotel ini merupakan sebuah hotel bintang lima dengan menjunjung tinggo nilai budaya Jawa, sehingga hotel tersebut mendapat sebuah tempat tersendiri dengan ciri khas yang mereka miliki. Dari namanya sendiri sudah sangat terlihat budaya Jawa. “Tentrem” yang memiliki arti damai dan lebih mengacu kepada perasaan kedamaian dan ketenangan dengan maksud memberikan semua pelayanan kepada tamu agar tamu dapat merasakan kedamaian saat menginap dan menikmati fasilitas yang ada di hotel tersebut. Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta adalah kombinasi yang sempurna antara kemewahan budaya dan tradisi Jawa dan layanan terbaik.   Fasilitas yang dimiliki oleh Hotel ini sangat lengkap dan tipe hotel tertinggi yang dimiliki hotel ini adalah Presidential Suite, Hotel ini memiliki Ballroom yang cukup besar dengan kapasitas hingga 2500 orang. Pada tahun 2014 Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta ini mendapatkan penghargaan dari Asia Rooms Top Rated, dan pada tahun 2015 mendapatkan penghargaan Gold Circle Award Agoda.com. Ada pula beberapa tamu terhormat yang datang menginap di hotel ini seperti, Barack Obama President of  USA, dan The Malaysian King. Sebuah kehormatan bagi Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta mendapatkan tamu-tamu yang luar biasa. Karyawan pada Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta ialah 315 orang, traniee 140 orang dan lainnya adalah pekerja daily worker. Di dalam pemaparan materi yang diberikan, juga di bahas tentang perkembangan industri pada saat ini. Mulai dari industri 1.0 hingga industri 4.0 bahkan persiapan industri di 5.0 yang sedang Jepang siapkan. Dalam penjelasan tersebut dapat dilihat bahwa perkembangan teknologi saat ini cukup pesat, sehingga beberapa perusahaan bidang jasa dapat terancam jika tidak memiliki skill, keunikan yang khusus untuk menarik konsumen. Penulis: Gabriella Putri Andrista Wattimena – HTB 2017... Read more...
• • International Women’s Day and Hospitality

    March 14, 2020Sunday March 8th was international Women’s Day. A day where people all around the world promote women’s rights and the promise for equality. For years, there has been a large disparity between working men and women, with the majority of the 1.3 Billion people who are absolutely poor being female as well as women on average receiving 30-40% less pay than men for the same amount of work. Women are also very often victims of abuse from men, as deaths or injuries of women are often the result of rape and domestic violence. In the spirit of International Women’s day, we will talk about women who work in the hospitality industry and some tips on how they can manage themselves better in their line of work. So to start off, what merits do we need to have as a woman in the world of hospitality? A woman’s salary doesn’t differ that much from that of a man’s salary in the hospitality industry Women working in the hospitality industry also gets equal opportunities as men do in the workplace, with many women taking high positions in the corporate hierarchy. While working hard and working smart is a merit that any employee in any industry should have, an important merit to have while working in the hospitality industry is a good attitude. Hospitality is all about making a good lasting impression on their guests and clients, so having a good attitude will immensely help in making that happen. Determination is another good merit to have, and even more so as a woman. Things can be unpredictable in the hospitality industry, sometimes more so than other jobs. A guest might have gotten lost in the city, the weather might have taken a turn for the worse for your tour, a sudden virus epidemic might pop up, and your job is suddenly that much more difficult. However, any problem can be solved with determination and a little creativity, as you only ever truly fail when you give up. The hallmark of any good service is to go above and beyond what is expected of them even during difficult times. How should mothers manage their time in between their careers and their family? It can be difficult if you spend most of your time at work only to come home exhausted and to have your child waiting for you with their needs. Just raising a child can be very physically and emotionally draining, but doing that while being a career woman can feel like an impossible task at times. Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed trick in managing your time in between your family and your work, as many families and mothers live under many different circumstances. However, there is one really useful tip on how to be a working mom and still make time for your family: Never bite more than you can chew. That is, never take on more work than you have to. Always conserve your energy because you’re still going to need some once you get back home. If you can, delegate some of your work to your co-workers or subordinates and don’t be scared to ask for help. What kind of qualities should a woman have as a leader? As a woman, the two most important things are charisma and competence. As women, we need to have a target to strive towards. To chase our dreams, and to not stop there once you reach it. Good leaders will find ways to not only to chase after their dreams and goals, but to share those dreams with those who work under you. To have the charisma and the ability to motivate your employees while leading by example. It’s a very difficult thing to do and admittedly not everyone can do it, but can be very rewarding to see yourself as well as your subordinates motivated and moving towards a common goal or dream. For many decades, there has been sexual discrimination in the workplace where it is deemed that a woman is an inferior employee or is undeserving of the salary of a man. With International Women’s day, we’ll raise awareness and help change the injustice that has been done unto women. If a man can do it, a woman can do it too! Written by: Edwin Soewono – Student of Hospitality and Tourism Business 2015... Read more...
  • The Catacombs of Paris

    March 9, 2020What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Paris? The Eiffel Tower? Romance? The city known for its love of Fashion? What some people might not know or remember is that Paris is also home to a very large tunnel network for stone quarries that was re-purposed for holding the remains of six million people, directly underneath the city. The Catacombs of Paris is an interesting, scary and sometimes even dangerous place to visit. But how did an old system of tunnels used for mining become France’s biggest cemetery? It all started in 1780 when Paris was still burying their dead normally in cemeteries. Though burying normally isn’t really the right word for it since they were facing the problem of having too many dead to bury and not enough space for it at the time. They haphazardly placed bodies wherever there was space with many placed inside the walls, on the roof or the designated burial sites. It got so bad that the basement of a house living near a cemetery was suddenly flooded with bodies because of the wall collapsed from the sheer weight of the bodies. At roughly around the same time, a house collapsed due to it being built directly under one of the old mining tunnels that was used to mine the stone. The method in which the miners dug for stone in Paris was very haphazard and since most of these mining operations were illicit, they never kept records. And so the investigation and reinforcement of the mines began, with them mapping out the mines again. To this day, they still haven’t mapped out the entire tunnel system because of the sheer size and danger of cave-ins. The people in charge of mapping out and strengthening the mines was also in charge of handling the cemetery issues, and so they decided to just move the overflowing bodies into the mines while they renovate it. They saw the opportunity and took it, and so the Catacombs of Paris was created. Nowadays, the Catacombs are accessible to people who wish to take a stroll around the walls lined with bones and skulls. However, only a small part of the catacombs is open to the public as they have walled off or marked areas that are off-limits to tourists or any would-be adventurers. With good reason too, since the catacombs are very confusing to navigate in. It’s very easy to lose your way in the catacombs and not be able to find a way back to the surface. With nobody patrolling the deeper parts of the catacomb, you could possibly end up in an uncharted area of the mines, never to be seen again. There have been multiple cases where reckless people decided that their tour was too boring and took off on their own. The luckiest were found immediately, some were found alive, but starved and thirsty after a few days and those least fortunate were never seen again. So take heed if you want to visit this tourist attraction, to always follow your tour guide or the signs and never stray from the group. Written by: Edwin Soewono – Student of Hotel and Tourism Business 2015    ... Read more...
  • The Running of the Bulls in Spain

    February 24, 2020Source: CNN.com   The Running of the Bulls is a very famous Spanish event that involves people running in front of a small group of bulls in a designated area of the town and outrunning them to a place of safety before the bull rams them.   The origin of this event comes from villages and areas in the 14th century who breed bulls and bring bulls to cities where bullfighting takes place, as well as cattle in general. To make the transporting of the bulls faster and more exciting at the same time, the young people would excite or scare the bulls while running in front of them as they show off their bravery and fitness to one another before tricking the bull or cattle into the pens at their destination without getting hurt.   Before long, this little competition of bravery gained popularity in Spain, and was eventually made into tradition that has been upheld to this day.   Source: toiletovhell.com   Back in present day, The Running of the Bulls is held in many towns and villages across Spain and Portugal, in some cities in Mexico and in the Occitan region of southern France. The most famous Running of the Bulls is held in the city of Pamplona, Spain where it has become an international even that people from all around the world come to see or participate in.   In Pamplona, The Running of the Bull is held during the San Fermín Festival, which is held every year from 6th to the 14thof July. The bull running starts on 7th July and continues on every morning of the festival until the end. To participate, you have to be at least 18 years old, you have to run in the same direction as the bulls, not incite the bulls and to not have consumed alcohol prior to running.   Fences are set to direct the bulls and the runners along the designated route to avoid stray bulls from hurting the bystanders, as well as to help the runners to escape from the bulls should they need rest. There are usually two layers of fence that has been erected, with the bystanders standing behind the second layer and Security and Medical personnel standing by on the first layer in case the runners get injured.     Source: NBC News   If you decide that you want to attend the event, you shouldn’t forget that The Running of the Bulls is very obviously a dangerous event to participate in. There have been cases where people were gored (rammed by the horns of a bull), with some not making it out alive through the ordeal. In Pamplona, there are 200 medical personnel present overall as well as 16 sanitary posts every 50 meters of the run. Each sanitary post will at least have one physician and a nurse among their personnel. There are also around 20 ambulances present in case of emergencies. These precautions make it possible for anyone who have been gored to be stabilized and taken to a hospital in less than 10 minutes.   Other risks include being piled on at the entrance of the bull ring where the bulls are being led to by runners. The entrance itself is usually much narrower than the previous street and can be blocked by runners completely as they fall and pile up in this narrow entrance. There has been one such case of a person suffocating to death from the sheer number of people on top of that person when the entrance was piled on. Despite the obvious dangers, this event still remains to be one of the most famous and iconic events of Spain, as men and women prove their bravery by taking part in getting chased down by dangerous bulls. Are you one such person who wishes to prove your bravery?       Written by: Edwin Soewono – Student of Hotel and Tourism Business 2015        ... Read more...