Bridging the Classroom and Hotel Industry: Experiential Learning Journey of Faculty of Commerce and Tourism Students at Marina Bay Vung Tau Resort & Spa
To bridge the gap between academic theory and industry practice, from May 7 to May 9, 2026, the Faculty of Commerce and Tourism at the University of Finance - Marketing (UFM) successfully organized a practical field study trip at Marina Bay Vung Tau Resort & Spa. The program provided 150 students majoring in Hospitality Management and Restaurant, Food and Beverage Service Management with the opportunity to hone their professional skills directly within an international 5-star operational environment.
UFM faculty lecturers and students alongside representatives of Marina Bay Vung Tau Resort & Spa
Exploring a 5-Star International Standard Operating System
Representatives from the executive management team of Marina Bay Vung Tau Resort & Spa provided an overview of the resort complex, highlighting its operational scale, facilities, and organizational structure. These insights helped students understand the specific core functions of each division and how departments seamlessly coordinate within a 5-star hospitality enterprise.
Following the orientation, students were divided into specialized cohorts for direct observation and on-site training across key operational departments: Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage (F&B), and Culinary/Kitchen. Restaurant and Food Service Management students engaged in hands-on setups of meeting and function rooms using Classroom and Conference layouts. Simultaneously, Hospitality Management students conducted site inspections of guest rooms and examined the resort’s upscale service standards. These activities offered tangible insights, helping students clearly visualize daily operational workflows within luxury accommodation establishments.
Students attending the resort overview presentation at Lotus Ballroom
Hands-on Immersion Through Professional Challenges
The practical sessions proceeded dynamically with intensive, hands-on tasks. A key highlight was the “Cooking Show” where Restaurant, Food and Beverage Service Management students explored a professional commercial kitchen environment. Under the direct mentorship of executive resort chefs, students participated in food preparation, cooking techniques, and culinary plating. This immersion reinforced work discipline, safety standards, and team coordination vital to culinary and F&B operations.
In the rooms division, Hospitality Management students practiced premium 5-star bed-making techniques. Departmental supervisors guided students through guest room inspection protocols prior to arrival, as well as front desk operations, including check-in, check-out, and guest scenario handling. By the end of the day, students from both majors collaborated to execute diverse banquet table setups including Buffet, Asian, Western, and VIP banquet styles refining their aesthetic sensibilities and operational organization in luxury hospitality catering.
Students practicing Asian banquet table setup
Students setting up a conference meeting room layout
Students practicing 5-star housekeeping and bed-making operations
Students proudly receiving their certificates of completion
Concluding the Practicum 2 Journey
The program wrapped up with an insightful Q&A panel featuring resort department heads, offering practical career orientation and industry perspectives. The moment students received their completion certificates marked a rewarding milestone in their experiential learning process.
The field trip to Marina Bay Vung Tau Resort & Spa consolidated classroom theory while cultivating professional demeanor, a service-oriented mindset, and situational problem-solving capabilities within a 5-star service standard. This valuable experience serves as a solid launchpad, equipping UFM students with confidence and readiness to thrive in the competitive tourism and hospitality landscape.