Q&A with Anurag Beniwal, first year Adventure Tourism Management student
Anurag, or Beni as he’s known to his Kiwi classmates, is embarking on his Adventure Tourism Management internship at one of New Zealand’s biggest names in tourism: Shotover Jet. He’s spent six months at QRC learning all about the industry and getting face to face with Queenstown’s adventure activities as well as making a new group of friends.
Beni tells us about his first six months at QRC:
My classmates: We were 13 students in a class which made it so easy for me to get along with everyone from the very start. I bonded with everyone and had so much fun inside and outside classroom. We really were a family making their futures together.
QRCs teaching style: I never thought that mystery shopping and a familiarisation visit (famil) could be a part of the course! These things not only gave us a good time but made us look for the smaller things that make a company or business great. Attention to detail is critical and I learnt this in a fun way from these activities.
My internship at Shotover Jet: I work in Customer Service – Reservations department. The fact that I’m working at world’s most exciting jet boat company and some people come to New Zealand just to experience Shotover Jet makes me feel so proud that I can’t even express it in words. I’m looking forward to working at Shotover Jet for the next 9 months as an intern and would love to learn and work in different areas of the business.
My favourite paper: Cross-cultural communication because Jenny (tutor) made this so much fun for us to learn and I already love to learn about new cultures. My other two favorites were Business Communication and Service Quality because the knowledge I gained from these subjects is helpful for me every day at work.
The most useful thing I’ve learnt: the importance of Service Quality. Almost every business in Queenstown is focused on providing the best service and experience possible. If you are just focused on making money you won’t get far.
Queenstown: Small town. Big heart.
The future: Term 5 and 6 will be all about how to start a business and hire the best people for the team. These are the things I’m here to learn as my ultimate goal is to start my own business.
Something I’ve learnt about myself: That I’m not just a dreamer, I’m also an achiever.
Something new: There are so many things I’ve tried here for the first time in my life, from as little as making a meal for myself to as big as jumping out of a plane. Every day here in Queenstown is new and adventurous for me.
5 years from now: I see myself as a new entrepreneur who is giving people the best experience of their lives and putting a smile on their faces. I want to give them a wonderful memory that they can cherish for lifetime.
