Photo courtesy Olivia Stokman
With more than two years of luxury hospitality experience already under her belt, sophomore Celine Ciotta is ahead of the game in her aspiration to eventually open and manage her own luxury hotel brand. Participating in the 2025 State of Washington Tourism Conference was just one more brick in her path toward that goal.
She’s studying hospitality business management in the Carson College of Business and jumped at the chance to engage with leaders who shape the hospitality industry in Washington state.
“I wanted to learn more about tourism as an industry that’s intertwined with hospitality and the crucial role it plays in elevating guest experiences and supporting a community,” Ciotta says.
The conference offered speed networking and many learning sessions including Google business profiles and listing optimization, authentic storytelling, research planning, videography and photography for visitor audiences, familiarization tours, and the latest AI tools used in tourism.
Discussion about collaboration over competition within hospitality was Ciotta’s biggest takeaway.
“The realization that business collaboration creates a shared value, strengthens community success, and builds meaningful experiences that keep guests returning greatly deepened my understanding of how vital partnerships and teamwork are within the industry,” she says. “It not only reaffirmed this is the career path I want to pursue but also strengthened my excitement and motivation to continue becoming part of this industry.”
Ciotta plans to apply these insights to future internships and her coursework when developing hospitality concepts and business strategies. After graduation, she aims to work in luxury hotel management and eventually become a general manager or director of guest experience within a global luxury brand such as Fairmont, Four Seasons, or The Ritz-Carlton, working in locations around the world to gain extensive industry and leadership experience.
Gen Z perspective informs industry leaders
Photo courtesy Olivia Stokman
Olivia Stokman, a Carson College hospitality major who is also planning a career in luxury hospitality, says the conference experience was incredibly valuable to her academic and professional career. She gained a deeper understanding of traveler trends and destination development, knowledge she’ll bookmark for her future work with brands renowned for exceptional guest service, global engagement, and other innovative service design.
“Throughout the conference, we were encouraged to join conversations with industry leaders who were eager to hear what we had to say, especially since the Gen Z traveler was a major topic,” she says. “Experiencing Spokane’s tourism offerings firsthand at the historic Davenport Hotel and the Gesa Credit Union Pavillion at Riverfront Park was a highlight, as was learning about the Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards program and what the FIFA World Cup means to Washington’s future.”
Benefits of networking opportunities
In total, nine SHBM students attended the conference. Sigma Iota, the signature hospitality club on campus, supported their travel. Dipra Jha, Carson College associate professor, accompanied the students as a faculty mentor. Jha was elected to the State of Washington Tourism Board of Directors in 2021 and represents the Palouse region.
“Tourism is Washington’s fourth-largest industry, and students came away with a deeper appreciation for its contribution to the state through job creation, small-business entrepreneurship, and tax revenue,” Jha says. “Another valuable outcome was the networking experience students gained with a variety of tourism stakeholders during this three-day event.”
Experiencing industry events and networking are a critical part of the Carson Career Amplifier program that equips undergraduates with essential skills for academic and professional success. With a focus on self-development, communication, leadership, and professionalism, students gain the tools to navigate their careers, embrace diverse perspectives, meet WSU expectations, and transition confidently into the workplace after graduation.