National Tourism Foundation Announces 2004 Patrick Murphy Intern
September 14, 2004
National Tourism Foundation Announces 2004 Patrick Murphy Intern
September 14, 2004 (LEXINGTON, Ky.) – The National Tourism Foundation proudly recognizes Qinbo Gao as the recipient of the 2004 Patrick Murphy Internship. The award includes a $2,000 personal stipend and the opportunity to work in the Washington, D.C., office of former congressman and current NTA legislative counsel, Jim Santini.
Gao currently holds an MBA in tourism management and is pursuing his masters in tourism administration at George Washington University. He has completed tourism-related internships at the Hyatt Regency Xi’an, China International Travel and the Colonial Restaurant International in Zurich, where he was the assistant manager.
"In our judgment, Qinbo is the best all-round fit in the NTA’s Washington, D.C. office. However, this was the toughest intern selection since John Stachnik (Mayflower Tours) launched the award," said Santini.
In addition to the scholarship money, Gao receives an invitation to the National Tour Association’s Annual Convention in Toronto, Nov. 12-16. During the Convention, Foundation award recipients have the opportunity to network with more than 3,000 industry professionals, participate in roundtable discussions with NTA members and get a firsthand look at business negotiations in progress during the Tour & Travel Exchange®.
"I will gain cutting-edge knowledge about tourism policy-making and functioning of key players within the travel industry. It will be an ideal preparation for my future career, and I want to thank NTA and the Foundation for offering students like me this one of a kind opportunity," said Gao.
The Patrick Murphy Internship is named for Mayflower Tours former vice president of operations, Patrick Murphy, who passed away in 1995. Murphy was the chairman of NTA’s Government Relations Committee and a strong political advocate for the tourism industry.
To learn more about the Patrick Murphy Internship fund, get information on hosting a fundraiser or make an individual contribution, contact John Stachnik, CTP, of Mayflower Tours at 630-435-8500. Inquiries may also be directed to the National Tourism Foundation at ntf@ntastaff.com.
The National Tourism Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by the National Tour Association, an organization of nearly 4,000 travel professionals. The mission of the Foundation is to benefit society through the support of education and research, contributing to the values of travel and the preservation of tourism resources. Since 1982, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million to travel and tourism students in the form of grants, scholarships and awards. For more information, call 800-682-8886 or visit http://preseason.ntaonline.com/www.ntfonline.org.
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