The Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau extends its heartfelt congratulations to the students at Coastal Carolina University's Hospitality, Resort, and Tourism Management (HRTM) Program for successfully completing their Certification in Hospitality Industry Analytics (CHIA) from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

This achievement not only demonstrates the students' dedication and commitment to excellence in the field of hospitality but also underscores the high-quality education provided by Coastal Carolina University. As the largest hotel association in the United States, AHLA’s certification is a prestigious benchmark, preparing students for impactful careers in hospitality.

The CHIA certification is based upon four core content areas:

• Hotel Industry Analytical Foundations

• Hotel Math Fundamentals, the metrics used by the Hotel Industry

• Improving Property Performance using STAR Data (STAR Reports and dSTAR)

• Analyzing Market Performance using STR Industry Data (Trends, Development, P&L, and Destination Reports)

We are particularly proud as this certification highlights the potential of our local talent in contributing significantly to the thriving hospitality industry of Myrtle Beach area. The students’ hard work and perseverance set an inspiring example for their peers and future students. We look forward to seeing these talented individuals shape the future of hospitality in Grand Strand and beyond.

CCU’s Hospitality, Resort, and Tourism Management students focus on developing skills necessary for managing hospitality or tourism service organizations in the context of a resort destination area, such as the Myrtle Beach area. In addition to the standard business curriculum, the HRTM curriculum includes internship and specialized coursework in the areas of quality process and resort planning. Major electives include event planning and legal issues in HRTM, as well as concentrations in event planning, sustainable resort development, and tourism sales.

To learn more about the CCU’s Hospitality, Resort and Tourism Management Program, visit https://www.coastal.edu/business/hrtm/.