SUCCESS STORIES
Read what some of our learners, past and present, have to say about their experience of
studying with HOSPA and how the courses have helped them
Financial Management:
"The HOSPA Financial Management course is one of the best things I have done and was definitely worth it. The course tutors were fantastic and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to progress in hospitality finance.
The course was a huge help in fully understanding the many different processes within the Finance Department, tailoring them to the hospitality sector. This included many things such as forecasting techniques, the budget process, understanding KPI’s and ratio analysis to name but a few. All of which were extremely important and the knowledge learned is used on a frequent basis.
The course explains not just in a way for you to understand but also gives you the knowledge to explain things to non-financial colleagues in ways that they understand, which is a huge benefit to the hotel as a whole so that they can understand the importance of decisions and relevance it has to the business.”
Matthew Bennett, Financial Controller, Derbyshire Hotel, Countrywide Hotels
"A couple of modules really stood out for me. “Cost Information for Decision Making” was a favourite — it changed the way I look at numbers, helping me see costs not just as figures on a report but as information that drives real business decisions. “Budget Preparation and Control” was the other one that clicked for me. It’s so directly relevant to the day-to-day in hospitality finance, and it gave me a much clearer, more practical understanding of how budgets are built, monitored and kept on track. Both were challenging in the best way — they pushed me but left me with skills I use constantly."
"The support was genuinely excellent. My tutor, Yaneal, was amazing — always approachable, quick to respond, and able to explain even the trickier concepts in a way that just made sense. Having someone like that in your corner takes a lot of the pressure off self-paced study."
"Try to connect what you’re learning back to your actual job as you go. The moment you start applying a concept at work, it sticks — and that’s the point where it stops feeling like studying and becomes a skill you genuinely rely on."
"What I love about HOSPA is how practical it is — I was applying things almost immediately. The cost and budgeting modules in particular feed directly into my work across OTC, Revenue Accounting and Record-to-Report. I find myself thinking more analytically now — not just processing the numbers but understanding the story behind them and what they mean for the business. It’s made me far more confident when I’m interpreting data, contributing to budget conversations, or explaining financial information to others."
"After the “Budget Preparation and Control” module, I had a much sharper eye for variances — spotting where actuals were drifting from budget and, more importantly, understanding why. That meant I could flag issues earlier and bring more useful insight to the table rather than just reporting the figures. The cost module fed into that too; being able to look at cost information through a decision-making lens helped me support better, faster conversations with the wider team. That shift — from simply recording numbers to adding value with them — is what I think made the biggest difference to my performance."
"A qualification like HOSPA doesn’t just add a line to your CV — it changes the way you think and the value you bring. Stay curious, keep learning, and the opportunities will follow."
Khamis Abdulla, RTR Senior Specialist, Hilton.
"The programme gave me greater confidence when analysing financial performance and identifying opportunities for improvement. For example, when reviewing departmental costs and budget variances, I was able to apply techniques learned through HOSPA to understand the causes of performance differences and communicate findings more effectively to operational teams. This not only improved my analytical skills but also strengthened my ability to support decision making across the business."
"I would say trust yourself and commit to the process. At the beginning, the programme can seem like a long journey, especially when balancing studies alongside a full time role. However, the time passes quickly and before you know it, you will have developed a wealth of industry specific knowledge and practical skills that you can apply in your career. "
"Completing the HOSPA qualifications alongside my role has been a very rewarding experience. The knowledge I have gained has supported my professional development and helped me progress from a Finance Graduate position to taking on the responsibilities of a Cluster Accounts Manager. It has reinforced the importance of continuous learning and given me confidence in my future career within hospitality finance."
Ruva Zvaraya, Cluster Accounts Manager, Leonardo Hotels.
"I was motivated to join the HOSPA Finance Management programme to enhance my financial expertise within the hospitality industry and advance my career. As someone passionate about both finance and hospitality, I recognised that this qualification would provide me with the specialised skills and knowledge needed to navigate the financial complexities of the sector.
Additionally, HOSPA’s industry‑recognised certification is highly valued, and I saw it as an opportunity to strengthen my credibility and open doors to new career opportunities.
The HOSPA Finance Management qualification has significantly improved my ability to make data‑driven financial decisions in my current role. Alongside my Accounting Degree, HOSPA has given me a much deeper understanding of budgeting, cost control, and revenue management, which has helped me contribute more effectively to my organisation’s financial planning and performance analysis."
Laura Spigno, Finance Graduate, Leonardo Hotels.
"My aspirations were to grow and develop my knowledge in the wider financial business of hospitality, and Leonardo Hotels has a long history working alongside HOSPA in the development of its people, so I was keen to take the opportunity to further my own skills."
"The course gave me an increased level of confidence not just in my own role, but that of my wider team and direct managers, allowing me to realise how the role I have links in with, supports and contributes to the wider set of finances and accounts."
"Finance is so far reaching and so much more in depth than I ever realised, and through this course it gave me a huge amount of knowledge, but also the confidence to ask the questions I never knew I wanted to ask. Anyone wanting to build a career in Hospitality should put themselves forward and take this learning. Its not without its challenges, but isn’t that what learning and developing is all about."
Cristina Nartea, Senior Purchasing Officer, Leonardo Hotels.
Revenue Management:
“I am pulling ideas from the course that are helping input knowledge into my team as there are some great examples of why we need to do things a certain way and by seeing it in practice it helps with the understanding.
Though my background is predominantly events and reservations, I am looking to use the added knowledge to look at the different areas on the estate and within each business to see how my skills can help develop each area.”
Zena Carter, Revenue Manager, Farncombe Estate
"I would advise anyone with an interest in the hospitality industry to study with Hospa. The information is so interesting and can be applied almost straight away into your current role. The study materials are very well written and Hospa is very supportive the entire way through the studying journey."
Finley Taberham-Heys, Reception Manager, Best Western Royal Chase Hotel
Charlotte, "It’s amazing how much you gain from these kinds of courses. You realise that investing in yourself is the best decision you can make."
For Charlotte, the skills learned were not just theoretical—they translated into real‑world value for her career.
Lisa, who had similar thoughts, noted that the program’s structure and consistent support played a pivotal role in helping her stay on track.
"While we were working independently, there was never a feeling of being left alone. We always had meetings, feedback, and support. It made the process feel manageable," she explained.
"The program gave me the tools to think critically and approach challenges with a different mindset. I can see how the improvements I’ve made have benefitted my company," Lisa shared. Both individuals acknowledge that the course has equipped them with more than just technical knowledge—they now possess the confidence to apply what they’ve learned and drive meaningful change in their work.
Charlotte Adamson & Lisa Kozakova, Inn Collection Group
Asset Management:
"I wanted to expand my knowledge beyond pricing and demand management to gain a deeper understanding of hotel investment, asset value, and financial performance. I recognised that having a broader commercial perspective would help me make more informed decisions and contribute more strategically to the business. The HOSPA Foundation Certificate provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen my financial and investment management knowledge within a hospitality-specific context."
"The support throughout the programme was excellent. The learning materials were clear and accessible, and there was guidance available whenever clarification was needed. The online resources and structured approach helped me stay on track and maintain momentum throughout the course."
"While revenue management often focuses on short term optimisation, the course encouraged me to consider longer term financial implications, profitability, return on investment, and asset performance. This has strengthened my ability to contribute to commercial discussions and strategic decision making."
"One example was during our budgeting and forecasting process. The financial analysis techniques I learned enabled me to better assess the impact of revenue strategies on overall profitability rather than simply focusing on top line revenue growth. This allowed me to provide more commercially balanced recommendations."
"The programme provides valuable knowledge that can benefit professionals across all hospitality disciplines, whether they work in revenue management, operations, finance, sales, or general management. It broadens your commercial understanding and helps you see the bigger picture behind business decisions."
Bernadette Dennel, Cluster Revenue Manager at Legacy Hotels & Resorts.
"For me, the course was to add to my overall hospitality awareness. I am involved in a new start-up which will be a mix of new build and renovation of existing properties, so being able to understand, review and critique financial reports from existing hotels has been useful.
I recommend the HOSPA Revenue Management and Asset Management foundation level courses for any IT Director / CTO / CIO level people as it will give you a better view on how commercial business decisions are made. Often it is a forgotten and an underrated area for owners and operators, to their major detriment as soon as IT change needs to happen."
Fergus Boyd, Business Advisor, IP Dividual.
Short Term Rental:
"Our cohort of 13 delegates had a fantastic experience on the HOSPA Revenue Management for Vacation Rentals course, with clear, seamless communication throughout and highly engaging sessions and modules that the team thoroughly enjoyed. It has proven to be a great investment in their development, strengthening both capability and confidence in revenue management across the business."
Stella Hart, Head of Product & Commercial at Villa Plus.
