IFTM Students Boost Local Social Enterprise Through Entrepreneurship Course Project
Students from the Culinary Arts Management Programme of the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM), under the guidance of Dr. Fernando Lourenço, the mentor of the Entrepreneurship Programme, have made significant strides through an industrial project with "Dream of Sexagenarian 60" [甲子園美食], a unique restaurant operated mainly by elderly individuals.
The "Dream of Sexagenarian 60" [甲子園美食] is a social enterprise that embodies the concept of re-employment for the elderly and is managed by the Macao Special Olympics (澳門特殊奧運會), which operates F&B outlets and has been playing an instrumental role in fostering societal understanding and recognition of the working capacity of older people.
The students conducted an extensive site inspection to the restaurant to gain insights into its design and location. They identified key elements of the restaurant's business through analysis and a promotional concept was developed to align with the restaurant.
The students developed and executed a three-part video campaign targeting a specific market segment. The campaign, published on popular platforms such as Douyin, TikTok, Little Red Book, BiliBili, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, garnered significant exposure with over 100,000 views, likes, comments, and shares collectively. The Head of Operations of this social enterprise, Mr, Neil Ieong, noted an upsurge of new customers visiting the restaurant during the period of the campaign, suggesting a noteworthy impact created by the students' work.
The Entrepreneurship course at IFTM aims to provide students with practical opportunities related to the course, while also contributing to local businesses. This project not only illuminated students with an understanding of the importance of marketing strategies within a business model, but also allowed them to develop and execute such strategies, enabling them to see the impact of their efforts first-hand.