arena4finance partners with US experts, Ascend, to offer HFTP certificates

Arena4finance is proud to introduce the arrival of a new online course for the hospitality industry: ‘A deep dive into the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI)’.

This demanding new course is offered in partnership with the US based association, the Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP), and their learning partners, Ascend led by the well-known hospitality finance educators, Arlene Ramirez and Agnes DeFranco.

The guide, the USALI, has been providing recommendations for the layout of management reports for the hospitality sector for almost 100 years. This new 16-week online course offered jointly by the teams at arena4finance and Ascend, has been designed to support all those seeking to strengthen their understanding of hotel management accounts and best practice for benchmarking with key performance indicator measurement.

Using our online platforms, learners will first have the opportunity to receive expert instruction and coaching from Debra Adams, founder of arena4finance, a UK based training consultancy specialising in accounting for the hospitality industry.

Debra will introduce learners to the financial statements used in the hospitality industry including how to read the management accounts and this knowledge will be developed with further expert online content from our partners at Ascend. This unique combination of expertise will prepare learners to take the three widely renowned certificates offered by HFTP: 1) Benchmarking Certificate; 2) USALI Theory Certificate and 3) USALI Practice Certificate. Successful completion provides industry wide recognition that participants have a deep level of understanding of the layouts and detail of hotel management accounting statements and accompanying ratios.

Debra Adams, founder of arena4finance, comments:

‘We are delighted and honoured to be able to offer this course in partnership with the world-renowned experts from Ascend and HFTP. This course is ideal not only for finance professionals entering the hospitality industry from other sectors but also for all those hospitality managers who want to become more competent and confident in interpreting the monthly reports and business data to improve agile decision making in an ever-changing economic environment’

Arlene Ramirez, co-principal Ascend, adds:

‘Ascend is excited that arena4finance has selected to incorporate the USALI Theory, USALI Practice and the Hospitality Benchmarking courses into their online offerings. We are confident that the combination of these courses, along with the curriculum developed by Debra Adams and her team will prove to be an excellent professional development option for anyone in the hospitality industry.’

The next course enrolment date is 8^th November 2021 – to reserve your place visit Arena 4 Finance - Online course: A deep dive into the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI)

About Ascend

Ascend focuses on delivering online learning, certification and in-person programs that are designed to address opportunities for professional growth within hospitality and service organizations. With over 60 years combined of both hospitality and education experience, their approach involves assessing the knowledge needs of the learner to develop engaging and interactive programs. An Ascend program provide opportunities for individuals to immediately apply their new knowledge and provide benefit to their organization. Ascend is based in Houston, Texas.

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with offices in the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Dubai. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with members and stakeholders spanning across the globe. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. It does this via its expert networks, research, certification programs, information resources and conferences/events such as HITEC. For more information about HFTP, email [email protected] or visit the HFTP website.