EUROPE: The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge (SHC) by Hotelschool The Hague has launched its 10th edition with more than 70 universities participating worldwide.
The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge champions sustainable impact through collaboration and each year students from diverse disciplines present investable products ready for market integration, with the platform aiming to promote, create, and stimulate investments in sustainable solutions for hospitality.
This year’s focus centres on product development, addressing the evolving landscape of hospitality.
Paul Griep, director of industry & alumni relations Hotelschool The Hague and founder of Sustainable Hospitality Challenge said: “In recent years, our focus has been on pioneering ground-breaking hospitality concepts for a future in and beyond 2050. This year, we shift gears to create an immediate impact within existing hospitality concepts.
“By simplifying the case, we open doors to diverse ideas and solutions, fostering an environment where multiple innovations can come to life.”
This year the challenge is also trialling an “incubator programme” which will support students and their ideas once the challenge is over.
The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge is also expanding its semi-finals to three global events, collaborating with local institutions with a longstanding presence in the challenge.
The semi-finals, which will be held from late April to the end of May, will take place in Montreux, Switzerland, in collaboration with the Swiss Hotel Management School; in Bangkok, Thailand, in conjunction with DUSIT Thani College; and in Miami, Florida, USA, in partnership with Florida International University.
The expansion offers more student teams the opportunity to showcase their ideas globally and connect with peers and jury members from around the world.
The top-performing teams will advance to the Finals in October 2024 in Dubai, UAE, which form part of the Future Hospitality Summit.
This year the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is also part of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge in an effort to foster greater inclusion in the industry.
Last year’s winners were the team from Politecnico di Milan for their groundbreaking concept, HÒSTRAKA.
Hòstraka is a floating resort dedicated to sustainable diving and sea experiences, and is leading the way in protecting marine ecosystems, while proving that sustainable lifestyles can coexist with exceptional marine adventure.
You can find out more about this year’s challenge here.
Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash