Hospitality Challenge: 30 Top Finalists Announced by UNWTO and Sommet Education

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Sommet Education have announced the 30 finalists of the Hospitality Challenge, an initiative designed to identify ideas and individuals capable of accelerating the recovery of the tourism sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Launched in June 2020, the Hospitality Challenge has received almost 600 applications from all around the world.

Out of the 600 applications, around 40 percent were submitted from the Americas, followed by Europe (30 percent), Africa and the Middle East (both 20 percent), Asia and the Pacific (10 percent).

“The tourism of tomorrow must embrace new ideas, new voices and the full diversity the sector has to offer. This competition highlights the best global tourism and hospitality has to offer. It shows how innovators from around the world can keep tourism, hospitality and travel at the very forefront of sustainable development and positive change for all,” said UNWTO Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili.

The 30 top finalists will be granted a full-board scholarship for Master’s, MBA’s, and postgraduate degree-level courses as well as specializations in 30 different hospitality, culinary and pastry art programs. All of them are hosted by Sommet Education’s internationally renowned institutions: Glion Institute of Higher Education, Les Roches, and École Ducasse.

“We are thrilled to welcome so many diversified talents in our institutions next year. The variety of backgrounds and profiles will be source of creativity and bring fresh perspectives to all.” Sommet Education CEO Benoît-Etienne Domenget said.

Photo source: UNWTO

Out of the following 30 selected finalists, the three winning projects will be announced in March 2021:

• “Chartok” – Hotel Collaboration Software
• “Coliving Hotels” – Medium and long-term shared housing rentals
• “Digital Butler” – Personalized guest assistance
• “Digital Concierge” – Digitalized guest experience
• “FirstClasset” – Asset model and payment process
• “Food safety and organic food production”
• “GauVendi” – Retail system
• “Go-Travel direct hotel booking club” – Data driven direct booking club
• “Hogaru” – Cleaning and facility management provider
• “Hosbot” – Digital Hospitality assistant
• “Hospitality Onlearning” – Online Hospitality learning platform
• “HUTS” – HR management support
• “Join F&B” – Recruitment of disabled people service
• “Komodore” – Guest management automation
• “Lemonade Social” – Experience driven e-commerce
• “Little Big Travel” – Experience travel provider
• “Luxury Origin” – Immersive customizable luxury experience
• “Mes Petites Feuilles” – Urban SmartFarming
• “Olappa Linens” – Sustainable linen
• “Recotrak” – Certification process for food donation
• “Searchef” – Food & Beverage sharing platform
• “Service Club Delivery” – Recruitment solution
• “SiliconBali” – Youth employability
• “Travel Seeds” – Sustainable on-line booking platform
• “TrekSecure” – Covid contagion response application
• “Tiptrip” – On-line guest comment management
• “Viridescent” – Eco-friendly on-line booking platform
• “Virtual Hospitality Research Platform” – Research Hospitality platform
• “Woof Together” – Standards in pet-friendly hospitality
• “Young Hotelier Network”- Social impact community integration

The three most entrepreneurial projects among the 30 winners will receive seed money from Eurazeo, the leading global investment group to which Sommet Education belongs.

More information on the winners can be found on the Hospitality Challenge website at https://learn.sommet-education.com/unwto-hospitality-challenge.html.