Barbados/The Hague, May 2024
Hotelschool The Hague (HTH) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) have announced a partnership to ignite sustainable practices and innovation across the global tourism landscape. This collaboration expands the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge (SHC) into the Caribbean region, broadening the platform’s reach.
Globally recognised for inspiring students to develop inventive solutions to sustainability challenges in hospitality, SHC is set to bring its impactful competition to the Caribbean. This expansion leverages the region’s unique cultural diversity and perspectives, enriching the competition and sparking new innovative solutions.
Through this collaboration, SHC seeks to create an inclusive space for students worldwide to present their ideas and contribute to the sustainable tourism dialogue. With SHC’s extensive network alongside the CTO’s commitment to positioning the Caribbean as a premier travel destination and its dedication to leading sustainable tourism initiatives, this initiative promises Caribbean students a stage to exhibit their tourism expertise on a global scale.
This collaboration between HTH/SHC and CTO signals their shared dedication to driving innovation and sustainability within the hospitality industry. It aims to empower future leaders to foster positive change and build a sustainable legacy for generations to come.
“We are delighted to witness the expansion of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge into the Caribbean region,” says Paul Griep, Director of Alumni & Industry Relations at Hotelschool The Hague and founder of SHC.
“Personally, I am thrilled by SHC’s extension into such a culturally rich and diverse region. At SHC, we firmly believe that the best innovations can originate from anyone, anywhere. We aim to offer every student worldwide the opportunity to share their ideas. With its abundance of tourism knowledge, the Caribbean region provides an ideal environment for nurturing innovative solutions. We eagerly anticipate the contributions that students from the Caribbean will bring to the table.”
“Partnering on such an initiative marks a significant stride for CTO, amplifying our ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of Caribbean tourism leaders,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, CTO’s Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer. “This collaboration not only reinforces our dedication to engaging future leaders in tourism-related activities but also underscores our alignment with global and regional sustainability initiatives,” she continued. The CTO leader noted that the organisations are poised to catalyse the development of innovative, resilient, equitable and sustainable tourism products that resonate on a local and global scale.
This new endeavour builds upon CTO’s past and present youth development programs. These programs include the CTO Student Colloquium, which targets tertiary-level students from the Caribbean, and the CTO Regional Youth Congress for secondary school students between the ages of 14 and 17. Notably, for the first time, the Caribbean will be represented at the SHC, with a team from the University of the West Indies Mona Campus participating in the semifinals in Miami from May 22-24, 2024.
About Caribbean Tourism Organization
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is the region’s leading tourism development agency, representing the diverse interests of 24 Caribbean countries and territories. CTO promotes sustainable tourism development and fosters cooperation among member countries to enhance the region’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.
About Hotelschool The Hague
Hotelschool The Hague is one of the oldest independent hotel schools in the world, with two campuses in The Netherlands, one in The Hague and one in Amsterdam, and more than 2850 students and 250 employees. The school offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management, a Fast-Track Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management, a 13-month Master of Business Administration in International Hospitality Management, a Master in Leading Hotel Transformation, and a Professional Doctorate Programme in Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality.