The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, an initiative by Hotelschool The Hague, is a platform that allows hospitality students to create and showcase innovative concepts, present them to decision-makers from the investment community with winners having the opportunity to turn a project into reality.

On 22nd September, the six finalists – Hotelschool The Hague, Hotel Institute Montreux, Hotel Management School Maastricht Zuyd, École hôtelière de Lausanne, Ryerson University, CY Cergy Paris University – presented their concepts and ideas in front of a C-Suite jury and 700+ industry leaders during the Arabian & African Hospitality Investment Conference in Dubai.

The winning team EHL students Eve Mignot, Lukas Lauber and Stefano Abedum de Lima Hanzawa, developed the outline of a business model called SEVCCO (Shared Economic Value through Co-living Cooperative Opportunities), based on incorporating sustainability in communal living, centralised and operated by hospitality companies, for which they see immense potential in growing cities.

Here is what the winners say of their concept: “We want to help redefine the hospitality industry by reducing the negative impact of our society’s unsustainable consumption habits and by alleviating global loneliness by leveraging the efficiencies and the social aspect of community living. Our concept involves creating co-living environments called SEVCCO with an infrastructure that promotes social interaction and sustainability through the sharing of resources. We want the hospitality industry to become a pioneer and torchbearer with regards to sustainability; paving the way towards a carbon neutral society benefitting all stakeholders along the value chain.”

The Alliance is proud to support the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge and the future decision-makers as they discover innovative ways in which the hospitality industry can stand up for the planet. Wolfgang M. Neumann, Chairman, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, is a leading supporter of the event. He said: “Responsible travel recovery, impactful leadership and resilience in all planet-affecting initiatives are critical for the industry and the planet. All decision-makers need to collectively ensure that together we support the future leaders in building sustainable growth.” We would like to thank our partners Hotelschool The Hague, Bench as well as the sponsor for this years’ challenge NEOM for their continued support in making the event a success.

Read more about the event here.