Nine leading hotel management schools gathered in Manchester, England, last weekend for the launch of an international campaign from Park Inn by Radisson that aims to drive innovation around the company’s guest experience whilst supporting the Youth Career Initiative (YCI) for young people at risk of unemployment.
The ‘INNovation Room’ is a new program designed to unlock and nurture creativity among hotel management school students. This initiative demonstrates the company’s continuing commitment to cultivating talent in the hospitality sector.
The INNovation Room is a competition for groups of students to pitch ideas to a panel of judges, with the aim of creating a more innovative guest experience at the Park Inn by Radisson hotels. Top hotel management schools from around the world are represented from countries including the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, United Arab Emirates, and the USA.
The company flew in the student teams for a three-day brainstorm and brand immersion session. Each team pitched three ideas to the INNovation Room panel, comprising senior management from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and Siri Gomnæs Børsum, Industry Leader at Google, who has worked at the company for nine years in a travel-related capacity.
The panel then selected one idea that each team must develop into a full concept document by mid-November. The five strongest ideas will be put to a public vote on 21 November at www.parkinn.com/innovationroom. A shortlist of two will then be pitched to the panel to identify the final winner.
Rose Anderson, Vice President Branding Park Inn by Radisson, Radisson Blu and Quorvus Collection said: “Guests are at the heart of everything we do as a brand and we are constantly looking to enhance the guest experience. Our INNovation Room campaign will work with some of the brightest minds from the world’s most prestigious hospitality schools to further our commitment to creating unique and memorable guest experiences.”
For each public vote, a donation of $1 will be made to Youth Career Initiative up to a maximum total amount of $25,000. This charity represents the hotel industry’s global solution to youth unemployment, of which Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is a lead partner. This is in line with the brand’s responsible business program, Adding Color To Lives, that aims to build long term relationships with young people at risk locally, with a focus on developing work and personal skills and on organizing joint community projects.
Fran Hughes, Director, International Tourism Partnership, added “We are really excited about the INNovation Room initiative from Park Inn by Radisson and delighted that the company has chosen to support our Youth Career Initiative (YCI) program.
“It is through the support of hotel partners like Park Inn by Radisson that we are able to help hundreds of disadvantaged young people every year build the skills and self-confidence they need to embark on their careers in hospitality.”
