
Sustainable Hospitality Challenge
The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge (SHC) is a Hotelschool The Hague initiative launched in 2014. Originally founded under the name Genio Worldwide Innovation Summit, the challenge has recently re-established itself by making sustainability its central theme.
This global student competition annually brings together hospitality leaders and the next generation of hoteliers who apply innovation in addressing the industry’s evolution. With over 40 participating universities from around the globe and over 20 nationalities represented, the SHC offers them the chance to re-imagine the future of hospitality.
Participants from top-tier universities work towards bettering the planet and the hospitality industry by establishing innovative and sustainable solutions. The students are given the incredible opportunity to present on a global stage in front of significant industry leaders such as NEOM, The Bench, and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, who can turn their ideas into real projects.
Established as a platform that challenges innovative hospitality approaches for the last eight years, SHC has evolved into a global knowledge-based initiative supported by the world’s best-known hospitality brands, global hospitality project developers, and smart cities.
Theme 2022
This year’s Sustainable Hospitality Challenge aims to inspire and motivate students to create innovative sustainable concepts. The challenge is widely inspired by the principal sponsor NEOM, a region in northwest Saudi Arabia being built from the ground up that promotes a new model for sustainable living.
For the 2022 case with the theme “Remote”, participating students are tasked to develop sustainable solutions based on their choice of dimension. This can be either a) “The NEOM hospitality concept of 2030”, a sustainable hospitality concept in a remote area, or b) “The NEOM hospitality concept of 2030”, social sustainability in a remote area.
The 2022 case was created with the support of the SHC ambassador Marloes Knippenberg (CEO, Kerten Hospitality), Chris Newman (Executive Director of Hotel Development, NEOM), Colin Abercrombie (Strategy Director of Hotel Development, NEOM), Carlos Martin-Rios (Associate Professor of Management, École Hôtelière de Lausanne) and other industry executives.

News
Cornell University finalists win the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge at the Future Hospitality Summit

News
Five questions about sustainability & travel with Erwin Verhoog, SHC jury member

News
The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge announces finalists at the Hotel Sofitel Legend the Grand in Amsterdam

News
Get ready for the finals of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge

News
The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge launches its 2022 Case

News
École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) finalists win the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge at AHIC
See more
Blog posts
SHC Jury members

Marloes Knippenberg
CEO, Kerten Hospitality

Chris Newman
Executive Director of Hotel Development, NEOM

Dirk Bakker
CEO & Head of EMEA Hotels, Colliers

Tim Cordon
Senior Area VP Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group

Haitham Mattar
Managing Director MEA, SouthWest Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts

Wolfgang Neumann
Chairman, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

Jochem-Jan Sleiffer
President Middle East, Africa & Turkey, Hilton

Sandeep Walia
COO Middle East, Marriott International

Mark Descrozaille
COO India, Middle East & Africa, Accor

Dimitris Manikis
President & Managing Director EMEA, WYNDHAM hotels & resorts













Get in touch with us!

Do you have some questions or would you like to ask something about the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge?
