Four original research articles received top marks from a panel of expert judges in the Spring 2023 edition of the HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Student Blog Competition. Written by students in the MS Global Hospitality Business program, winning topics this semester include: an exploration of total revenue management; leveraging the metaverse for event risk management; the potential of Blockchain technology to boost African tourism; and the use of AI-powered chatbots and virtual concierge services to elevate the guest experience.
About the HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Student Blog Competition: This project is sponsored each academic semester by the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) Foundation and held for students participating in the Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business, a partnership between the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and EHL. Each semester, participating students are asked to focus on a critical hospitality industry topic and submit their study as a blog article. Upon completion, a group of judges from HFTP, including industry experts and leaders, review and vote for the competition winners.
In this round, judges identified four top-scoring blog posts to be published on HFTP Connect blog over the course of the next three months:
First Place: "Total Revenue Management and the Mi$$ed Opportunities" by Katerina Papadima
Second Place (tied):"The Future of Event Risk Management: Leveraging the Power of the Metaverse" by Juliette Girardin and "The Potential of Blockchain Technology in Boosting African Tourism" by Obiora Ndili
Third Place: "Revolutionizing Hospitality: How AI-powered Chatbots and Virtual Concierge Services Elevate the Guest Experience" by Nina Drager
The students who received top scores on their blog posts also received a free, annual HFTP Young Professional Membership (valued at $200 USD) to continue their professional development, education and networking with the association in the early part of their career. Congratulations to all the students who participated in the HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Student Blog Competition this semester! Please visit blog.hftp.org in the coming months to read the winning blog posts.