January 8, 2019 — The Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP) announced that 20 secondary and tertiary students from 10 countries presented research findings on Innovation in Tourism at the GTTP student/teacher conference in Nice, France in December 2018.
The students were selected as 2018 Student Research Competition winners out of approximately 1,000 entries. At the GTTP conference the pupils presented their case studies on inventive practices deployed by tourism-related companies in their countries to enrich the experience of holiday makers and business travelers.
The markets represented this year by the students and their accompanying teachers included: Brazil, mainland China, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, India, Jamaica, Russia, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Nancy Needham, Executive Director, GTTP, said: “The GTTP Student Research Competition encourages all pupils to develop an appreciation of the many exciting facets of travel and tourism in their homeland. This year’s research assignment into “Innovation in Tourism” drew a lot of thoughtful responses from students, particularly this year’s competition winners, who presented their findings at the GTTP student/teacher conference. Furthermore, at this annual event, the participating students learn about cultural aspects of other countries, make global connections that will last a lifetime, and increase their enthusiasm for careers in our industry.”
Amadeus, a GTTP Partner, provided the conference facilities at its Executive Briefing Centre in Sophia Antipolis.
Marriott International, also a GTTP Partner, donated meals and hotel rooms for the students and teachers at Le Méridien, Nice. The delegates also visited “behind the scenes” of Le Méridien to obtain first-hand knowledge of how the hotel provides a top-notch guest experience.
The students and teachers arrived in Nice on the French Riviera on December 1st. Before the conference took place they enjoyed a tour of the local area and a day’s visit to Monaco, in groups of mixed geographies so that the attendees could have fun getting to know their peers from other countries.
Student competition entrants research GTTP-assigned topics, which vary year to year. Working in teams, the students develop their skills in research, analytics, and communications, all of which are essential for a successful career in travel and tourism.
This competition – now in its 19th year – is sponsored by the GTTP’s Global Partners and the Aldo Papone Endowment. The current Global Partners are Amadeus, American Express, Carlson Family Foundation, CWT, dnata, Hertz, HRG, KDS, Marriott International, Travelport, and World Travel and Tourism Council. Their executives serve on GTTP’s Advisory Board.
