Insights from Hotelschool The Hague

At Hotelschool The Hague, one of the leading hospitality management schools in the Netherlands, professors such as Dr Alexander Schmidt and Dr Anna de Visser-Amundson are at the forefront of preparing future leaders for the ever-changing challenges in the hotel industry. Hotelvak spoke to both professors about their profession, the challenges and their students. 

Dr Schmidt highlighted the increasing pressure on the hotel industry to adapt to changing market demands and environmental concerns. "The landscape of hospitality is changing rapidly, driven by sustainability and digitalisation," Schmidt said. "Our curriculum is constantly evolving to integrate these aspects, so that our students are not only competent in managing hotels, but also equipped to develop and lead sustainable initiatives."

At Hotelschool The Hague, Dr Alexander Schmidt is pioneering a new approach to hospitality education, combining technology with traditional learning to prepare students for the industry's rapidly evolving landscape. With a background in disruptive innovation, Schmidt has a particular focus on how emerging technologies can redefine the hospitality industry.

"We collect and analyse more and more data to make decisions and improve hospitality operations to be more sustainable," Schmidt describes, emphasising the need to use technology to improve sustainability in hotels. Schmidt sees technology not just as a tool, but as an opportunity that is transforming the entire industry, making it more sustainable and efficient.

Furthermore, Dr Schmidt believes in the power of learning through real experiences. He stresses, "We collaborate with our industry partners for these projects. The hands-on approach not only makes learning more relevant but also ensures that students solve real problems within industry, giving them a tangible impact even before they graduate."

Dr De Visser-Amundson concurs, emphasising the need for innovation in customer service and business models. "The traditional hotel experience is being redefined by guest expectations with unique and personalised services," she explains. "At Hotelschool The Hague, we integrate real-world case studies and real-world case studies in collaboration with the industry to give our students a direct view of these innovations."

The challenges in the industry are therefore multi-faceted; from digital disruption, which has introduced new competitors such as Airbnb, to the increasing importance of crisis management skills as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Schmidt identifies how these crises have reshaped educational priorities. "Crisis management and resilience have been included in our curriculum. The pandemic was a wake-up call that in the hospitality industry, adaptability is as crucial as any other skill."

Sustainability is another area where Hotelschool The Hague is taking important steps. Dr De Visser-Amundson highlights several initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental impact of hotels. "We are committed to teaching sustainability in all facets of hotel management. Our students participate in projects on waste reduction, energy conservation and promoting local biodiversity," she says.

Dr De Visser-Amundson additionally discusses the importance of incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Hotelschool The Hague's curriculum. "Incorporating SDGs is crucial to prepare our students to address global challenges within the hospitality industry. We aim not only to make them aware of these goals, but also to equip them with the tools and knowledge to actively contribute to sustainable initiatives," she explains. This approach highlights the school's commitment to training responsible managers who can make a positive impact in our field.

She also mentioned the problem of food waste within the hospitality industry, highlighting the essence of sustainable initiatives. "Reducing food waste is not only a moral obligation but also a practical necessity for modern businesses within the hospitality industry. By integrating waste reduction into the curriculum, we ensure that our students can be at the forefront of sustainability initiatives," she explains. This focus on the practical application of waste reduction techniques, for example, is part of the broader sustainability initiatives at Hotelschool The Hague, all aimed at cultivating environmentally conscious business practices.

Both lecturers also stress the importance of diversity management in the curriculum, reflecting the global nature of the hotel industry. Says Dr Schmidt: "With students from more than 60 nationalities, our school is a microcosm of the industry. Understanding and managing cultural diversity is an essential skill that we nurture."

Despite all the challenges, both professors are optimistic about the future of the industry and the role of education in shaping it. Dr De Visser-Amundson concludes, "By addressing these challenges directly and integrating them into our educational approach, we are preparing a new generation of hoteliers who are not only ready to lead, but also capable of being successful in the hospitality industry."

At the heart of the future of the Dutch hotel industry lies the pioneering work of Hotelschool The Hague, particularly through initiatives such as the Hospitality, Tourism, Innovation & Technology (HTIT) knowledge platform. Led by Dr Alexander Schmidt and his team, this platform profiles itself as a pioneering force in the integration of technological innovation in hospitality and tourism.

The HTIT platform, under the wings of Hotelschool The Hague, is a partnership that has received a significant boost with a €100,000 grant from the SIA (Regieorgaan Praktijkgericht Onderzoek SIA). This initiative brings together experts from five Dutch universities of applied sciences, with the aim of creating a world-renowned knowledge and innovation centre in the sector.

Dr Schmidt discusses the ambitious goals of the HTIT platform, focusing on leveraging the "interdisciplinary nature" of the Dutch hospitality and tourism sector to generate significant societal impacts through emerging technological innovations. This approach includes a diverse group of more than 30 professors and researchers working on a unified research agenda encompassing scenario planning, engineering, disruptive transformations and digital transformation.

Moreover, this platform is not just an academic venture, but a practical one that reaches deep into the heart of the industry. It aims to promote technology-driven social impact, creating a network that includes the Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality Expertise Centre (CELTH), Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) and more than 50 SMEs. This extensive network underlines the commitment to ensure that technological innovations are translated into practical applications, for the benefit of a wide range of stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism sector.

Dr Schmidt passionately articulates the platform's vision: "We are the first initiative to unite professors from Dutch Hospitality and tourism schools with a wide range of researchers and industry partners. Together, we will engage in practice-oriented research into the potential of technological innovation in Hospitality and tourism." This declaration reflects the holistic and integrative approach Hotelschool The Hague advocates to prepare its students for the future.

By focusing on such innovative platforms, Hotelschool The Hague not only addresses the immediate educational needs of its students, but also aligns itself with broader industry trends that require technological proficiency and sustainability. Through these efforts, the school sets a benchmark for Hospitality education, emphasising that the future of the industry depends as much on technology and innovation as it does on traditional skills in Hospitality management.

Hotelschool The Hague has set up a unique educational project involving beekeeping on the roofs of their campuses in Amsterdam and The Hague. Since 2019, the "Bee Ambassador" course enables students and staff to get hands-on with bee colonies, learning about bee biology, hive management and honey extraction. This initiative not only teaches about sustainability and biodiversity but also serves as a metaphor for interconnected systems in nature and the hospitality industry. Dr Anna de Visser-Amundson supports such innovative approaches and emphasises the need for the hospitality industry to respond creatively and responsibly to global challenges. "Integrating practical sustainability initiatives into our curriculum prepares our students to think critically and act conscientiously in their professional lives," she notes.

The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge 2024, organised by Hotelschool The Hague, is an initiative that puts sustainability and innovation at the heart of the hospitality industry. This annual global student competition attracts participants from more than 70 universities and colleges, who have the opportunity to present their innovative and sustainable solutions through Dragons' Den-style pitches to a jury of directors and CEOs. The competition emphasises the development of products that can transform the hospitality industry, with a focus on creating immediate impact within existing concepts.

The competition expands this year with semi-finals in three locations, including Montreux, Bangkok and Miami, in collaboration with local educational institutions. The final will take place in Dubai, as part of the Future Hospitality Summit. Key partners such as NEOM, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Mews, UN Tourism, World Travel & Tourism Council and The Bench are supporting this initiative, which aims to cultivate disruptive thinking and substantial sustainable change within the industry. 

For more information on the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge 2024 >>