Les Roches to incubate UNWTO Winning Start-Ups for “Awake Tourism Challenge”
Marbella, Spain – Crans-Montana, Switzerland - The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced the winners of the “Awake Tourism Challenge”, celebrating the start-ups that are reshaping the sector in every global region. The winning start-ups will be offered an incubation period of three months at SPARK Crans-Montana, the Innovation Hub of Les Roches Global Hospitality Education who partnered with the competition.
The Challenge was the second edition of the UNWTO Global Start-up Competition focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Entrants were judged on how they are contributing to the development of an inclusive, resilient and sustainable tourism sector, with a focus on six core themes:
- Local Community Involvement
- Green and Blue Economies
- Ecological and Sustainable Capital Creation
- Tourism Tech for Good
- Tourism Education
- Women Empowerment
Tourism start-ups have the power and agility to transform the sector in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The winners of the UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge all have the potential to help build a more inclusive and resilient sector and we look forward to supporting them as they grow in size and influence. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili
Winners from every global region
The competition attracted more than 2,000 entrants from 120 countries worldwide. The most submissions were from Europe, the Americas and Africa, followed by Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East. From these, an expert jury selected 30 finalists and then 15 winners.
Reflecting the broad talent of the global tourism sector, the winning start-ups are Coastruction (the Netherlands), Noytrall (Portugal), SmArt Tourism and Hospitality Consulting (Panama), Quantum Temple (USA), Socialbnb (Germany), Instituto de Accesibilidad (Spain), Kamatjona (Namibia), Baahdy & Birdy (Norway), WeavAir (Singapore), r3charge (Germany), Impact Innovations Institute (Armenia), NomadHer (South Korea), Murmuration (France), Evelity by Okeenea Digital (France) and Accessible Qatar (Qatar). The projects were recognized for offering innovative service with high customer value, most notably with high levels of youth engagement and the involvement of local communities. Start-ups were also recognized for their use of technology to monitor and manage the environmental impact of tourism activity. More information on the winners and finalists be found on the competition website.
A winning network
The winning start-ups will be offered an incubation period of three months at SPARK Crans-Montana, the Innovation Hub of Les Roches from the Sommet Education group, where they will be participating in mentorships, networking activities and have access to a VR lab, Digital Studio, and a dedicated co-working space. In addition, they will also receive scholarships for the UNWTO Tourism Online Academy, be included in the UNWTO Catalogue of top innovators, be featured in a global communications campaign to showcase each winner and invited for mentorships with project partners.
We are thrilled to welcome the winning start-ups on our campuses; support and nurture their talents so they can transform their ideas and creativity in concrete services and products that will impact the way we all live and travel tomorrow in a sustainable way. Carlos Díez de la Lastra, Chief Executive Officer Les Roches
Innovation as priority
In 2020, Les Roches has made innovation one of its main education priority and created Spark, an innovation sphere encompassing applied research projects with students, faculty & companies, pre-incubation and incubation of start-ups, spaces dedicated to innovation on its campuses (VR Lab, Incubation, Coworking, Culinary Lab & more), events & conferences, challenges and testing projects.
Today, Spark holds 70 hospitality, tech and public institutions partners, works on more than 100 applied research projects, and incubates more than 50 start-ups holding 10 events per year creating a unique innovation network in Hospitality.
About Les Roches
Les Roches is a bespoke experience to educate tomorrow's leaders in hospitality. Founded in 1954 in Switzerland, Les Roches offers undergraduate, graduate degrees and executive programs in Luxury, Hospitality and Tourism Management. Les Roches has campuses across Switzerland, Spain, UAE and China, as well as partner campus in near New Delhi.
Les Roches ranks in the top 5 in the world's higher education institutions for hospitality and leisure management (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024).
Part of Sommet Education, worldwide leader in hospitality education, Les Roches is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
For more information and registration, please visit https://lesroches.edu/campuses/abu-dhabi.
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi's culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi's wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate's position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate's potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture, creative and tourism industries.
DCT Abu Dhabi's vision is defined by the emirate's people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi's status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.
For more information about the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the destination, please visit: dctabudhabi.ae and visitabudhabi.ae
Anouck Weiss
Chief Communication Officer, Sommet Education
Les Roches
