The world is slowly opening up again. As COVID-19 restrictions gradually ease up, the demand for travel is expected to increase. Those who have had to undergo lockdown are eager to ensure that their previously unrealized travel plans resume in the new normal.

With growing concerns all over the world regarding health and cleanliness, customers want assurance that their safety is given the utmost priority and recent surveys support this. An Oracle Hospitality & Skift Research Report from July 2020 revealed that 71% of guests prefer staying at a hotel with self-serving tech, while a recent Metova Fall Survey revealed that 86% of its respondents prefer hotels with fully contactless services over ones that don’t. Besides implementing and communicating proper health and safety protocols, many businesses have responded to this concern by investing in touch-free technologies.  Features like mobile concierges, mobile apps, self-service kiosks for check-ins and check-outs and voice-activated AI in rooms are expected to become mainstays in many establishments in 2021 and beyond.

On the other hand, to address the issue of  more efficient service, many establishments have begun investing in automated, cloud-based management systems to further streamline their operations. Utilizing these systems means that there is less time spent on tasks like manual data entry, leading to fewer errors and more synergized day-to-day operations. These systems also allow the staff to do what they do best: catering to guests and creating more meaningful experiences for them.

At Les Roches, we have always made it our priority to prepare our students for the inevitable integration of technology and the hospitality industry. That’s why we created the Spark Innovation Hub: the heart of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Located in our Crans Montana campus, Spark is a global hub that was created to foster revolutionary ideas from students and entrepreneurs alike. Its main goal: to develop disruptive solutions for businesses that put customers first, to inspire students to revolutionize the industry, and to provide pre-incubation and incubation for  startups with groundbreaking potential.

With an emphasis on technological and professional development, Spark aims to develop and inspire generations of future entrepreneurs and hoteliers with the latest technologies that the industry has to offer – starting with our very own students. Here’s how:

 

It Starts With the Learning Environment.

Innovation and entrepreneurship have always been an integral part of the Les Roches Way of Life. We designed Spark with the same approach – every conference, event and experiment at the Hub is designed to awaken creativity and unconventional ideas. At the living laboratories, experiential learning is key: everyone – students, alumni, and industry professionals – is invited to test the industry’s latest innovations and solutions to improve and refine the future of hospitality.

 

It Connects Students  with Top Industry Leaders.

Spark aims to inspire the Les Roches student body by having them learn directly from professionals. Students are regularly invited to participate in events and conferences where notable alumni and industry leaders share their expertise and insights, analyze market trends, and discuss the impact of technology on the industry. These also serve as networking events, where students can connect directly with the most creative minds in the industry.

 

Experience Will Be the Best Teacher.

At Les Roches, we believe that immersing our students in real-world experiences is the best way to help them develop forward-thinking ideas and skills, and to ignite their passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. Our industry partners encourage our students to flex their creative muscles by providing them with commercial cases and real world challenges that they can solve, to better refine their professional competencies.

 

Spark Stands with Industry Trailblazers.

At Spark, dreams can finally be made into a reality. We at Les Roches believe in fostering creative, groundbreaking entrepreneurial ideas. In order to foster the next generation of industry trailblazers, Spark provides the best startups with pre-incubation and incubation services at the Marbella and Crans Montana campuses. Here, students will be provided with opportunities to pitch their own revolutionary entrepreneurial ideas to gain support so that  new businesses and ideas are given the chance to thrive.

 

According to the Managing Director of Les Roches Marbella, Carlos Díez de la Lastra, Spark intertwines “the talent of our alumni, students and professionals from more than 90 countries with the interests and needs of a sector that requires, today more than ever, to bet on technology as a way to grow. Our graduates will be vital players in this new digital ecosystem of hospitality and tourism”.

 

No matter what challenges come, we believe that the Hospitality industry can easily adapt and  maintain its legacy of exemplary service by utilizing the right technologies and forward-thinking innovation. At Les Roches, we believe that Spark will continue this legacy from within our own campuses by developing entrepreneurs that break boundaries and challenge the status quo, and will continue to do this for generations to come.