In May 2023, three BOSC 6 students enrolled in EHL Hospitality Business School were given the opportunity to attend the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) in Dubai as part of EHL\’s Educational Travel Program.
This article originally appeared on EHL Insights.
In May 2023, three BOSC 6 students enrolled in EHL Hospitality Business School, namely Matei Testa, Timo Kaiser, and Sophia Schütte, were given the opportunity to attend the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) in Dubai as part of EHL’s Educational Travel Program. In the following blog post, they reflect on their journey and share valuable insights about the event.
EHL’s Educational Travel Program brought us on a trip to the lively city of Dubai to attend the highly anticipated HITEC Conference. We took advantage of this excellent opportunity to immerse ourselves in the Middle Eastern hospitality and technology industry for three unforgettable days. The HITEC Conference, which is part of The Hotel Show, has established itself as a flagship event for the Middle Eastern hospitality industry, bringing together industry leaders through incisive panels, talks and seminars. In this blog post, we share our firsthand experiences and shed light on the important issues driving the future of this ever-changing industry.
We had the pleasure of working with the outstanding team from Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) throughout our time in Dubai, who expertly handled the planning of this remarkable event. We were fortunate enough to actively participate in the conference, attending captivating keynotes and insightful discussions, while also assisting with various supportive and administrative responsibilities behind the scenes.
The HITEC Conference features high-level conversations on how technology can be leveraged to enhance revenue generation. It also addressed the emergence of new challenges in the hospitality business, with a focus on three primary topics that are extremely important to the future of this industry: artificial intelligence, green technology and big data.
We were able to network with attendees and speakers between panel discussions and after the conference. These interactions gave us an invaluable opportunity to expand our professional network, particularly among industry professionals mainly from the UAE. We truly felt the power of the EHL family, despite being thousands of kilometers from our familiar Lausanne campus. We felt welcomed at all times and were introduced to possible job opportunities in emerging hospitality companies from the Middle East.
Undoubtedly, this Educational Travel Program has had a profound impact on us. It broadened our horizons by exposing us to new knowledge and inspiration and provided us with valuable connections. These connections, forged with industry experts and like-minded individuals, will shape our professional lives.
Returning to the question, is technology the answer to everything? The answer is an unequivocal NO. While technical developments are critical for the hospitality sector, especially with regard to becoming more sustainable, our experience underscored the importance of human interaction in hospitality. Although technology can potentially substitute for human interaction in specific hotel contexts, it cannot completely replace it. We saw how technology is being harnessed to enhance efficiency and the guest experience: analyzing big data allows hoteliers to gather more insight and thus proactively customize their guests’ journey. However, we recognized that hospitality professionals’ warmth, empathy, and individualized care remain invaluable and irreplaceable. The human touch makes guests feel appreciated and leaves an indelible impression on them.
We would like to thank EHL and HFTP for making this opportunity possible for us students!