Graduate Students Produce Original Research for Fall 2023 Blog Competition, See the Winners

• 6 months ago
• Categories: Awards

Students in the MS Global Hospitality Business program submitted original research articles for the Fall 2023 edition of the HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Student Blog Competition. A panel of expert judges reviewed these submissions and ultimately, three students received top scores by exploring the unique industry topics of gamification, the wellness-centric hospitality trend, and the transformation of online reviews with Web3.

About the HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Student Blog Competition: This project is sponsored each academic semester by the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) Foundation and held for students participating in the Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business, a partnership between the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and EHL. Each semester, participating students are asked to focus on a critical hospitality industry topic and submit their study as a blog article. Upon completion, a group of judges from HFTP, including industry experts and leaders, review and vote for the competition winners.

In this round, judges identified three top-scoring blog posts to be published on HFTP Connect blog over the course of the next three months:

• First Place – “Transforming Trust in Hospitality: How Web3 Can Reshape Online Reviews,” by Yiannis Denaxas
• Second Place – “Retreats for the Soul: The New Era of Wellness-Centric Hospitality,” by Kenan Raguin
• Third Place – “Gamification in the Hospitality Industry,” by Vlad-Iosif Benga

The students who received top scores on their blog posts also received a free, annual HFTP Young Professional Membership (valued at $200 USD) to continue their professional development, education and networking with the association in the early part of their career.

Two other entries received competitive scores from the judges for their creativity and will also be published on HFTP Connect in early 2024:

• Honorable Mention – “Beyond the Plate: How F&B&E Is Transforming the Culinary Landscape with Immersive Restaurants,” by Axelle Forgeur-Paquet
• Honorable Mention – “Navigating the Digital Seas: A Dive into Corporate Digital Responsibility in Hospitality,” by Khoi Yan Phon

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the HFTP/MS Global Hospitality Business Student Blog Competition this semester! Please visit the HFTP Connect blog in the coming months to read the winning blog posts.