The Young Hospitality Summit (YHS) is an annual conference hosted by Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, that focuses on the hospitality industry in commerce, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility.
The March 13th – 15th summit included various activities, from thought-provoking discussions to various networking opportunities, and the YHSChallenge where teams worked to create a solution to the case presented.
With this year's theme, "Circularity", YHS 2023 brought together 40 speakers, 74 delegates from 38 institutions, and guests from around the world to present their vision of the future.
Congratulations to Daisy Nguyen, our 4th year Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTM) co-op student! Her team took home a 3rd place trophy from the international summit.
In this Q&A session, Daisy describes her YHS experience, highlights, presentation and advice for future students interested in the competition.
Describe your YHS experience.
My YHS experience was truly a dream come true. It was busy, but so rewarding. I got to meet so many amazing individuals and to connect, discuss, and share our passions for the industry. I enjoyed participating in discussions, listening to keynote speakers and panels, and tasting the incredible food at EHL. We talked about the beauty of the industry, but also the concerns for it in the future, and why it is important to make changes now, to set up the industry for greater success.
What was your presentation about?
There were 16 teams total for the YHSChallenge, and I was a part of Team 6 with four other delegates from the Netherlands, Canada, the USA, and Switzerland. This year's Challenge Provider was NEOM, and each team had to create scalable solutions to advance the vision of a circular society on the LINE. We had to take into consideration the mix of different cultures, backgrounds and income levels of residents and visitors on the LINE and focus our dimensions on paying it forward and inclusion as the base and sharing as the means of exchange. It was amazing to see the presentations, talent, and creativity from every delegate. I had such a fun time collaborating with my team, and we came in third place! It was an unexpected win, and I'll never forget the feelings I felt on stage with Team 6. 
What was the highlight of the Young Hospitality Summit?
My highlight of the Young Hospitality Summit was meeting delegates from all over the world. Everyone is so bright, kind, and motivated, and their passion for our industry is strong. For the entire conference, the energy was electric! I didn't think that I could create deep friendships in three days like I did, but I am so thankful. I hope I will cross paths with these amazing individuals in the future, as they have inspired me beyond words to take a leap of faith and to believe in myself in what I do.
Do you have any advice for students considering this competition in the future?
You never know until you try! Try your best and take risks, because it is scary, but it is also worth it. To future students who may want to go to YHS, apply! You will not regret it. I am very thankful for this opportunity, and it is one I will carry with me forever. Thank you to the Lang School of Business and Economics, the School of Hospitality, Food, & Tourism Management at the University of Guelph, our HFTM faculty, my peers, and especially to our mentor, Professor Murray, for your constant support and guidance.
