Check inn Tourism Innovation Contest
What is CheckINN?
CheckINN is Hungary's first Tourism Innovation HUB, which aims to catalyse innovative initiatives in Hungarian tourism. Originally aimed at university students, the innovation management platform was launched in 2019 by the Hungarian Tourism Association Foundation with the aim of supporting initiatives that are creative and innovative in tourism, and to promote value creation and networking in the sector. Since its creation more than 5 years ago, it has become an important platform for connecting young people and professionals interested in tourism, through its various projects, which provide a new perspective on the challenges and current trends in tourism, involving professionals who have achieved outstanding results in their fields and mentors.
CheckINN is a kind of tourism think-tank, a knowledge base, closely linked to the innovation ecosystem, with the not hidden aim of promoting tourism among young people. The initiative now has 10 projects to support the renewal of tourism in Hungary, including a series of lectures, workshops, podcasts and idea competitions. One of these is the Tourism Innovation Contest at the gala.
What is the Tourism Innovation Contest?
The CheckINN Tourism Innovation Contest is the brand's first and flagship project, and the sixth edition of the contest will be held in 2024. The two-round competition aims to promote the tourism sector and encourage innovative thinking among higher education students, who also represent the next generation of professionals. The Hungarian Tourism Association Foundation (MTSZA), which launched the competition, believes in the innovative vision, expertise and thinking of Hungarian higher education students, which it seeks to encourage and recognise through the competition. By launching the Competition every year, the MTSZA aims to provide a platform for the presentation and recognition of individual ideas and the possible implementation of the most outstanding concepts, encouraging the future careers and innovation of university students, as the identification and support of young talent is crucial to achieving crisis resilience and continuity.
Since the competition's inception, MTSZA has awarded 54 students scholarships in support of its excellent concept, and several of the ideas have already been commercialized. After 6 years since the first competition in 2019, the best teams will be rewarded again at the Tourism Season Opening Gala on 1 February.
