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HoteliersGuild celebrates Woman’s Day with the awarding of 40 scholarships to future African female hoteliers

In celebration of Woman’s Day the HoteliersGuild announces the awarding of a total of 40 scholarships to female hoteliers from Africa this year – and more are to follow by the end of the year. This was made possible by a series of fundraising events that financed the Sirius Academy Award and the partnership with Study Access Alliance. The study programme is an online degree at the IUInternational University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany's largest university with headquarters in Erfurt.

"We are delighted that the HoteliersGuild joins the celebration of Women’s Day with a contribution to the development of future African female hoteliers. This is through the initial most generous endowment from Sirius Academy Award curator Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts and the many contributions of our fellow HoteliersGuild members. These young women will now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and realise their full potential," says HoteliersGuild founder Frank M. Pfaller. Fundraising is ongoing as part of the Sirius Academy Award 2023 campaign and beyond.

Dr. Jeffrey O, the chairman of the Hotelier’s Guild Academy of Hospitality Arts added that, “Education is the best mechanism to achieve economic empowerment for women. The Hotelier’s Guild will continue to champion initiatives that promote educational opportunities for women, especially those in Africa.”

The long-term goal of the HoteliersGuild is to award more than 30 additional scholarships annually until 2026. “It is important to inspire and empower women to pursue their dreams and passions in order to achieve their full potential. Through these scholarships, HoteliersGuild aim to create a more inclusive and equitable future for everyone.

The topic of sustainability also plays a major role in the development of future leaders. As a key industry, the hospitality sector has an outstanding responsibility in the field of sustainability and gender equality. For this purpose, the HoteliersGuild has formed an ‘Alliance for Good’ with various partners. In addition to Preferred Hotels &Resorts, the IU Group, the Study Access Alliance and Artsy Africa Academy, the supporters of the ambitious project also include the Great Plains Conservation Foundation, Great Plains Conservation based in Africa and the Swiss based Now organization. It is not only considered a prime example of successful implementation of Sustainability and Education programmes in Africa, but also took on further responsibility as its’ main financier. The scholarships will be provided by Study Access Alliance.

The aim of the alliance is to develop programmes that train future hoteliers, member hoteliers and their current team in Sustainability and provide them with valuable Sustainability skills. For example, they are taught about Sustainability tools: waste reduction strategies, green procurement policies, nature conservation to name just a few. This content has been developed through the HoteliersGuild network of top hoteliers around the world, and today it is being passed on to the scholars.

Frank M. Pfaller concludes "This alliance is a good example of how hoteliers can play a significant and active role in Sustainability, Responsible Travel etc. By teaching our scholars the principles of Sustainability at the beginning of their careers, they can become more effective stewards of our environment while increasing the profitability of their respective hotels through cost savings."

In celebration of Women’s Day, HoteliersGuild is inviting women in the hotelier industry to share their inspiring stories and insights through their platform with the aim of building a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable future and to celebrate the achievements of women in hospitality.

Those who are interested in the project can support it on the gofundme platform: https://gofund.me/7d2b0f0e

For more information about the project and to share your stories and experiences as a woman in the hospitality industry, please contact: Hoteliersguild at info@hoteliersguild.com

About HoteliersGuild:

HoteliersGuild is a non-profit, private and independent society of active luxury hoteliers, created with the aim of bringing the hospitality industry’s best & brightest to a round table of ideas and knowledge in a highly personalised, strictly confidential, direct and friendly collaboration. Their mission is to connect the Hoteliers‘ community; to instigate an exchange of ideas and to encourage personal friendships in order to become a forum of debate and exchange. Core values include: gender equality, sustainable luxury, responsible travel and Hoteliers For Good by giving access to education for future generations in the hospitality industry. HoteliersGuild members share a belief in the power of the industry to transform the lives of young people around the world by volunteering their time to support the important work of the Hoteliers Guild Academy.

About the Sirius Academy Award:

The goal of the Sirius Academy Award is to create an expanded award concept under the umbrella of the HoteliersGuild’s International Hall of Fame that is based on the principles of the HoteliersGuild Academy of Hospitality Arts in order to provide renowned current and future generations of hospitality professionals, as well as to recognize excellence in this industry.

About Artsy Africa:

Artsy Africa provides access to education and job opportunities to disadvantaged youth through a holistic approach that combines sports, education and partnerships with prestigious institutions such as the IU International University of Applied Sciences, with the goal of reducing unemployment.

About Study Access Alliance:

The Study Access Alliance is a scholarship provider for disadvantaged students in African countries who are financially unable to fund their higher education. The Study Access Alliance was established in 2022 by the IU Group as a non-profit limited company.

About IU International University of Applied Sciences:

With more than 100,000 students, the IU International University of Applied Sciences is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-recognised educational institution headquartered in Erfurt, Germany, brings together more than 200 Bachelor's and Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes offered in German or English. IU is academic partner of Study Access Alliance.

About Preferred Hotels & Resorts:

Preferred Hotels & Resorts represents the finest and most diverse global portfolio of independent hotels and independent hotel experiences. Five distinctive collections allow one to craft their own inspirations as they travel the world in search of memories and new opportunities.

Media Contact:

Yasmine Hidalgo-Giovannoli PR Manager

E-Mail: yasmine@lobster-experience.com

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