The 2012 Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) / UNWTO Strategy Challenge

For the 15th edition of EHL's strategy challenge, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne partnered with UNWTO, the United Nation's World Tourism Organization.

UNWTO's Silk Road Project aims to support the development of sustainable tourism for countries along the "Silk Road", an ancient trade route between the empires of China, India, Persia and Rome.

This year, EHL strategic management professor Demian Hodari challenged his 3rd-year Bachelor in International Hospitality Management students to devise a strategy plan for individual countries in the Silk Road in the form of a 'National Silk Road Action Plan'

Throughout the seven weeks of the challenge, students attended lectures, and then researched, appraised, and analysed strategic decisions made by countries, destinations, and corporations in the hospitality industry. With the support of industry experts, students prepared and defended a strategic implementation plan for their respective country outlining how the country can best position itself within the Silk Road for the coming 5 years.

The EHL strategy challenge is much more than an exercise – EHL students' strategy plans and reports will be considered by UNWTO as part of their master Silk Road Strategy Plan.

The team of students working on Azerbaijan's Silk Road Action plan won this year's edition of the challenge. The prize was a trip to Azerbaijan's Altai Krai region.

The members of the winning team are Dushyant Nath, Veronica Waldthausen, Yasin Munshi, Viola Vahdieck, Coralie Blanc, and Simon Margaux.

The Member States currently involved in the Silk Road Programme include: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, DPR Korea, Rep. Korea, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.