Hospitality Awards: 20 years, nearly 3,000 candidates, nearly 100 winning brands, all of them world-renowned. 20 years of the Hospitality Awards means as many presidents of ceremony such as Sébastien Bazin, Andrew Cosslett, Jean-Marc Espalioux, David Kong, Arne Sorenson and many others. Jury presidents like Luc Chatel, Clara Gaymard, Hervé Novelli, Hugues Parant, Laurence Parisot and Bernard De La Villardière...

Georges Panayotis, President and Founder of the Worldwide Hospitality Awards, said in his welcome speech:

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"Our beautiful ecosystem no longer consists solely of hotels, but also of campsites, residences, rentals, co-living, co-working, home sharing, hostels, hybrid accommodation, cruises, etc. The world of hospitality has entered into a veritable revolution. If there are many roads to travel, the only way to take them is boldness, tenacity and inventiveness!”

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Kenneth Macpherson, CEO EMEAA, IHG, opened the ceremony by saying: "Hospitality is all about care. and it must extend beyond the services we all provide. It's also about understanding that our actions and values define our culture, and in turn shape our reputation with all our partners. And it only works when I act, when you act, when we act together. And that's what's been happening in this industry for centuries. As an old African proverb says:

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"Alone we go faster, together we go further". I'm confident that we can, and the inspiring initiatives and innovations we're celebrating tonight are a clear indication of what's possible.”

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For this 20th edition, the jury was chaired by Mr. Frédéric Lefebvre, Minister & Partner at Lemoine & Lefebvre. After an online vote, the jurors selected the winners in the 15 competition categories. The ceremony also provided an opportunity to select the winners of certain categories by means of a live electronic vote.

The deliberations of the various juries, as well as the votes in the hall monitored by a bailiff, resulted in the following awards winners in each category:

THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT TROPHY was awarded to two historic pioneers of the European and global hotel industry Paul Dubrule and Gérard Pélisson, co-founders of Accor, Europe's No. 1 hotel group and the world's No. 6. Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin presented the trophies to these two pioneers of the European hotel industry.

Gérard Pélisson shared with the audience the words of Brillat-Savarin:

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"To receive someone is to ensure their happiness for as long as they remain under your roof.”

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Paul Dubrule shared these encouraging words:

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"To sleep you need a bed, when we travel, we sleep. So you have a wonderful future."

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Best Storytelling & BtoB Communication Campaign

‍Come for our hotels, Come back for our hoteliers,  Akéna Hotels - Fasthôtel.

Finalists: B&B Hotels - Radisson Hotel Group

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Best BtoC Storytelling & Communication Campaign

‍New Communication Patform - MGallery Story that  stay, Accor.

Finalists: Logis Hotels - Melia Hotels International

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Best Marketing Operation

‍Story of Tomorrow - Accor.

Finalists: Appart'city - Deutsche Hospitality

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Best Digital Transformation

‍Find a Sport Buddy - Share Sport Emotions, Club Med.

Finalists Accor, Radisson Hotel Group

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Best Concept

‍Yust.

Finalists: greet hotel - Odalys Vacances

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Best "Wow Effect!"

‍Le Dôme Bar - InterContinental Lyon - Hôtel Dieu, IHG.

Finalists : Hôtel Metropole Monte-  Carlo - Hotel Grande Bretagne Athens

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Best Customer Experience

‍La Maison d'Artistes - Grape Hospitality.

Finalists: Le Méridien Étoile - Melia Hotels International

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Best Sustainable Development & Social Responsibility Initiative

‍"Zero Food Waste" at LUX* Le  Morne, Mauritius.

Finalists: Hurtigruten - Indian Hotels Company Limited

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Best HR & Career Development Initiative

‍Change 100 - IHG's internship program supporting  students with disabilities.

Finalists: Appart'city - Dorchester Collection

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Best Teaching Innovation

‍EHL's Augmented Bachelor Degree in International Hospitality Management.

Finalists: Glion Institute of Higher Education - Taylor Collection: Glion Institute of Higher Education - Taylor's University of Malaysia

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Manager of the Year

‍Géraldine DOBEY, General Manager - Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet's Paris.

Finalists: Franka Holtman -  Parveen Chander Kumar

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Employee of the Year

Clément EMERY, Head Barman - Shangri-La Hotel, Paris.

Finalists: Dinesh Kunder - Dinesh Nadeemal

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Trophy for Professional Success

‍Anastasia OSIPOV - IUBH.

Finalists: Lukas Vallee Valletta - Vanessa Lanou

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The 2019 Grand Prix was awarded to Groupe Barrière