TakeOff! Challenge 2026: Inspiring Hospitality Talent for 15 Years

What if your next big idea could help shape the future of hospitality? 

Every year, students around the world bring fresh perspectives, bold thinking, and innovative ideas to some of the hospitality industry's most exciting challenges. Through Accor's TakeOff! Challenge, those ideas become opportunities to learn, connect, and make an impact. 

Now celebrating its 15th edition, the TakeOff! Challenge is more than an international student competition. It is a unique opportunity for students and young talents to explore the world of hospitality, gain industry insight, and discover how innovation can transform the guest experience. 

Whether you're studying hospitality management, business, marketing, technology, sustainability, or another field entirely, the challenge offers a chance to develop valuable professional skills while contributing to conversations that are shaping the future of travel and hospitality. 

What is the TakeOff! Challenge? 

This challenge was created by us to engage and the TakeOff! Challenge invites students to work on real business topics linked to the Group's priorities and the evolving expectations of customers. 

Participants are encouraged to think creatively, develop practical solutions, and explore how hospitality can continue to innovate in a rapidly changing world. 

Over the years, the challenge has explored a wide range of themes, including: 

• Guest loyalty and customer engagement 

• Food and beverage experiences 

• Lifestyle hospitality 

• Sustainability and responsible hospitality 

• Digital innovation 

• Emerging travel and guest experience trends 

More than a competition, TakeOff! provides participants with valuable exposure to a global hospitality group and the opportunity to better understand the meaningful career paths available across the industry. 

TakeOff! Challenge 2026: Creating unforgettable first impressions 

This year, participants are invited to focus on one of the most important moments in the guest journey: the first impression. 

The TakeOff! Challenge 2026 asks students to imagine a guest experience that creates an unforgettable first impression of outstanding care and cleanliness. 

From the moment a guest arrives, every detail matters. A warm greeting, seamless service, and thoughtfully prepared spaces all contribute to building trust, comfort, and lasting memories. 

By combining creativity with practical thinking, participants will have the opportunity to reimagine how hotels can continue delivering exceptional experiences while staying true to the human connection at the heart of hospitality. 

Discovering the Heartist® spirit 

Beyond the challenge itself, TakeOff! offers students an opportunity to experience the culture that makes Accor unique. 

Creativity, collaboration, curiosity, and a passion for people are at the heart of every edition. Participants are encouraged to push their thinking further, embrace new perspectives, and develop solutions that put people first. 

As Laurent Choain, Chief People & Culture Officer at Accor, explains: 

"Hospitality is a vocation, and not everyone has what it takes to be a part of Accor. The TakeOff! Challenge is, first and foremost, a chance to push yourself to a higher level." 

The competition embodies the Heartist® spirit that defines life at Accor: combining the heart of hospitality with the art of creating meaningful human connections. 

Ready to TakeOff!? 

For students looking to develop new skills, gain industry exposure, and explore future hospitality careers, the TakeOff! Challenge 2026 is an opportunity to learn, innovate, and make an impact. 

Because the future of hospitality will be shaped by the next generation of talent — and every great journey starts with a first step. Take your career to new heights with Accor!