Why This Matters Now
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, moving trillions of dollars and billions of people every year. But too often, that money skips past the communities who give each place its soul.
Residents are made to feel less safe and secure. Authenticity is lost.
Designing the Future of Tourism, Together!
Solution: Student-Powered Innovation Labs
ACCESS FORWARD creates student-powered, community-led tourism innovation labs across global destinations. Cross-disciplinary university teams work alongside local entrepreneurs, DMOs, and industry partners to design practical hospitality solutions that keep economic value, ownership, and opportunity circulating locally.
For corporate partners, ACCESS FORWARD becomes a repeatable engine over multiple years to operationalize ESG and DEI commitments, tap emerging and diverse talent, and secure a visible leadership position in the global shift toward inclusive, sustainable tourism.
Why Your Support Is Essential
Partners help ACCESS FORWARD implement powerful systems and a proven structure into a global engine for change.
By supporting this repeatable, multi‐cohort innovation lab initiative, partners help build the infrastructure that turns inclusive hospitality from a social aspiration into a strategic, scalable brand advantage.
Strategic Value
By investing in ACCESS FORWARD, partners tap into living global innovation labs at leading universities, a pipeline of diverse emerging talent, and visible leadership in the experience economy.
This gives brands a concrete way to prove that their ESG and DEI commitments translate into credible action that delivers real inclusion, safety, and authentic representation.
How This Program Works
ACCESS FORWARD is a 15‐week, semester-long experiential learning program that repeats across cohorts and destinations – this way you benefit from a steady pipeline of talent, travel insight, ideas, and activations.
What Students Do
FIRST, students discover and design their travel initiative, product, or tool project concept.
THEN, they test, validate, and refine strategies.
NEXT, students implement their project, measure for overall effectiveness and report results.
FINALLY, top student teams compete in an annual showcase and competition event.
Program Themes
Each student cohort works within one or more of 6 interconnected themes that define our 360° view of inclusive, sustainable tourism:
Safety, Trust & Transparency
Accessible, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism
Locally-Led Hospitality Collaboration
Authentic Storytelling
Digital Innovation Driving Local Impact
Economic Inclusion & Market Access
Let's Design A Partnership That Fits Your Priorities
ACCESS FORWARD sponsorships are custom-built to align with your organization's focus areas, objectives, and budget. We invite you to schedule a conversation to explore how a tailored partnership can deliver meaningful impact and measurable value.