The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announces the launch of a global competition, which will be held this month, to shape tomorrow's guestrooms, and by doing so – helping to set new standards for hotel rooms for the future.

The School is inviting industry participation to the competition. Hotel suppliers and providers in design, technology and well-being are invited to join the "Tomorrow's Guestrooms" competition organised by the SHTM and Hotel ICON, the School's teaching and research hotel, which will take place from 7 to 18 January 2013.

"There are no physical boundaries as to who can enter the competition," said Dr Basak Denizci Guillet, Assistant Professor of the SHTM and Co-ordinator of "Tomorrow's Guestrooms", "and in fact the more products and services entered in the competition the better as it gives us a wide range to select the best and most innovative ones from."

Entrants will be reviewed by an expert panel and winners will be granted the unique opportunity for their products and services to be tested and researched in three dedicated guestrooms at Hong Kong's one-of-a-kind teaching and research hotel – Hotel ICON, for a period of six months.

An SHTM initiative, the three dedicated guestrooms serve as an innovative platform to innovate, develop and showcase new technologies, hotel designs and business concepts in hotel management. The three dedicated guestrooms have their own unique theme; "design", "technology", and "well-being":

Guestroom – Design

This guestroom focuses on interior design and addresses the needs of future travellers. The design features showcased in this dedicated guestroom as well as the other two, have the potential to be implemented and adopted by the industry.

Guestroom – Technology

This guestroom allows suppliers to incorporate system, knowledge and skills to provide opportunities for customers to be exposed to state-of-the-art materials and products.

Guestroom – Well-being

This guestroom aims to promote aspects of health and well-being in order to further enhance the guest experience and promote environmental protection and sustainability.

Hotel suppliers and service providers who want to play a part in shaping tomorrow's guestrooms are encouraged to share their products and knowledge via this exceptional platform.

"The best way to predict the future is to create it," said Professor Kaye Chon, Dean and Chair Professor of the SHTM. "Through these dedicated guestrooms, the School is creating a ‘House of Innovation' not only for the benefit of education and research but also for the advancement of the entire hotel industry," he noted.

Entry to the "Tomorrow's Guestrooms" competition will be accepted from 7 to 18 January 2013. For details and applications, please visit: http://hotelschool.shtm.polyu.edu.hk/tgr