Menno Stokman says goodbye to CELTH

After more than seven years, he leaves CELTH and the hospitality domain but continues to focus on innovation and research. In his new position, Menno will commit himself to strengthening the knowledge and innovation power of the Netherlands, together with the knowledge cities, the umbrella organisations of higher education institutions and student housing providers.

Jorrit Snijder, Chairman of the Executive Board of Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) and the CELTH Board: “Menno leaves CELTH with a strong substantive research agenda, a broadly oriented team and a large network where CELTH represents the educational and knowledge institutions. In the seven years that Menno has been able to lead CELTH, 20 million has been invested in research by the universities of applied sciences and the professional field. Achieving the professional doctorate (PD) degree for the CELTH domains is also a great result.”

Agenda Conscious Destinations

The greatest achievement is without a doubt the development of the Conscious Destinations Agenda together with the team. The Conscious Destinations Agenda has established a new CELTH organisation with experts from the collaborating universities of applied sciences BUas, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences and HZ University of Applied Sciences. Many projects also involve collaboration with other colleges and universities within and outside the domain, as well as the professional field at national and international levels.

CELTH research is highly regarded internationally and addresses urgent challenges facing the sector worldwide. We mention 'Overtourism: Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions', developed with UN Tourism, and 'Envisioning Tourism in 2030: on target to net zero', which involved intensive collaboration with both NBTC and the Travel Foundation.

Nationally, CELTH is committed to providing a solid basis for the challenges expressed in the government policy on tourism (Perspective 2030). The focus is mainly on balance at the destination, resident involvement and benefits, and experiments to spread tourists effectively. Research results that also attract international attention.

Network successes

CELTH has also developed itself as the representative of knowledge and educational institutions in important networks. For example, CELTH has a seat in the new National Council for Recreation and Tourism and CELTH is a co-developer on behalf of higher education in the Hospitality Pact. CELTH is also a permanent fixture in the National Data Alliance and the Data & Development Lab where innovative research techniques are tested together with its partners NBTC and CBS.

Another important achievement is that Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality is the only non-top sector that has been added to the PD pilot. This allows us to finance 17 researchers who can each develop knowledge in their theme for four years and obtain a new PhD degree in higher education. CELTH played an important role in bringing together seven colleges in the hospitality domain for the benefit of the PD.

Structurally scaling up

“CELTH now faces the challenge of structurally scaling up and making its role and commitment to innovative research of added value for both the sector and the entire higher education in the domain. CELTH thus plays an important role in shaping a national knowledge-intensive ecosystem around the hospitality domain, necessary to guide the domain in the transformation it stands for,” says Menno Stokman.

The universities of applied sciences BUas, HZ and NHL Stenden look to the future of CELTH with confidence and continue to invest in the development of CELTH. The CELTH board has started the procedure for the succession of Menno Stokman.