Startup Idea : IPATHs.ch: for tourism and hospitality people

Summary: A platform for Industry Practitioners and Academia in Tourism and Hospitality to do projects together! Problems: 1. Lack of research and development support in business sectors. The idea was firstly inspired by the fact that in the tourism and hospitality field, the Small and Medium Enterprises often do not have enough research support due to their limited funding and human resource. 2. Lack of empirical and financial support in academic sectors. The academia of this field on the other hand often seeks for empirical data from the industry for better understanding of the status, problem and solutions. 3. The communication methods between the industry and the academia are merely dispersed and traditional, usually involving face-to-face meetings created by conferences, special events, and personal networking. Solution: For the first time, we will have a virtual community that specifically serves the field of tourism and hospitality for the purpose of project collaboration globally. Meanwhile, it is a virtual platform for researchers and industry practitioners to socialize and exchange knowledge via online activities.