HOST – Hospitality, Experiences, Sport, and Tourism
The HOST research group is engaged in applied research that enhances learning, development, and innovation across business sectors. Our aim is to produce research that generates tangible value for students, educators, and industry actors alike, and that contributes to the sustainable development of the experience industry in a Nordic and international perspective.
Through tight collaboration with the business community, destinations, educational institutions, and national and international knowledge environments, HOST aims to:
- strengthen the interaction between theory and practice in the fields of hospitality, experiences, sports, and tourism
- create learning environments based on the newest research
- contribute to the development of competitive, sustainable, and attractive experience industry
KEEN & NEW IN TOURISM
The research project is a Nordic Erasmus+ collaboration between UCN, Nord-Gudbrandsdal VGS (Norway), and Ålands Yrkesgymnasium (Finland). The aim is to develop a sustainable approach to recruiting and maintaining workers in the hospitality and tourism industry, which is experiencing a shortage of employees, particularly in rural areas. The project brings together educational institutions and the business community to identify challenges and create solutions that increase the attractiveness of the industry, eventually also in other regions.
EXPLORING SMART TOURISM
The research project aims to involve students in applied teaching and investigate how AI and phygital integration can create hyper-personalized tourist experiences. Students pilot-tested the concept in 2025, contributing to the development of these new forms of experience. The goal is to strengthen innovation in tourism and understand end users' perceptions of AI-based tours. The project is being carried out in collaboration with StoryHunt, a Danish developer of self-guided, audio-based tours.
FEMALE CHEFS IN PROFESSIONAL KITCHENS IN THE UK AND DENMARK
Female chefs are underrepresented in male-dominated work environments in Danish professional kitchens. The research project is a comparative study between Denmark and the UK, based on in-depth interviews with current and former female chefs. The aim is to understand the challenges that cause women to leave or opt out of the industry, which otherwise lacks labor, and to propose solutions to overcome these challenges. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the University of Greenwich.