October 26, 2015 (Austin, Texas USA) – Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) announced today that it will be the founding association sponsor of the Center For Innovation in Hospitality Technology (CIHT) at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Currently in development, the CIHT will be a hub of product demonstration and testing, research, professional training and innovative education to advance the hospitality industry. It will link classroom learning to real-life experience, and extend high quality education and training to students and professionals worldwide. In addition to supporting the CIHT, HFTP has established a US$5,000 annual scholarship with the University.

“For over 40 years HFTP has been a supporter of technology innovation within the hospitality industry, promoting its development and education, ” said Frank Wolfe, CAE, HFTP CEO. “The association started what is now the largest hospitality technology event – HITEC – in 1972 and continuously develops programs that push participants to think outside of the box.”

In 2006, HFTP put on GUESTROOM 20X as an exhibit at HITEC in Minneapolis, Minn. USA. It was a hands-on model guest room that demonstrated potential technologies that would enhance a hotel room. After its debut, HFTP traveled with the exhibit, taking it to other industry events. It brought back GUESTROOM 20X to HITEC 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012. At HITEC 2015 in Austin, Texas USA, HFTP debuted Entrepreneur 20X as part of its “20X” series. The program gathered innovative start-ups to pitch cutting-edge, transformative hospitality technology to an audience of venture capitalists, angel investors and serial entrepreneurs. Participants also displayed their technologies in a special section of the HITEC exhibit hall.

For more information contact Jennifer Lee, CAE, HFTP chief marketing officer (jennifer.lee@hftp.org).