Meet the Finalists for Skift IDEA Awards 2020

The Skift IDEA Awards is the industry’s recognition of innovation, design, and experiences defining the future of travel. In a year that has radically changed the way we live, work, and navigate the world, it’s never been more important to elevate great ideas that improve the quality, wellbeing, and meaning of the traveler experience and create sustainable practices and business models for a brighter path forward. 

The submissions have been reviewed and scored by our 2020 panel of judges, including: 

• Aaron Walton – CEO of Walton Isaacson
• Andrew Benioff – Founder & Chairman of The Independent Lodging Congress
• Colin Nagy – Head of Strategy, Fred & Farid & Columnist, Skift 
• Jan Chipchase – Founder, Studio D 
• Lindsey Maxwell – Vice President, Teague 
• Suchi Reddy – AIA, Founding Principal of ReddyMade Architecture & Design

Below is the shortlist of finalists for Skift IDEA Awards 2020. The winners will be announced next week at Skift’s Design The Future online event.  

Join Us For Our Skift Design The Future Online Event November 12

Accessibility & Inclusion 

Accor – Smartroom concept – ibis Paris 17 Clichy-Batignolles
Pittsburgh International Airport – Presley’s Place: Making Travel Accessible to All

American Express – The Centurion® Lounge at John F. Kennedy Airport
Edrington Europe, Middle East & Africa Travel Retail – The Macallan Boutique by Le Clos 
PriestmanGoode – Aeroflot A350 Cabin Interiors
Spirit Airlines – Cabin Redesign

Business Travel Innovation 

Mint House – Reinventing Hotels for Business Travelers
ReloQuest – Innovative Business Travel Platform
Tripkicks – TravelBetter
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts – Wyndham Direct
Zeno by Serko – Business Travel Innovation  

Consumer Product 

LARQ – Self-Cleaning Water Bottle
SUPER73 – New Generation of Electric Bikes
Visit Florida – Sunshine Adventure Map

Contactless Solution 

Airside – Digital Identity Network
citizenM – Contactless Stay
Criton – Guest Engagement Platform
Silvercar by Audi – Responsible Travel Initiative
Sonder – Contactless Guest Experience
Sonifi Solutions – Digital Hospitality

Designing Safety 

1 Hotel South Beach – Designing Safety
Pittsburgh International Airport – Ultraviolet Robots Create Safe Travels at PIT
PriestmanGoode – Pure Skies
UVD Robots – The Leading Light in Hospitality Cleanliness

Destination Innovation 

Appnovation + Visit California – Road Trip Republic
Brand USA – GoUSA TV
Tangier Council of Tourism & Morocco National Tourism Office – Digital Ecosystem
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau – MIAMILAND 
Kyoto Tourism – Renewed Destination’s Website

Experience or Excursion 

Accor – Fairmont Hotels & Resorts – Fairmont World Tour
Minos Beach art hotel – bluegr Hotels & Resorts – An Open Art Museum
Sir Hotels – Sir Explore
Travel Iowa – Iowa State Park Passport

Guest Room 

Accor – Fairmont Royal York Gold Suite
Accor – Pullman Maldives Royal Suite
SH Hotels & Resorts – Baccarat Hotel Guest Room
Sonder – Guest Suite
Soneva Fushi – Soneva Fushi’s Water Retreats

Hospitality Innovation 

BENSLEY – Sensible Sustainable Solutions
Lazykey – Computer Vision-enabled Property Management
Butler Hospitality – Ghost Kitchens 

Public Space 

Accor – ibis Sao Paulo Expo Barra Funda – Plaza Lobby
Accor – Pullman Paris Centre-Bercy – The Junction
Graduate Nashville – Tapping into Nashville’s Creative Spirit
Minos Beach art hotel – bluegr Hotels & Resorts – Reception Lounge | An introduction into a genuine art experience
Moxy – Moxy East Village

Sustainability 

Carefree – Partnering With The Hospitality Sector To Build a Sustainable Future for Unpaid Caregivers
Finger Lakes Visitors Connection – Find a Way to Get in the Way: FLVC’s Quick Response to COVID
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority – Mālama
Hotelschool The Hague – Sustainable Hospitality Challenge
Soneva Namoona – Intelligent Luxury
Travel Massive – Social Entrepreneurship in Tourism Competition

Tech Provider

Guesty – Guesty Marketplace: Redefining Property Management for a Post COVID-19 Era
Oaky – Dynamic Room Upgrade Pricing
Oracle – Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP)

Virtual Pivot 

Borgo Egnazia – Casa Egnazia
Design Hotels x Unsettled – Virtual Retreat
Experience Externships – Taking Student Experiential Journeys Online
Porter & Sail – Rewarding for Future Travel with Hotel Credits
Six Senses Hotels – At Home With Six Senses

Congratulations to the Skift IDEA Awards 2020 finalists!  

Join us at virtually at Design The Future on November 12 to find out who won and hear from the IDEA Award judges, creative leaders, and industry innovators to discover new ideas and inspiration for the future. 

Join Us For Our Skift Design The Future Online Event November 12