Debut First Front Office Competition, UMN Hospitality Student Wins 1st Place at HOSPITOUR 2026

Glenn Marvell Handarto (third from right), a UMN Hospitality student from the class of 2025, together with fellow winners of the “Front Office Competition” at HOSPITOUR 2026, after the winner announcement at Universitas Pelita Harapan.

TANGERANG – Glenn Marvell Handarto, a student from the class of 2025 in the Hospitality Program at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN), successfully won 1st place in the “Front Office” competition at HOSPITOUR 2026, organized by Universitas Pelita Harapan. This achievement is a proud accomplishment for UMN’s Hospitality Program and demonstrates students’ ability to compete at the national level in hospitality competitions.

The competition was attended by various universities across Indonesia. Glenn mentioned that other finalists came from UPH, Matana University, Universitas Kristen Petra, and the Bali Tourism Polytechnic. The presence of participants from these institutions made the competition quite intense, especially during the final round, which directly tested practical guest service skills.

“The most memorable moment for me was when my name was announced as the 1st place winner, because honestly, I didn’t have high expectations since this was my first Front Office competition, and no senior had ever participated in this before, so I didn’t really know what the competition would be like,” Glenn said.

The competition took place at the UPH Karawaci campus over two days, from April 23–24, 2026. On the first day, participants went through a preliminary Kahoot round with questions about the Front Office and tourism. The five participants with the highest scores then advanced to the final round.

In the final round, participants faced a role-play themed “Handling Guest Complaints.” Each finalist received a different case randomly selected using a Wheel of Fortune. This challenge required participants to think quickly, maintain professionalism, and deliver the best service solutions in situations that mimicked real-world conditions in the hospitality industry.

Glenn’s success is inseparable from the learning process he experienced while studying in UMN’s Hospitality Program. According to him, the Hotel Operations learning standards at UMN provide a solid foundation in guest service through practical simulations during lectures.

Through these simulations, students are accustomed to facing various service situations directly, making them better prepared to apply service excellence when dealing with guests or in hospitality competitions. This learning approach helps students understand the dynamics of the ever-evolving industry.

Certificate and trophy for 1st place in the Front Office Competition HOSPITOUR 2026, won by UMN Hospitality student Glenn Marvell Handarto.

Adestya Ayu Armielia, S.ST.M.Si.Par., Deputy Head of UMN’s Hotel Operations Department, explained that UMN’s Hospitality Program curriculum is designed to remain relevant to the hospitality industry’s needs. The curriculum is developed through discussions with various stakeholders, including alumni and hospitality industry practitioners.

According to her, several competencies often required in competitions have been integrated into course learning outcomes. Additionally, project-based learning and competitive simulation methods are applied to train students’ competitive mindset, ability to handle pressure, and maintain the quality of their work.

“The curriculum created in the Hospitality Program does not automatically produce competitive achievements because the curriculum is not explicitly designed for competitions. However, the Program’s approach to ensuring the curriculum supports students and lecturers in achieving success is that several competencies demanded in competitions are integrated into the CLOs and Sub-CLOs in the courses,” Adestya explained.

In addition to classroom learning, UMN’s Hospitality Program also applies a talent scouting approach to prepare students with potential for competitions. A team of supervising lecturers assesses students’ abilities, attitudes, and practical skills at the beginning of the semester, then selects participants for intensive coaching.

This approach means that competition coaching focuses not only on academic ability but also on students’ mental readiness and practical skills in handling competitive pressure. UMN’s Hospitality Program also aims to provide continuous coaching to potential students to participate in national and international competitions.

“At UMN Hospitality, not all students are forced to join competitions. The supervising lecturer team conducts talent scouting to observe grades, attitude, and practical skills at the beginning of the semester. Then the supervising lecturers create a talent pool, so the selected students receive intensive coaching when a competition approaches,” Adestya explained.

Glenn’s achievement is expected to motivate other students to continue developing their professional competencies and soft skills to meet the dynamic needs of the hospitality industry.

“Winning student and lecturer competitions is proof of competency achievement, external validation of the curriculum, and recognition of lecturer accomplishments,” Adestya said.

By Melinda Chang | UMN News Service

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.