Meliá Hotels International and Les Roches partner to attract and develop talent to lead the future of the hotel group

• Les Roches will create a tailor-made curriculum for Meliá Hotels International, integrated into its bachelor’s, postgraduate, and master’s programs.
• The “Meliá Future Talent Program” is designed to boost the next generation of Meliá leaders. Co-funded by Meliá Hotels International, Les Roches, and the students themselves, it ensures participants begin their careers within the company with a minimum three-year employment commitment.
• The partnership responds to companies’ demand for highly specialized professionals aligned with their standards and philosophy and aims to become an international benchmark in hospitality education in the sector.

India, October 15, 2025. Meliá Hotels International, Spain’s leading hotel group, with more than 400 hotels open or in development across over 40 countries, and recognized as Europe’s most sustainable hotel company, also leading globally in several international sustainability rankings, reinforces its commitment to education and professionalization through a strategic partnership with Les Roches.

Ranked as the world’s second-best higher education institution in hospitality management (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025), Les Roches will design a curriculum for its Bachelor of Science in Global Hospitality Management, postgraduate, and master’s programs aligned with Meliá’s DNA. The goal is to identify international talent and facilitate their career integration into one of the industry’s most prestigious hotel groups.

Students joining the new “Meliá Future Talent Program” will train under Les Roches’ academic excellence model. During their studies, they will temporarily separate from the general student cohort to follow Meliá-specific content and a dedicated specialization semester. All students (bachelor’s,, postgraduate, and master’s) will complete all professional internships exclusively at Meliá hotels worldwide. Upon graduation, they will acquire a career commitment with Meliá Hotels International for a minimum of three years, subject to performance and staffing needs.

According to Carlos Díez de la Lastra, CEO of Les Roches this model confirms their shared commitment to talent and employability: At Les Roches, we have been demonstrating for decades that education is a transformative tool for the future of hospitality. Our strategic alliance with Meliá Hotels International, which spans our entire academic offering, strengthens that conviction and marks a milestone in collaboration between academic institutions and companies. We are proud to offer a pioneering model that anticipates market needs, ensures a constant flow of highly skilled professionals, and consolidates hospitality as a profession of the future. Having a global benchmark like Meliá Hotels International highlights the growing awareness among companies of the added value that education brings to their strategy. Skilled teams drive the innovation, efficiency, and productivity essential to leading the transformation of our industry.”

In the words of Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International: “This agreement will allow us to draw from a new generation of talent, trained in excellence and tailored to our strategic needs, with a global mindset that is essential in today’s hospitality industry. Through this collaboration with Les Roches, we strengthen our ability to attract and retain professionals who will shape Meliá’s future.”

In line with its strategic growth plan, Meliá Hotels International will determine together with Les Roches the target profiles, nationalities, and countries for the program. Les Roches’ admissions network, present in over 100 countries, will facilitate global talent acquisition. Additionally, Meliá professionals will participate directly in teaching the program, providing practical experience, while the company can offer participants an initial employment opportunity based on performance and staffing needs.

Shared Values and Commitment

Meliá Hotels International and Les Roches emphasize that this partnership is grounded in shared values of integrity, sustainability, and respect for human rights. The agreement is reflects both institutions’ ethical principles and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and responsible leadership within the global hotel industry.

Training at the Core of Business Strategy

The program, jointly developed by Meliá Hotels International and Les Roches, will carry official accreditation from the Swiss Accreditation Council and the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which also accredit Les Roches’ existing programs. These accreditations reflect commitment to academic excellence and compliance with the most demanding international education standards.

Les Roches has a long-standing history of collaborating with industry leaders. One example is the Advanced Diploma in Private Aviation Management, developed with Jetex, expanding training opportunities in strategic luxury hospitality segments. The institution has also partnered with countries like Saudi Arabia to transform the professional ecosystem and foster local talent creation. Its alliance with Meliá, however, represents a pioneering evolution that responds directly to companies’ need for the best available talent.

This agreement establishes the foundation for a replicable model in other markets and aims to become an international benchmark in dual education in hospitality, aligning academic excellence with real industry needs.