Sommet Education, in collaboration with DLG (Digital Luxury Group), has released the Luxury & Hospitality Career Index 2026, a study examining the career journeys, employer preferences and professional development of graduates from Glion Hospitality & Luxury Business Education and Les Roches Global Hospitality Education.

The study draws on responses from 451 alumni surveyed between April and August 2026. It explores three key areas: employer experience, employer desirability and career outcomes, including professional seniority, job roles, international mobility and career preparedness.

Glion was ranked among the world's top three hospitality schools and Les Roches among the top two in the 2026 QS rankings, according to the announcement. The report provides insights into how graduates from both institutions are building careers across hospitality, luxury and the wider experience economy.

International Careers and Professional Growth

The findings highlight the international nature of alumni careers, with 53% of respondents working outside their home country. Meanwhile, 48% hold mid-level management positions or above, almost one in three work in senior management or executive roles, and 16% are owners or founders.

These results reflect career progression across different sectors, particularly as more than 40% of the respondents graduated in 2020 or later. The findings also point to an entrepreneurial trend, with a notable share of alumni establishing businesses or taking ownership roles.

Professional development is another key factor shaping employer preferences. According to the study, 78% of respondents said their current role helps them develop skills valuable for their long-term careers, while 76% said their employer has enhanced their professional profile. In addition, 71% agreed that their current employer has a strong industry reputation.

The study also highlights the skills alumni believe their education has helped them develop. Across Glion and Les Roches, 80% of respondents felt well or extremely well prepared for cross-cultural communication, 74% for understanding the luxury and hospitality industry, and 69% for building professional networks.

Commenting on the findings, Christophe Julliard, Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer at Sommet Education, said, “The Index demonstrates the breadth of careers that hospitality education can unlock today. Across Glion and Les Roches, we see graduates building international careers, progressing into leadership positions and entrepreneurial roles, and developing profiles that are valued by some of the world’s most recognised hospitality and luxury organisations. While each institution has its own identity and areas of strength, they share the ability to equip graduates with the international outlook, industry understanding and human skills required to build long-term careers in a rapidly evolving sector.”

Leading Hospitality and Luxury Brands Attract Graduates

The Index also examines the organisations alumni would most like to work for. Respondents could name up to three preferred employers, with Four Seasons ranking first with 106 mentions, followed by Marriott International with 79, Mandarin Oriental with 56, Aman with 53 and Rosewood with 37.

LVMH also featured among the overall top ten preferred employers. International hotel groups accounted for 65% of all employer mentions, highlighting the continued appeal of established hospitality brands among graduates.

The preferences differed between the two alumni communities. Among Glion graduates, Marriott ranked first, followed by Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental. LVMH/Cheval Blanc ranked fourth, while Chanel and Hermès also featured among the frequently mentioned employers, reflecting interest across both hospitality and luxury brands.

For Les Roches graduates, Four Seasons topped the list, followed by Marriott, Mandarin Oriental and Rosewood. Hilton, Hyatt and Accor also featured prominently, alongside LVMH/Cheval Blanc. The results highlight the range of career paths available to hospitality graduates, with opportunities spanning international hotel groups, luxury brands and businesses focused on customer experiences.

Preparing Graduates for Evolving Careers

The Index points to a professional landscape in which hospitality careers are becoming increasingly international and extending beyond traditional hotel operations. While employer reputation remains important, the findings suggest that career development and opportunities for long-term progression are also central to employee expectations.

As hospitality, luxury and lifestyle businesses place greater emphasis on customer experience, the demand for professionals with business knowledge, cross-cultural understanding, emotional intelligence and people skills continues to shape the sector. Employer feedback collected alongside the Index also highlights the perceived strengths of Glion and Les Roches graduates, including their international outlook, professionalism, service-oriented approach and practical hospitality knowledge.

These capabilities can support careers not only in hotel operations but also in luxury brand management, entrepreneurship, consulting, events, real estate and other experience-led industries. Developed by Sommet Education in collaboration with DLG, the Luxury & Hospitality Career Index 2026 offers a perspective on the career ambitions and professional experiences of the two institutions' alumni, highlighting how hospitality education connects graduates with opportunities across an expanding global industry.

MITTI Café has opened a new outlet at Sky City Mall in Borivali East, Mumbai, bringing its inclusive employment model to the city's western suburbs. The café is operated by persons with physical, intellectual and psychiatric disabilities, creating an opportunity for visitors to support an initiative that places inclusion at the centre of its operations.

Located on the lower ground level of Sky City Mall, the café offers shoppers and moviegoers a place to pause for food and beverages. Its team manages food preparation and service, bringing its skills and hospitality to everyday dining.

MITTI Café's journey began with a small table and an umbrella in Hubballi. Since then, the social enterprise has expanded into a café network that, according to the organisation, is the world's largest chain run by persons with disabilities.

Its outlets include locations at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Supreme Court of India and major airports, extending its presence across institutional, public and travel settings.

The organisation has served more than 22 million meals and beverages, reflecting the scale of its operations and the reach of its inclusive employment model.

The new Sky City Mall outlet brings the café's approach to a major retail destination in Mumbai, where food and beverage spaces are an integral part of the shopping and entertainment experience.

By integrating an inclusive workplace into a mainstream mall environment, MITTI Café offers visitors an opportunity to experience its service while highlighting the role that businesses and public-facing spaces can play in expanding employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Café Details

• Name: MITTI Café

• Location: Lower Ground Level, Sky City Mall, Borivali East, Mumbai

Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited (SHRL) has strengthened its community healthcare initiatives by committing ₹2.25 crore towards dialysis infrastructure across underserved regions of India. The investment has supported 38 dialysis machines across 19 hospitals and healthcare institutions, creating the capacity to deliver approximately 34,200 dialysis treatments annually.

The initiative, undertaken under Sterling's philosophy of 'Doing Good by Doing Well', reflects the company's approach to corporate social responsibility, focusing on healthcare infrastructure that can continue serving communities beyond the initial investment.

The CSR commitment spans FY2024-25 and FY2025-26, with the programme aimed at improving access to essential renal care in regions where specialised medical facilities may be difficult to reach.

Extending Healthcare Beyond Major Cities

A key focus of Sterling's dialysis initiative is to bring critical healthcare infrastructure closer to communities outside India's major metropolitan centres.

Patients requiring regular dialysis often face the additional burden of travelling long distances for treatment, alongside lost working hours and recurring expenses for themselves and their families. By supporting dialysis infrastructure closer to where patients live, Sterling aims to ease these challenges while strengthening local healthcare capacity.

The programme has reached Tier II and Tier III cities, district headquarters and underserved communities across Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The supported machines have been deployed across government hospitals, medical colleges, district hospitals and community healthcare institutions, extending access to treatment for patients across these regions.

From CSR Investment to Long-Term Healthcare Capacity

Sterling's initiative measures its impact not only through the financial commitment or number of machines installed, but also through the treatment capacity and wider community benefits generated.

According to the company, the programme has resulted in reported patient savings of approximately ₹2.05 crore and created 260 local employment opportunities across the healthcare ecosystems supported by the initiative.

Dialysis machines can remain in service for years, enabling repeated treatments and providing ongoing value to healthcare institutions and the communities they serve. This gives the investment the potential to deliver sustained social benefits through improved access to treatment, reduced patient expenses and stronger local healthcare infrastructure.

Vikram Lalvani, Managing Director and CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, said:

*"Doing Good by Doing Well' reflects a simple belief at Sterling—that as our business grows, the positive impact we create around us should grow with it.

Through our CSR initiatives, we have already supported 38 dialysis machines across 19 healthcare institutions, creating capacity for approximately 34,200 treatments every year, particularly in communities where access to specialised healthcare can be challenging. What makes this meaningful is its ability to endure. Each machine becomes a community healthcare asset that can serve patients year after year—reducing travel, easing the financial burden on families and strengthening healthcare capacity where it is needed most.

For us, that is the real measure of meaningful CSR: not simply what we spend, but the capacity we create and the impact that continues long after the investment is made."*

Focus on Measurable and Sustained Impact

Sterling said it intends to continue directing its CSR investments towards initiatives capable of creating measurable, scalable and lasting social impact as the company expands its hospitality presence across India.

The dialysis project reflects the company's stated objective of ensuring that its growth creates value not only for guests, partners and shareholders, but also for the communities it serves.

Impact at a Glance

• ₹2.25 crore: CSR commitment across FY2024-25 and FY2025-26

• 38: Dialysis machines supported

• 19: Hospitals and healthcare institutions supported

• 34,200: Annual dialysis treatment capacity created

• ₹2.05 crore: Reported patient savings

• 260: Local employment opportunities generated

• 7 states: Geographic reach of the initiative

About Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited

Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited is an independently managed hospitality company and a subsidiary of Thomas Cook (India) Limited, part of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. The company operates across more than 70 destinations in India, with over 4,000 keys. Its portfolio includes resorts in leisure, heritage, wildlife, hill station and other holiday destinations across the country.