The Sentinel project – Cluster Network for Hospitality Sustainable Development and Internationalization – aims to bring together clusters from architecture and building, interiors furnishings and equipment, energy efficiency, water management to ICT and others. All of these involve three different emerging industries: creative industries (architecture and building, interiors furnishings and equipment), digital industries (ICT) and environmental industries (energy efficiency and water management).

Moreover, the common target is the hospitality sector, also included in the experience industries, one of the most relevant emerging industries. The overall objective is to develop a long-term collaboration framework to enable SMEs to acquire capacities to start their internationalization process and entering in better conditions the selected markets.

 

The clusters will take part in a joint cross-sectoral internationalization strategy with other SMEs of complementary clusters. This partnership will integrate them in a global value chain for the hospitality sector.
The hospitality sector is an outstanding generator of investments and employment. Investments in this sector, also known as contract-hospitality, include construction sector, interior furnishings & equipment, resources management and ICT solutions among others.
The touristic flows are directly and positive correlated with hospitality investments. Because of that, the partnership considers essential to explore opportunities for their SME members to enter in new and emerging markets where tourism is rapidly growing.