Young people with disabilities wanting to pursue a career in hospitality will have greater opportunities following a pioneering partnership between some of Australia’s leading hotel, educational and social enterprise organisations.
Hotel Etico was established as Australia’s first social enterprise hotel in 2020, with the goal of training people living with a disability to become job-ready for the hospitality industry.
The 15-room hotel is set in the historic Mount Victoria Manor and gardens in the Blue Mountains providing real-life experience for the trainees, who after completing their training at the hotel, are assisted in gaining career employment in other hotels around NSW.
The Hotel Etico project will now be expanded following the acquisition by entrepreneur and hotel owner Dr Jerry Schwartz of the site on which Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) operates.
Dr Schwartz’s vision is to expand the site’s international education pedigree by adding the pioneering Hotel Etico campus to the BMIHMS operation.
BMIHMS will continue to be owned and operated by Torrens University Australia.
This has been enabled by the Blue Mountains International Hotel School’s new direction, which will see BMIHMS move into a smaller, refurbished campus, allowing Hotel Etico to move into the site.
Hotel Etico will relocate its landmark Academy of Independence and Head Office from Mount Victoria to the Leura campus, adjacent to BMIHMS and the Schwartz-owned Leura Gardens Resort.
The Schwartz Family Company also operates the nearby Fairmont Resort, where many of the Hotel Etico graduates have been employed.
Dr Schwartz said the idea was to create an ‘integrated resort village’ where hospitality education, inclusive employment and real-world hotel operations coexist.
“This will provide the best possible hotel education facilities while students are fully immersed in an operating hotel, while benefitting from an education program that will deliver passionate, well-trained and motivated graduates to the industry, which is hindered by a current talent shortage,” said Dr Schwartz.
“Students from the Blue Mountains International Hospitality School and Hotel Etico will have hands-on pathways into their hospitality careers and learn in the best environment.
“This partnership demonstrates the hospitality industry's commitment to attracting the very best talent and fostering true inclusion.
"Disability is a strength and asset; the campus will serve as a model for Australia and the wider industry.”
Managers of Leura Gardens Hotel and Fairmont Resort, Trilogy Hotels, will create clear recruitment pipelines for Hotel Etico and BMIHMS graduates.
The partnership and shared campus operations are planned to commence from mid-October 2025.
Hotel Etico is also in the final stages of planning a second campus in Canberra, in association with Schwartz Family Company and Trilogy Hotels, utilising their Mercure Hotel Canberra as the training hotel.
Trilogy Hotels CEO Scott Boyes said: “This is the first partnership of its kind in Australia integrating vocational training, higher education, inclusive employment, and hotel operations all on a single campus.
“It empowers a new generation of industry professionals, across all abilities and backgrounds. “We believe the Leura Campus will be a beacon of social enterprise, education excellence, and real-life learning for hospitality careers.”
Hotel Etico CEO Andrea Comastri said: “Relocating the Hotel Etico ‘Academy of Independence’ and Head Office to Leura as part of such a world-class campus is a bold step for inclusion in the Australian hospitality industry.
"Our trainees’ dedication proves that disability is no barrier to excellence. This partnership will open up new and exciting career pathways in hospitality for dozens of young people with disability.”
Pictured main: the announcement follows Hotel Etico holding its 2025 Graduation Ceremony, where Destination NSW CEO Karen Jones (above) was proud to present an award.
