IHG resorts in Indonesia launch hospitality leadership programme for local graduates - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Two IHG Hotels & Resorts properties on Indonesia's Bintan Island are preparing to launch a management development programme designed to create career opportunities for local hospitality graduates. Hotel Indigo Bintan Lagoi Beach and Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach have announced Bintan's Best Talent, a fully funded, two-year initiative for selected 2026 graduates of Politeknik Bintan Cakrawala. The programme will combine practical hotel experience, structured professional development and an internationally recognised hospitality qualification.

The initiative is intended to strengthen the island's hospitality workforce while allowing young professionals to develop their careers within their home community. Participants will receive training at both resorts, gaining experience across different operational and commercial departments. The programme also includes access to IHG Academy resources and a Hospitality Management Certificate from eCornell, the online learning platform of Cornell University.

For Bintan's tourism industry, the initiative represents an investment in local management capabilities. The island, located in Indonesia's Riau Islands province near Singapore, has developed an international resort sector that requires employees with both practical hospitality skills and an understanding of global operating standards. By offering a structured route from graduation towards management positions, the two hotels aim to support the long-term development of local talent.

Practical training across hotel departments

The programme will expose participants to four core areas of hotel management: Front Office, Food & Beverage, Human Resources or Finance, and Sales & Marketing. Rotations across these functions are designed to provide an understanding of how different departments contribute to hotel operations, guest satisfaction and commercial performance.

Working alongside experienced hospitality professionals, trainees will develop practical skills while learning how operational decisions affect the wider business. The combination of two different IHG hotel brands also provides exposure to distinct service concepts and guest expectations.

Hotel Indigo Bintan Lagoi Beach represents the group's boutique lifestyle offering, while Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach operates within its internationally established resort brand. Training across both properties is intended to broaden participants' understanding of different hospitality environments.

The practical component will be complemented by formal education. Through IHG Academy, trainees will have access to professional learning resources, while the eCornell Hospitality Management Certificate will cover subjects including revenue management, marketing, financial analysis, leadership and guest experience management.

The certificate will be provided without cost to participants, removing a potential financial barrier to obtaining an internationally recognised professional qualification.

Building long-term careers on Bintan

The programme's emphasis on local recruitment reflects the resorts' intention to retain skilled hospitality professionals on the island rather than requiring graduates to seek career development opportunities elsewhere.

"Bintan has talented young people with enormous potential, and we want them to see a future for themselves here on the island," said Michael Beechey, Cluster General Manager of Hotel Indigo Bintan Lagoi Beach and Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach.

"Bintan's Best Talent combines hands-on experience, structured development and internationally recognised qualifications to help prepare the next generation of hospitality leaders. By investing in local talent today, we hope to support the long-term growth of our industry and community."

The initiative also illustrates how international hotel operators can work with local educational institutions to connect academic training with the practical requirements of the tourism industry. Such cooperation can help graduates gain experience in commercial hotel operations while providing employers with a more structured approach to developing future supervisors and managers.

For an island destination such as Bintan, the availability of qualified local professionals is an important consideration in sustaining hospitality services and supporting future development.

The two resorts have not yet announced the number of places available in the first intake or the precise starting date. Further information about the programme launch and the selection of its initial participants is expected to follow.

With its combination of workplace rotations, professional mentoring and internationally recognised education, Bintan's Best Talent is intended to establish a longer-term pathway into hotel management while strengthening the connection between the island's tourism industry and its local workforce.

Image Credit: © IHG