Hotelfachschule Thun

Name

Hotelfachschule Thun

Legal name

Hotelfachschule Thun

Website

https://hfthun.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Management Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (721310), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing (THAMAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Program Housing (Study Abroad, Language Schools, Field Schools) (THAMAGAE), University/Academic Conference Hotels (THAGALAJ), Student Residence Halls & Dormitory Management (On-/Near-Campus) (EDAIALAB)

Keywords

• Hospitality management education
• Hotel diploma programs
• Vocational apprenticeship training
• Continuing professional development
• School hotel training

Headquarters

HQ city

Thun

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: The school generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for its diploma programs (Dipl. Hotelier-Gastronom HF), post-diploma programs (NDS), vocational apprenticeships (block courses), and professional development courses (Rezéptionskurs, Berufsbildnerkurs, KOPAS). Fees vary by program and membership status (members vs. non-members of HotellerieSuisse).
2. Hotel & Seminar Operations (The Lab Hotel): The on-campus The Lab Hotel generates revenue through room bookings (65 rooms: 45 standard rooms, 6 'Lab' rooms, 13 serviced apartments, 6 capsule rooms), conference packages (day packages from CHF 75–98 per person), and food & beverage (Food Market self-service restaurant, Hub Bar). The hotel also serves as a learning laboratory for students.
3. Subsidies and Grants: The school benefits from government subsidies including CCNT (Collective Labour Contract) contributions for qualifying companies employing apprentices, and the L-GAV (General Contract for the Hotel and Restaurant Industry) financial support for NDS participants. Federal recognition also enables access to public funding streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hotelfachschule Thun is a private Swiss hospitality management school offering federally recognized vocational and professional education programs. Its core offerings include a 2-year full-time and 3.5-year part-time HF Diploma in Hotel Management (Dipl. Hotelier-Gastronom HF), a 15-month post-diploma NDS program in Hotel Management (EPD ES), apprenticeship programs (AFP/CFC) delivered in block-course format at school hotels, and short continuing education courses (Réceptionskurs, Berufsbildnerkurs, KOPAS). The school operates three campuses (Thun, Interlaken, Crans-Montana) with The Lab Hotel on the Thun campus functioning as both a real hotel and a living training laboratory where students test new hospitality concepts with industry partners.

Product overview

Hotelfachschule Thun is a Swiss hospitality management school offering a portfolio of federally recognized vocational and continuing education programs. The core offerings include HF Diploma programs in Hotel Management (available full-time over 2 years or part-time over 3.5 years for working professionals), post-diploma Hotel Management studies (NDS/EPD), and apprenticeship programs under the dual education model. The school operates three training hotels: The Lab Hotel (Thun campus innovation lab), Schulhotel Regina (Interlaken), and Schulhotel Crans-Montana (French-speaking). Additional offerings include professional continuing education courses (Reception, Safety/Health, Vocational Trainer) and campus seminar facilities. The institution's unique value proposition centers on combining academic theory with hands-on practical training within real hotel environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Lab Hotel: A three-star on-campus hotel with 45 modern rooms, 6 Lab rooms, 13 serviced apartments, and 6 capsule rooms, functioning as both a training facility and a working laboratory for future hospitality trends.

Products and services

• Dipl. Hotelier-Gastronom HF / Dipl. Hoteliere-Gastronomin HF - Full-time with EFZ

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates are highly sought after by employers for their interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and practical competencies.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HotellerieSuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHotellerieSuisse is a key strategic partner that co-developed and sponsors several HF Thun programs including the NDS Hotel Manager (EPD ES) diploma, the Réception course, and the Berufsbildnerkurs. HotellerieSuisse members receive discounted fees on courses and the school operates under HotellerieSuisse's industry-defined vocational training frameworks.
• Industry Partners for The Lab Hotel Innovation (Arabesque LLC, Aruba, Achermann ICT Services, Baubedarf Richner Miauton, Blitz&Donner, Hilding Anders, Lightspeed, M-Industrie AG, ProLicht, Schwob AG, Strasser Thun, Vassalli Service AG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple industry partners collaborate with HF Thun's The Lab Hotel to test new hospitality technologies, trends, and concepts. Partners provide products and expertise across ICT, media, lighting, furniture, POS systems, and building materials. Students use these collaborations to develop and test innovations in real hotel environments, particularly in the Lab rooms.
• EHL Campus PassuggcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHF Thun has established a direct pathway with EHL Campus Passugg, allowing HF diploma graduates to enter the EHL Bachelor program at an advanced level. Students complete semesters 3 and 5 of the Bachelor at EHL Passugg before finishing at EHL Lausanne, earning a world-ranked Bachelor degree in hospitality management.
• Swiss Training Hotels and Restaurants (Partner Companies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss hotels and restaurants serve as training companies (Ausbildungsbetriebe) for HF Thun apprentices. These companies register their apprentices for block courses at the school's hotel-format facilities, enabling apprentices to gain practical experience while the school provides theoretical instruction during intensive block sessions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BHMS Business & Hotel Management School: Lucerne-based hospitality school combining hotel operations training with business education. Operates a city hotel and partner hotels for student practice, mirroring HF Thun's hotel-as-lab pedagogy at a smaller scale.
• Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS): Swiss hotel management school (part of Sommet Education) offering Bachelor and Master programs with strong practical training components. Directly competes for the same pool of aspiring hospitality professionals in Switzerland and is a benchmark for HF Thun's higher-vocational offering.
• Vatel Switzerland: Swiss campus of the international Vatel hospitality school network, located in Martigny. Targets students seeking a Swiss-based hotel management diploma with practical restaurant and hotel training embedded in the curriculum.
• César Ritz Colleges Switzerland: Swiss hospitality and culinary arts school (part of Swiss Education Group) with campuses in Brig and Le Bouveret. Comparable on target market (aspiring hoteliers), Swiss-based practical training model, and program structure.
• EHL Group (École hôtelière de Lausanne): Switzerland's leading hospitality education institution and direct articulation partner for HF Thun graduates. Operates a portfolio of hospitality degrees including the globally #1-ranked Bachelor, with multiple Swiss campuses. Highly comparable on curriculum, target audience, and Swiss vocational positioning.
• Glion Institute of Higher Education: Swiss-based international hospitality school (part of Sommet Education) with campuses in Glion and Bulle. Directly comparable on luxury hospitality positioning, English-taught programs, and Bachelor/Master degree offerings in hotel management.
• HIM Hotel Institute Montana (now part of EU Business School): Swiss hotel school located in Montana offering Bachelor and higher diploma programs in hospitality. Comparable program mix, Swiss alpine-resort setting, and target audience of international and domestic hotel management aspirants.
• IMI International Management Institute Switzerland: Lucerne-based hospitality management school offering Swiss-accredited diplomas and Bachelor degrees. Competes for the same cohort of international students seeking Swiss vocational credentials in hotel management.
• Les Roches: International hospitality school with Swiss campuses in Crans-Montana and Glion (part of Sommet Education). Competes directly for fee-paying international students and offers similar hotel-management curricula, including practical on-campus hotel operations.

Others

• HotellerieSuisse: National industry association for the Swiss hotel industry and a strategic content/training partner of HF Thun. Not a direct competitor but a key stakeholder that co-develops curricula and funds programs, shaping the regulatory and competitive landscape HF Thun operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hotelfachschule-thun

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hotelfachschule Thun