Lang Students Take First Place at TTRA National Case Competition

Two fourth year students from the University of Guelph's Lang School of Business and Economics have brought home first place from the 2025 TTRA National Case Competition. Ava Overholt and Sierra McLaren, both pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Hospitality and Tourism Management, impressed judges with their creative solution to future-proof the tourism industry in the Thompson Okanagan region.

From Classroom to Competition Stage

Ava, with a minor in Sport and Event Management, brings years of hands-on experience in hospitality, from fine dining and wineries to golf courses and casual dining in her hometown of Grand Bend. Her leadership experience as President of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Students' Association allowed her to build confidence and develop the skills needed for high pressure situations like case competitions.

Sierra complemented Ava's operational expertise with a strong background in business development and leadership. Her co-op experience in asset management and sales taught her how to identify growth opportunities and approach problems strategically. Outside the classroom, Sierra serves as the Director of Corporate Relations for the Hospitality and Tourism Management Students' Association and the VP of Events and Partnerships for the Guelph Healthspan and Wellness Club, roles that have strengthened her passion for community building and leadership.

The Challenge and Solution

The competition case challenged students to rethink how the Thompson Okanagan tourism industry could move from reactive crisis management to long-term resilience. Ava and Sierra developed CATT+, a modernized, region-specific training structure based on the Canadian Academy of Travel and Tourism model. The solution focuses on five pillars: Crisis Preparedness, Workforce Wellbeing, Professional Excellence, Marketing for the New Era, and Sustainable and Inclusive Experience Design.

Their plan included a three year long pilot with 20 operations and a scalable roadmap that, by year five, aims to collaborate with the United Nations World Tourism Organization to expand CATT+ nationally. This approach impressed the judges and ultimately secured their first place win.

Preparation Under Pressure

Despite initially being part of a larger team, Ava and Sierra faced last minute changes when two teammates had to step back, leaving them to tackle the project alone. With only a week to analyze hundreds of pages of data and create a solution, the duo worked around the clock, staying up all night before the presentation, demonstrating resilience and problem solving skills.

Reflections on the Win

For Ava, the victory was a confirmation of the skills and confidence she gained throughout her time at Lang. "Sometimes with how busy university can be, it can be hard to see where this is all going, but in that moment it was super clear to me that I was really going somewhere," she said. Sierra has a similar reflection, explaining how the experience allowed her to apply co-op learnings to a real world challenge and gain insights into strategic growth within hospitality and tourism.

Both students explained how Lang's experiential learning environment and student associations prepared them for this success. "Lang gave me confidence to put myself out there, and to showcase what I am capable of even though failure could be the outcome," Ava reflected.

Looking Ahead

Following their win, Ava and Sierra are excited to continue competing in case competitions and further exploring opportunities within hospitality, tourism, and business strategy. They hope to use their skills to inspire other students and contribute to the future of the industry with solutions. 

Their achievement is an example of the value of combining academic learning to real world experience, showcasing how Lang students are making an impact both on campus and beyond.