Agenda See the 2021 conference agenda. We’re constantly looking to inspire, grow and improve year on year so we always up the ante by introducing different themes, new keynotes, more panel sessions and workshops led by industry experts. 7th Dec Conference 8th Dec Workshops 07:45am - 08:30am Registration, Welcome Coffee and Tradeshow Open to Conference Delegates Pick up your lanyard and name tag at the registration desk and enjoy a coffee while networking with other conference delegates. The exhibitor tradeshow will open to all conference delegates. 08:50am - 09:00am Welcome Address Garrick Loft, General Manager Fastrack Digital NZ A welcome introduction to Maximum Occupancy New Zealand 2021 by the conference MC and organiser, Garrick Loft Garrick Loft's website Garrick Loft's LinkedIn profile 09:00am - 09:30am New Zealand Accommodation: The past, present and future The opening conference presentation is a must-attend for it sets the basis for the entire day. Listen to two of New Zealand's best speakers on the New Zealand accommodation market, the past, present and future. Uncover how New Zealand markets are behaving in conjunction with supply as a growing factor. Listen to the outlook for accommodation operators 2021 and beyond from STR. A must attend session Panellists Stephen Hamilton, Director Horwath HTL Stephen Hamilton's website Stephen Hamilton's LinkedIn profile Paul Hammond's biography Business Development Manager, Pacific STR Paul Hammond is the Business Development Manager, Pacific at STR, a global company who collects performance data from accommodation properties all over the world and provides aggregated reports and insights on market performance for accommodation providers and custom groups, which enables them to make better business decisions. Paul has over 20 years of experience in tourism & hospitality, and previously he worked for almost 10 years in the Online Travel (OTA) industry with global companies Orbitz, part of the Expedia Group, and Booking.com, as well as over 2 years in a major sports project with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) organising committee. Paul has also held several management and sales & marketing roles with numerous Hotels and Hotel Chains internationally and in Australia including Palazzo Versace, Hyatt, and Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG). Paul Hammond, Business Development Manager, Pacific STR Paul Hammond's website 09:30am - 10:00am Reset, Revival and the Future - An Owner's Perspective Listen to a panel of leading small, medium and large hotel owners, operators, investors and hotel brands on the current challenges facing them in a COVID world. Panellists Udai Sarin's biography Chief Executive Officer Sarin Investments Udai is the CEO of Sarin Investments since 2009.Sarin Investments is a family-owned company with over 40 years of focussed hospitality experience. They specialise in hotel and conference centre ownership, management and construction, partnering with global hotel brands such as Hilton, IHG, and Accor.Sarin are in the process of growing their current portfolio of 5 Hotels and an Event Centre with 8 upcoming projects to continue being a leader in New Zealand hospitality.They are currently the only franchisee of Hilton Hotels through Australia and New Zealand and the first franchisee of Intercontinental Hotels Group in New Zealand.Udai is a chartered accountant and graduated from Victoria University in Wellington. Udai Sarin, Chief Executive Officer Sarin Investments Udai Sarin's website Udai Sarin's LinkedIn profile Frank Delli Cicchi's biography Group General Manager Grand Hotels International Frank is the Group General Manager – Australia and New Zealand for Grand Hotels international, the Singapore – listed entity that owns and operates under the Hotel Grand Chancellor brand. Frank has a long-established career spent across hotel finance, operations and management. In his current role he has direct reporting responsibilities to the Singapore Board of Directors, overseeing all asset acquisitions, divestments and development (concurrently building a new hotel in Auckland and in the design stage for a new Christchurch property) as well as hotel management / operational matters and other commercial investments. Originally from Sydney, Frank now resides in Wellington, he has had the good fortune and privilege of having lived and worked in a number of locations throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Frank Delli Cicchi, Group General Manager Grand Hotels International Frank Delli Cicchi's website Frank Delli Cicchi's LinkedIn profile Garth Solly's biography Director of Hospitality Cooper and Company Garth Solly is a senior hotel executive with extensive experience working in and opening hotels across Australasia, India and Thailand.Recently taking on the role of Director of Hospitality & concurrently General Manager at The Landing Residences in the beautiful Bay of Islands Garth brings over 20 years of commercial hospitality experience. Prior to making his return to the winter-less north he was General Manager at the iconic QT Wellington in the nation’s capital where under his stewardship the hotel was listed in the top 7 hotels in the Australasian region by Conde Nast Traveler. The award was particularly sweet with QT Wellington the only NZ hotel named. This is in addition to the hotel winning awards for best redeveloped hotel and best marketing campaign for the extensive refurbishment of the hotel.Garth returns to the Bay of Islands where he was previously Group General Manager, Lodges of the internationally acclaimed Robertson Lodges of NZ, based at The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs. In his portfolio were also The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in the Hawkes Bay and Matakauri Lodge in Queenstown.His time in NZ Lodges was preceded by 10 years’ service with Intercontinental Hotels Group across New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, India and Thailand operating a mix of corporate and leisure hotels and resorts. Commercially savvy, with the ability to secure sales through effective strategy and strong interpersonal skills; and cost efficiencies through effective operational strategies, Garth led his teams to great success across all regions. Garth Solly, Director of Hospitality Cooper and Company Garth Solly's website Garth Solly's LinkedIn profile Clay Bennett-Bremner's biography Asset Manager M&L Hospitality Clay is an Asset Manager for M&L Hospitality, the owners of the Hilton Auckland and The Chateau on the Park Christchurch, a Doubletree by Hilton.Prior to joining M&L Hospitality 4 years ago, he had extensive hotel experience as Area Director of Finance at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney and with Starwood Hotels, including as Financial Controller at the former Westin Hotel in Auckland. M&L Hospitality is a Singaporean company and owns 21 hotels across 7 countries including NZ, Australia, UK and Singapore, Belgium, The Netherlands and Czech Republic. Their hotels are managed by International Operators, including Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Radisson. Clay Bennett-Bremner, Asset Manager M&L Hospitality Clay Bennett-Bremner's website Clay Bennett-Bremner's LinkedIn profile Facilitator Wim Ruepert's biography Horwath HTL Wim joined Horwath HTL in March 2016 with over 28 years’ experience in financial leadership and general management positions in international hotels and resorts. Prior to joining Horwath, Wim was Area General Manager responsible for the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) portfolio in New Zealand.He specialises in hotel asset management, market demand, supply and feasibility analysis and has worked with a wide variety of owners and investors, from high net worth individuals, to institutional owners and private equity funds.His extensive international experience includes hotel management roles in Australasia, Europe, USA, China, Japan and the Caribbean. Wim Ruepert, Horwath HTL Wim Ruepert's website Wim Ruepert's LinkedIn profile 10:00am - 10:30am Road to Recovery Post-COVID Initiatives, Insights & Opinions An outside of the box panel discussion from 5 industry leaders that have found continued success and growth despite the pressures of covid. Hear how they have navigated the past 18 months, what stands them apart and what they see happening in the industry over the next 2 years. Panellists Brad Burnett, Group General Manager SKYCITY Hotels Brad Burnett's website Brad Burnett's LinkedIn profile Malcom Hazleton, Director of Sales Amadeus Malcom Hazleton's website Malcom Hazleton's LinkedIn profile Tony Boot's biography Managing Director BTM NZ Tony Boot established BTM in 1994. BTM provides assistance with marketing and translation services in 15 languages to a range of public sector and private sector organisations in New Zealand, Japan, USA, etc, with the aim of improving their capability and profitability. Clients include: Tourism NZ, NZTE, Education NZ, NZ Rugby, Icebreaker, NZ King Salmon, as well as businesses in tourism, health & wellness, food & beverage, specialised manufacturing, insurance, finance, film and creative, and more Tony Boot, Managing Director BTM NZ Tony Boot's website Tony Boot's LinkedIn profile Clare Davies's biography Founder & Managing Director Capstone Hotels Clare is the Founder and Managing Director of Capstone Hotel Management; a 100% New Zealand owned Hotel Management company, overseeing accommodation businesses in some of the most beautiful locations throughout New Zealand.Clare has been involved in the hospitality and tourism industry for over 30 years and has been privileged enough to have worked in a wide variety of locations both in New Zealand and overseas. Clare’s experience extends from running successful food & beverage operations, to hotel ownership and hands-on management. Extremely passionate about the tourism sector and the development within the industry and promotion of regional New Zealand, Clare has been a major contributor to local and regional tourism throughout her career and held the role of National President forHospitality NZ after six years sitting on the National Board. Clare Davies, Founder & Managing Director Capstone Hotels Clare Davies's website David Ovendale , CEO TOP 10 Holiday Parks David Ovendale 's website David Ovendale 's LinkedIn profile Facilitator Tim Alpe, Managing Director JUCY Snooze Tim Alpe's website Tim Alpe's LinkedIn profile 10:30am - 11:00am Morning Tea Grab a tea or coffee and discuss the morning sessions with your colleagues. 11:00am - 11:30am Accessing Events - the importance of events as a potential key sales channel Hear this intriguing discussion as Lisa Hopkins (CEO, Business Events Industry Aotearoa) interviews Richard Clarke (Head of Major & Business Events, Auckland Unlimited). Lisa will quiz Richard on the importance of Major and Business events to a location and together they will explore how individual operators can maximise the opportunities these major events create. Panellists Lisa Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer Business Events Industry Aotearoa Lisa Hopkins's website Lisa Hopkins's LinkedIn profile Richard Clarke, Head of Major & Business Events Auckland Unlimited View bio Adrian Caruso's biography Founder, Managing Director Fastrack Group Adrian is founder and CEO of Australasia's leading travel, tourism and hospitality full-service marketing and communications firm, Fastrack Group.Adrian is a highly experienced and respected travel, tourism and hospitality digital marketing, media and communications expert with over 25 years in the industry. He is also a management consultant and strategist. 11:30am - 11:55am 21 Must Do's in 2021 to Drive More Direct Bookings Adrian Caruso, Founder, Managing Director Fastrack Group With the world we live in and the industry very different to one year ago when COVID was declared a pandemic, the way people dream about, search and book travel is very different. Do you know what the new way and new trends of booking travel is? Are you still struggling to generate the majority of your bookings directly? Listen in to one of the industry leaders in direct booking know-how. Adrian Caruso's website Adrian Caruso's LinkedIn profile 11:55am - 12:25pm The Corporate Market - Gone Forever? Or Different? We take a deep-dive look into this vitally important segment for hoteliers and the different impacts Covid-19 has had on it. From reduced inventory due to MIQ hotels, employers focus on duty of care, pressure on corporate rates to be lowered and locked in longer. To the importance of TMC's and how to best leverage their relationships. Facilitated by corporate travel industry veteran Brendan Drury (Managing Director, Orbit World Travel) - this will be a session not to be missed. Panellists Leigh Higgins's biography Director of Sales Sudima Hotels March 2021 saw Leigh celebrate 10 years with Sudima Hotels. Leigh’s background had been in Corporate Travel Management however an opportunity in 2011 to join the Sudima Group as Corporate Sales Manager saw her relish in this position in which today she holds the position as Director of Corporate Sales. In 2018 Leigh won a National TIA Award for Sales & Marketing Distribution Employee of the Year and in 2020 she was recognized by her co-workers as Sudima Employee of the Year.Responsible for a variety of market segments, Leigh manages Corporate, Conference, Business Events, Airline Crew, Disrupt Passengers and now being based in Christchurch she also manages relationships with the Antarctic partners in the region.Establishing long lasting business relationships is important to Leigh in which this has proven to be part of the success of Sudima’s growth. No one day is the same and that’s exactly as she likes it. Moving into Hospitality was one of her best career decision she’s made she says. Leigh Higgins, Director of Sales Sudima Hotels Leigh Higgins's website Leigh Higgins's LinkedIn profile Kerry-lee Cuningham, Sales Manager The Hotel Britomart Kerry-lee Cuningham's website Kerry-lee Cuningham's LinkedIn profile Marcus Keenan, General Manager at Rydges Formosa Golf Resort Maraetai Rydges Hotels & Resorts Marcus Keenan's website Marcus Keenan's LinkedIn profile Lisa Breckon, Director of Sales & Marketing CPG Hotels Lisa Breckon's website Adrian Turner's biography Group General Manager Quest Apartment Hotels (NZ) Ltd Adrian Turner is the Group General Manager for Quest Apartment Hotels in New Zealand. Prior to this role Adrian was originally the General Manager for retail travel chain Holiday Shoppe, part of the original Gullivers Travel Group. Over a 10 year period, he then managed the transitions and rebrand of the chain to Harvey World Travel and then to helloworld Travel.Adrian has overall responsibility for the general day to day operations of the 35 current Quest franchises business and also works with Stephen Mansfield the CEO on the strategic direction of the business including the new developments.Quest is the largest and fastest growing accommodation business in New Zealand and this will be further enhanced with the growth opening of a further 8 properties over the next 24 months and is considered a well regarded, dependable and relevant corporate citizen within the New Zealand environment. Adrian Turner, Group General Manager Quest Apartment Hotels (NZ) Ltd Adrian Turner's website Adrian Turner's LinkedIn profile Facilitator Brendan Drury, Managing Director Orbit World Travel Brendan Drury's website Brendan Drury's LinkedIn profile View bio Haley Purdon's biography Director of Market Management - New Zealand & Pacific Islands Expedia Haley Purdon leads Expedia Lodging Partner Services in New Zealand and Pacific Islands, responsible for developing the strategies for the Group’s lodging supply business in the region.With more than 12 years’ experience with Expedia Group, she leads the team to establish and develop strong partner relationships with hotel partners, helping to maximise their exposure to the Group’s 200+ travel booking websites. Prior to her role as Director of Market Management, Haley held various roles at the company. She started out as a Senior Market Manager for Orbitz Worldwide, where she was responsible for building a team on the ground, developing the brand awareness and expanding its presence to New Zealand and Pacific Islands region.Haley brings valued knowledge of the online travel landscape to her role. Her passion for leading and developing people is instrumental to the rapid expansion of the NZPI team over the past four years. 12:25pm - 12:50pm What Travellers Want - 2021 Haley Purdon, Director of Market Management - New Zealand & Pacific Islands Expedia Hear from Expedia's key person in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands about the impact of Covid-19 and lessons to be learned from global research on how to drive revenue for your property. Haley Purdon's website Haley Purdon's LinkedIn profile 12:50pm - 01:20pm Hotel Leader & CEO Meet-Up In this session, listen to some of New Zealand's and APAC hotel leaders and CEOs discuss the latest trends, issues and opportunities facing the accommodation industry in New Zealand and abroad. This panel session will be facilitated by one of New Zealand's leading accommodation stalwarts, Sally Attfield from Hospitality New Zealand Panellists Stephen Mansfield's biography CEO Quest Apartment Hotels (NZ) Ltd Stephen Mansfield is the CEO & Founder of the Quest Apartment Hotel Group in New Zealand. Stephen was originally the Managing Director of the Quest business in Australia based in Melbourne. However identifying the opportunity to establish and grow the Quest Business within the New Zealand market place, he relocated his family to New Zealand in 1999, and from the original two operations secured in Auckland, he has grown Quest to be the largest accommodation provider by number of outlets within New Zealand. Quest continues its track record of being the fastest growing accommodation business with 8 new operations scheduled to come online over the next 24 months, bringing the total number of Quest properties New Zealand wide to 43.Stephens focus is developing the organisations capability and infrastructure that provides the platform for future corporate growth, sustainability and performance with the view to enhancing the position of the Quest business as a well regarded, dependable and relevant corporate citizen within the New Zealand environment. Stephen Mansfield, CEO Quest Apartment Hotels (NZ) Ltd David Ovendale , CEO TOP 10 Holiday Parks David Ovendale 's website David Ovendale 's LinkedIn profile Karl Luxon, Chief Operating Officer Scenic Hotel Group Karl Luxon's website Les Morgan's biography Chief Operating Officer Sudima Hotels/ Hind Management Les Morgan is the Chief Operating Officer of Sudima Hotels and Hind Management. The Group has an annual turnover in excess of $50m and employs over 450 people. Sudima Hotels is currently is undergoing a significant expansion phase with numerous new Hotels under development, and is contracted to have 1,600+ rooms under management by 2021.Les recognises that whilst commercial success is a primary function of any business; strong organisational values and community empathy are vital ingredients to a healthy prosperous company. Les is a previous recipient of a Westpac Excellence in Leadership Award, was the 2018 Winner of NZ Hotel - Industry Senior Hotel Executive Award and recently received the Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Tourism Industry Champion Award.Originally from Rotorua, he now resides in Auckland. He holds a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and is a Sommelier by trade. His background includes experience in 3 to 5 Star Hotels from boutique to substantial in both the UK and New Zealand with several of the World’s leading Hotel Brands. Les Morgan, Chief Operating Officer Sudima Hotels/ Hind Management Les Morgan's website Les Morgan's LinkedIn profile Gavin Faull's biography Chairman and President Swiss-Belhotel International Gavin has over 35 years experience in hotel management and operations under his belt. He started his career as an accountant for The Peninsula Group, Hong Kong. In 1983, he was made chief executive of Kingsgate International Corporate Limited, a publicly listed company that owned several hotels in Australia and New Zealand.He worked for a start-up hotel management company Swiss-Belhotel group in 1990, before taking over the ownership of the company in 1999. Apart from his illustrious career in the hospitality industry, he also runs a number of agricultural companies in his native New Zealand. Gavin holds hold a Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Victoria University of Wellington. Gavin Faull, Chairman and President Swiss-Belhotel International Gavin Faull's website Gavin Faull's LinkedIn profile Graham Perry's biography Managing Director BWH Hotel Group Australasia Graham is a seasoned executive leader with experience working across the global travel, tourism, media and hospitality sectors. The thread that flows through his career is his passion for marketing and the ever-evolving travel distribution and technology landscape.From 2016 Graham has worked with a number of successful travel start-ups including eRoam who are applying artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to transform travel distribution. He was appointed Managing Director, Australasia for Best Western Hotels & Resorts in May 2018. Graham Perry, Managing Director BWH Hotel Group Australasia Graham Perry's website Facilitator Sally Attfield, General Manager - Accommodation Accommodation Association New Zealand 01:20pm - 02:10pm Lunch Network with other attendees over a delicious buffet lunch. 02:10pm - 02:40pm Revenue Management - How's its all changed. The Dangers of a Quick Win Hear from leading revenue specialists as they discuss the new wild west of forecasting post-pandemic and their tips for navigating the changes in customer behaviour. Learn what type of quick wins have worked versus the impact on longer-term strategies and whether traditional tactics still work Panellists Shyla Pinto, Revenue Strategist RevenueGen Shyla Pinto's website Shyla Pinto's LinkedIn profile Renato Gualberto, Director of Revenue Management SKYCITY Hotels Renato Gualberto's website Renato Gualberto's LinkedIn profile Todd Simms's biography General Manager Commercial, New Zealand ARMA Todd brings over 20 years of operational hotel experience specialising in revenue management. Todd has worked with multiple hotel brands across four countries including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and French Polynesia - most recently at an executive level for Accor Hotels overseeing the strategic revenue management function for their New Zealand, Fiji, and French Polynesian based hotels. Todd is also completing his MBA and enjoys seeing people grow whilst driving economic success through the art and science of revenue management. Todd represents the interests of ARMA members and partners and drives ARMA educational initiatives for the industry. Todd Simms, General Manager Commercial, New Zealand ARMA Todd Simms's website Todd Simms's LinkedIn profile Amit Peshawaria's biography Head of Sales, Asia Pacific & Oceania OTA Insight Amit is based in Brisbane as the current Head of Asia Pacific & Oceania for OTA Insight, leading the regional team in sales, strategy and development for the region. He has 20 years of experience in operational, commercial and pre-opening assignments within hospitality across Asia, Middle East and Australia. Prior to joining OTA Insight, Amit has worked with global companies such as Hilton, MINOR Hotels, Accor, Belmond and Taj Group. As a strong supporter of revenue enhancement, Amit works with key hospitality partners, regional hoteliers and asset management companies in Asia-Pacific to enable and support in making smarter revenue and distribution decisions. Amit frequently presents the latest market trends and updates at industry events in the Asia Pacific region. Amit Peshawaria, Head of Sales, Asia Pacific & Oceania OTA Insight Amit Peshawaria's website Facilitator Hazel Rigler's biography Chief Commercial Officer Motive Group Hazel has established a strong career within the hospitality industry, joining Motive Group / Village Accommodation Group at the end of 2019 as Chief Commercial Director, managing all operations and strategy across the 7 properties within the portfolio. Prior to joining, Hazel worked in senior management roles within hospitality in the UK and Ireland, with her previous role being Director of Marketing & eCommerce Australia/New Zealand at Grand Chancellor Hotels. She has knowledge in a diverse range of hospitality systems and processes, from ecommerce, data integration, revenue, sales, loyalty, brand management and is also a Chartered Marketer through the Marketing Association NZ. Hazel Rigler, Chief Commercial Officer Motive Group Hazel Rigler's website Hazel Rigler's LinkedIn profile 02:40pm - 03:05pm KEYNOTE PRESENTATION - New Zealand's Tourism Future Chris Roberts, Chief Executive Officer Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) The way tourism is done in New Zealand has been changed forever by COVID. Everyone wants to ‘build back better’ – but what does ‘better’ look like and how do we get there? As the head of tourism’s peak industry body, Chris Roberts will share his views on how we can collectively shape tourism for the benefit of Aotearoa and its people. Chris Roberts's website Chris Roberts's LinkedIn profile 03:05pm - 03:35pm The Tourism Employment Landscape: Are we moving towards a talent war With reports of 80% of accommodation industry employees being severely impacted by the impacts of Covid-19 on the industry, we are either at a crisis point or have the opportunity to reimagine our future as employers. With this massive loss of experience across the industry, hear from a vastly experienced panel with 4 very different perspectives but one joint goal of being best prepared for what lays ahead. Panellists Jason Hill's biography Managing Partner Tourism Talent Jason Hill is passionate about changing the way our industry recruits and develops talent. Tourism Talent are experienced tourism professionals focused on connecting great businesses with outstanding people. Jason has an extensive network in tourism having held a variety of senior roles within the New Zealand industry over 25 years and is also Managing Director of Meneth Consulting. Until late 2017 he was Head of Tourism at Auckland Tourism, Event and Economic Development (ATEED) for six years, responsible for the international and domestic marketing of Auckland, as well as new product development and destination management. Jason Hill, Managing Partner Tourism Talent Jason Hill's website Jason Hill's LinkedIn profile Ronnie Ronaldo, Group Operations Manager CPG Hotels Ronnie Ronaldo's website Matt Stenton, Program Director Go with Tourism Matt Stenton's website Facilitator Phillipa Gimmillaro, Director of Talent & Culture / Toi Ahurea Sudima Hotels Phillipa Gimmillaro's website Phillipa Gimmillaro's LinkedIn profile 03:35pm - 04:05pm Hotel marketer deep dive: Dissecting COVID and future strategies Time to get inside your guest’s head with New Zealand’s senior hotel and agency marketing experts. What has Covid changed in our guest’s buying behaviour and have these behaviours changed for good? Gain insights about what is working now and what they expect will become the future trends, in the domestic and international markets, for getting your guests to click your Book Now button. Panellists Carl Amos, General Manager mi-pad Queenstown Hotel Carl Amos's LinkedIn profile Michael Anderson, Director of Sales & Marketing QT Auckland Michael Anderson's website Caroline Ah Chong-Douglas, Director of Sales & Marketing SkyCity Hotels Group Caroline Ah Chong-Douglas's website Ken Freer's biography Founder Flying Tiger Ken is the Founder of Flying Tiger, a sales and marketing agency helping brands succeed in the Chinese market. With over twenty years senior marketing experience, Ken's tourism experience includes being the western markets marketing lead for Tourism New Zealand, as well as CMO at both Tourism Fiji and House of Travel. One of Ken's passions is demonstrating to New Zealand businesses how new marketing and sales technologies and tactics from China can provide real opportunities for local businesses. Ken Freer, Founder Flying Tiger Ken Freer's website Ken Freer's LinkedIn profile Facilitator Scott Rees, Head of Client Strategy & Delivery Fastrack Digital New Zealand Scott Rees's website Scott Rees's LinkedIn profile 04:05pm - 04:30pm Afternoon Tea Sample the delicious array of cakes, biscuits and beverages on offer while networking with conference delegates. 04:30pm - 05:00pm Hotel technology in 2021 and Beyond Panellists Edwin Saldanha's biography Regional Manager - Oceania STAAH Edwin has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. His career spans two continents with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Stamford Hotel & Resorts. Having worn multiple hats, Edwin has a deep-rooted knowledge of hospitality operations, revenue management, marketing and distribution technology.Edwin has spoken at the following events: 80 Twenty Hotel Conference, Bali Hotel Summit, Auckland University of Technology(AUT), Griffith University, Otago Polytechnic, Motel Association of New Zealand, ARA Christchurch and Holiday Parks Association of New Zealand. Edwin Saldanha, Regional Manager - Oceania STAAH Edwin Saldanha's website Suresh Subramaniam, Managing Director RevM8 Suresh Subramaniam's LinkedIn profile Aidan Carson, Director Digital Hospitality Aidan Carson's website Aidan Carson's LinkedIn profile Justin De Lille, Group Chief Executive Officer Liverton Technology Group Justin De Lille's website Justin De Lille's LinkedIn profile Facilitator Jackie Leat's biography Hospitality Lead Fr@nk Innovation & Transformation Hospitality Lead for Fr@nk, Jackie specializes in delivering Hospitality Technology for hotels across New Zealand as well as holding a role as, IT Manager at Millbrook Resort.Jackie has worked in IT for 30 years and now focuses on delivering technology in retail and hotels.Jackie was instrumental in the planning of the systems for the New Zealand International Convention Centre and SKYCITYs five-star hotels in Auckland and Adelaide in 2018 and now consults to hotels throughout New Zealand planning technology roadmaps and assisting with change.At Millbrook Resort, Jackie is currently implementing all facets of infrastructure and interfaces on a roadmap for a world class digital customer experience. This will strengthen the direct mobile engagement with their guests and bring quantifiable benefits to the Resort. Jackie Leat, Hospitality Lead Fr@nk Innovation & Transformation Jackie Leat's website Jackie Leat's LinkedIn profile 05:00pm - 05:30pm Branded vs. Non-Brand vs.Soft Brands vs. Boutique With the importance of brand being vitally important in a book direct strategy, we take a spirited look into the relevance of brand.com in the current environment and into the future. Do you need brand support or what does it take to make your own brand stand out? Panellists Clinton Farley's biography General Manager The Hotel Britomart After two decades in hotels across New Zealand and Australia, Clinton Farley has come home to Auckland to open The Hotel Britomart as its general manager. Awarded Australian Hotel General Manager of the Year 2017 (HM Awards), Clinton is a skilled strategic Business Leader and Board Director. He holds a wealth of experience in tourism and hospitality having worked within hotels, luxury lodges and resorts across New Zealand and Australia. Clinton is a firm believer in a hotel being a core part of its surrounding community which is a key aspect of his role at the Hotel Britomart. It has also led him to be on boards for tourism destination bodies in Taupo, Melbourne, and Alice Springs. He is also a director of Soap Aid, a non-profit organization that reprocesses hotel soap across New Zealand, Australia and North America to save lives globally by improving hygiene in some of the most impoverished regions in the world. Clinton Farley, General Manager The Hotel Britomart Clinton Farley's website Clinton Farley's LinkedIn profile Daron Gray, General Manager Waipuna Hotel & Conference Centre Daron Gray's website Daron Gray's LinkedIn profile Nicole Lawson, Group General Manager Jet Park Hotels Nicole Lawson's website Troy Clarry's biography Owner/Director Katalyma Hotels & Hospitality - Whangaparaoa Lodge & Kerikeri Park Lodge After spending more than 20 years managing in some of Asia’s most exciting hotels for Hyatt International & Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Japan, Bali, China, New Zealand, Saipan and Taiwan, Troy decided to return home to New Zealand in 2013 to start his own hospitality management company – Katalyma Hotels and Hospitality. Subsequently, Troy and his wife Tomoko became the owners of Whangaparaoa Lodge in mid 2013 and added a second property Kerikeri Park Lodge from the beginning of 2017.“Owning and running our own business, creating our own path and destiny is a luxury earned from taking risks and working hard” Troy says. Troy spent the majority of his time in Hotels managing Food & Beverage operations working his way up through the Hotel hierarchy. He started as a Corporate Trainee for Hyatt International, moving through to restaurant management, Banquet and Catering, and divisional and hotel operations management. Troy’s last position was the General Manager of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts – Tokyo Restaurants, which oversaw the Japan operations of the luxury brand’s lifestyle operations. Additionally, passion for the industry and local community is also very important to Troy. He is a board member of the National Board, Hospitality New Zealand, chairs the Auckland accommodation sector group at branch level, and is an executive committee member of the local Whangaparaoa Business Association. Troy Clarry, Owner/Director Katalyma Hotels & Hospitality - Whangaparaoa Lodge & Kerikeri Park Lodge Troy Clarry's website Troy Clarry's LinkedIn profile Riki Kinnaird's biography Co-Owner The Duke of Marlborough Hotel Riki is the absolute definition of a business owner engaged in his local community. He is the current Deputy Chair of the Northland Rugby Union, Program Director for Rugby for Life and the Co-owner The Duke of Marlborough Hotel, Russell and Charlotte's Kitchen in Paihia. Riki and his team have taken the Duke of Marlborough Hotel from strength to strength since taking over ownership in 2010 and has grown to one of the largest employers in the local region. The Duke has gone through a significant refurbishment program in the past 10 years and has been lovingly restored to its original glory as a main anchor point for the local community.Successfully navigating their multiple businesses through the pressures of Covid-19 has been their main focus for the past 18 months, and now with the businesses thriving and each day providing a little more certainty on what the future holds it is time to look to the future again. Riki Kinnaird, Co-Owner The Duke of Marlborough Hotel Riki Kinnaird's website Facilitator Garrick Loft, General Manager Fastrack Digital NZ Garrick Loft's website Garrick Loft's LinkedIn profile 08:00am - 08:40am Registration and Welcome Coffee Workshops day is full of one-on-one style learning sessions, so grab a coffee and get ready for lots of learning from the experts. 09:00am - 09:45am Book Direct Blueprint In this highly interactive workshop you will learn how to formulate or improve your hotel's 'Direct Booking Strategy' through proven techniques and strategies. Learn from two of the hotel industry's leading Direct Booking Strategists, Garrick and Scott. With a combined industry experience of over 40 years, they will touch on all major digital channels and data practices and look at how they should be applied in a COVID world. Your will walk away from the workshop with a written blueprint of what you need to do in 2021/22 for get more direct bookings instantly and loads more revenue. A not to be missed hands-on workshop. Facilitator Garrick Loft, General Manager Fastrack Digital NZ Garrick Loft's website Garrick Loft's LinkedIn profile View bio Todd Simms's biography General Manager Commercial, New Zealand ARMA Todd brings over 20 years of operational hotel experience specialising in revenue management. Todd has worked with multiple hotel brands across four countries including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and French Polynesia - most recently at an executive level for Accor Hotels overseeing the strategic revenue management function for their New Zealand, Fiji, and French Polynesian based hotels. Todd is also completing his MBA and enjoys seeing people grow whilst driving economic success through the art and science of revenue management. Todd represents the interests of ARMA members and partners and drives ARMA educational initiatives for the industry. 09:45am - 10:15am How to Align Your Marketing & Revenue Management Strategies Todd Simms, General Manager Commercial, New Zealand ARMA "Now more than ever it is essential to have your commercial team aligned, as we move through and beyond this COVID period the importance of demand creation and the strategic management of it has never been more important, in this session we will discuss the role each team member plays and how data links them all together." Todd Simms's website Todd Simms's LinkedIn profile 10:15am - 10:45am Banding Together for Recovery: Challenges, Ideas & Action from the Industry With the tourism industry in New Zealand in the midst of an extremely challenging time due in particular to the Coronavirus preventing many from travelling, it is more important than ever to react swiftly, but mindfully, to unexpected disruptions in your hotel's demand. Represented on the panel are leaders from a cross-section of both the tourism and accommodation industry to share their own experiences, expertise and ideas when it comes to what you should do when it comes to responding the challenge ahead. Panellists Kerry Lahood, International Sales Manager Southern Discoveries Kerry Lahood's website Kerry Lahood's LinkedIn profile Gavin Oliver, Managing Director EcoZip Adventures Gavin Oliver's website Gavin Oliver's LinkedIn profile Jake Downing, Head of Tourism Weta Workshop Jake Downing's website Jake Downing's LinkedIn profile Atif Kahn, Hotel Manager Wairakei Resort Taupo Atif Kahn's website Atif Kahn's LinkedIn profile Catherine Bone, General Manager Edgewater Hotel, Wanaka Catherine Bone's website Catherine Bone's LinkedIn profile Facilitator Garrick Loft, General Manager Fastrack Digital NZ Garrick Loft's website Garrick Loft's LinkedIn profile 10:45am - 11:10am Morning Tea Break time! Enjoy a delicious pastry and tea or coffee with fellow delegates. 11:10am - 11:40am Major and Business Events to grow your business Lisa Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer Business Events Industry Aotearoa Business Events delivered $1.5BN to New Zealand’s economy in 2019. COVID impacted this number, but the sector is starting to come back, thanks largely to a strong and loyal domestic customer base. With a long lead time and borders likely to open in 2022, how can you ensure your hotel is BE ready, what are the expectations of the international and domestic client and what should you expect from them? Lisa Hopkins's website Lisa Hopkins's LinkedIn profile View bio Jason Hill's biography Managing Partner Tourism Talent Jason Hill is passionate about changing the way our industry recruits and develops talent. Tourism Talent are experienced tourism professionals focused on connecting great businesses with outstanding people. Jason has an extensive network in tourism having held a variety of senior roles within the New Zealand industry over 25 years and is also Managing Director of Meneth Consulting. Until late 2017 he was Head of Tourism at Auckland Tourism, Event and Economic Development (ATEED) for six years, responsible for the international and domestic marketing of Auckland, as well as new product development and destination management. 11:40am - 12:10pm Impact of your Employer Brand Jason Hill, Managing Partner Tourism Talent Do you know what your employer brand is and what impact it can potentially have on your ability to find and retain good staff? Jason Hill's website Jason Hill's LinkedIn profile View bio Tony Boot's biography Managing Director BTM NZ Tony Boot established BTM in 1994. BTM provides assistance with marketing and translation services in 15 languages to a range of public sector and private sector organisations in New Zealand, Japan, USA, etc, with the aim of improving their capability and profitability. Clients include: Tourism NZ, NZTE, Education NZ, NZ Rugby, Icebreaker, NZ King Salmon, as well as businesses in tourism, health & wellness, food & beverage, specialised manufacturing, insurance, finance, film and creative, and more 12:10pm - 12:35pm How to Attract and manage the non-english speaking domestic clientele Tony Boot, Managing Director BTM NZ New Zealand’s ethnic composition is changing, with recent reports saying that 25% of our populations with be of Asian extraction in the future. In this workshop, Tony will provide key insights into: The changing ‘face’ of tourism. Promoting to Non-English speaking markets - fulfilling dreams rather than selling product. Maximizing the customer experience for these markets and the role of multi-lingual apps for tourism businesses. Tony Boot's website Tony Boot's LinkedIn profile 12:35pm - 01:05pm Maximising the GDS & Distribution Malcom Hazleton, Director of Sales Amadeus The questions often asked by hoteliers… When will corporate travel resume? What will it look like? How do I maximise any opportunities? What new technology has been accelerated recently? Find out the answers to these and more as we take a look at the ever-evolving distribution landscape. Malcom Hazleton's website Malcom Hazleton's LinkedIn profile 01:05pm - 01:50pm Lunch Network with other attendees over a delicious lunch. View bio Mauro Risch's biography Hotel & Resort Photographer The Hotel Photographer Over the last decade, Mauro Risch has become known simply as The Hotel Photographer. He travels around the Asia Pacific region creating visual content that brings brand awareness and most importantly, improves bookings. He is trusted by PR and marketing teams, hotel managers and executive brand teams right across the Asia Pacific region. Mauro is the preferred photographer for some of the top operators across the industry, including IHG, Wyndham and Meriton. 01:50pm - 02:20pm The Impact of Your Photos in a COVID World Mauro Risch, Hotel & Resort Photographer The Hotel Photographer “One great photo is worth a thousand bookings” Listen and learn from Mauro on how to produce the best visual content to help you increase your bookings. What to look for and what to avoid. He will show you the way to get what you need out of your photoshoot. A workshop not to be missed! Mauro Risch's website Mauro Risch's LinkedIn profile 02:20pm - 02:50pm Leverage OTA tools to understand and attract the right customers In this workshop, spend 1:1 time with Expedia consultants to uncover the tools you have at your fingertips to target your ideal customer. How are customers making their travel decisions in today's environment? Discover our interactive and forward-looking data to help you strategize in uncertain times. Facilitator Haley Purdon's biography Director of Market Management - New Zealand & Pacific Islands Expedia Haley Purdon leads Expedia Lodging Partner Services in New Zealand and Pacific Islands, responsible for developing the strategies for the Group’s lodging supply business in the region.With more than 12 years’ experience with Expedia Group, she leads the team to establish and develop strong partner relationships with hotel partners, helping to maximise their exposure to the Group’s 200+ travel booking websites. Prior to her role as Director of Market Management, Haley held various roles at the company. She started out as a Senior Market Manager for Orbitz Worldwide, where she was responsible for building a team on the ground, developing the brand awareness and expanding its presence to New Zealand and Pacific Islands region.Haley brings valued knowledge of the online travel landscape to her role. Her passion for leading and developing people is instrumental to the rapid expansion of the NZPI team over the past four years. Haley Purdon, Director of Market Management - New Zealand & Pacific Islands Expedia Haley Purdon's website Haley Purdon's LinkedIn profile 02:50pm - 03:20pm Best bang for buck: Marketing Spend Strategies for Small Operators Listen to two of New Zealand's leading hotel and travel marketing and distribution specialists, Scott Rees and Katie Ho of Fastrack Digital New Zealand show you how you can market your accommodation business for not much at all. Learn how to get more bang for your buck by correctly leveraging under utilised channels that can heavily influence your business. Facilitator Scott Rees, Head of Client Strategy & Delivery Fastrack Digital New Zealand Scott Rees's website Scott Rees's LinkedIn profile Katie Ho, Digital Marketing Assistant Fastrack Digital New Zealand Katie Ho's website 03:20pm - 03:45pm Afternoon Tea Take a break and grab something to eat before our final sessions of the day. 03:50pm - 05:00pm Ask anything round tables Delegates often say this is the best session of the entire conference. This is your opportunity to sit down with the experts and gain answers and insights for your hotel in a consultation style format. ROUND TABLE 1 Direct Booking Strategy ROUND TABLE 2 Revenue Management ROUND TABLE 3 OTA's - Learning How to Best Use them hosted by Expedia ROUND TABLE 4 Social Media, Email Marketing, SEO, Paid Advertising Strategies ROUND TABLE 5 Growing your Business with Conference & Events Panellists Garrick Loft, General Manager Fastrack Digital NZ Garrick Loft's website Garrick Loft's LinkedIn profile Haley Purdon's biography Director of Market Management - New Zealand & Pacific Islands Expedia Haley Purdon leads Expedia Lodging Partner Services in New Zealand and Pacific Islands, responsible for developing the strategies for the Group’s lodging supply business in the region.With more than 12 years’ experience with Expedia Group, she leads the team to establish and develop strong partner relationships with hotel partners, helping to maximise their exposure to the Group’s 200+ travel booking websites. Prior to her role as Director of Market Management, Haley held various roles at the company. She started out as a Senior Market Manager for Orbitz Worldwide, where she was responsible for building a team on the ground, developing the brand awareness and expanding its presence to New Zealand and Pacific Islands region.Haley brings valued knowledge of the online travel landscape to her role. Her passion for leading and developing people is instrumental to the rapid expansion of the NZPI team over the past four years. Haley Purdon, Director of Market Management - New Zealand & Pacific Islands Expedia Haley Purdon's website Haley Purdon's LinkedIn profile Katie Ho, Digital Marketing Assistant Fastrack Digital New Zealand Katie Ho's website Scott Rees, Head of Client Strategy & Delivery Fastrack Digital New Zealand Scott Rees's website Scott Rees's LinkedIn profile Malcom Hazleton, Director of Sales Amadeus Malcom Hazleton's website Malcom Hazleton's LinkedIn profile Tony Boot's biography Managing Director BTM NZ Tony Boot established BTM in 1994. BTM provides assistance with marketing and translation services in 15 languages to a range of public sector and private sector organisations in New Zealand, Japan, USA, etc, with the aim of improving their capability and profitability. Clients include: Tourism NZ, NZTE, Education NZ, NZ Rugby, Icebreaker, NZ King Salmon, as well as businesses in tourism, health & wellness, food & beverage, specialised manufacturing, insurance, finance, film and creative, and more Tony Boot, Managing Director BTM NZ Tony Boot's website Tony Boot's LinkedIn profile Jason Hill's biography Managing Partner Tourism Talent Jason Hill is passionate about changing the way our industry recruits and develops talent. Tourism Talent are experienced tourism professionals focused on connecting great businesses with outstanding people. Jason has an extensive network in tourism having held a variety of senior roles within the New Zealand industry over 25 years and is also Managing Director of Meneth Consulting. Until late 2017 he was Head of Tourism at Auckland Tourism, Event and Economic Development (ATEED) for six years, responsible for the international and domestic marketing of Auckland, as well as new product development and destination management. Jason Hill, Managing Partner Tourism Talent Jason Hill's website Jason Hill's LinkedIn profile Facilitator More Speakers to be Announced, 05:00pm - 05:00pm Conference End 05:30pm - 07:00pm Networking Drinks - Sponsored by Fastrack Digital New Zealand Join us for a drink and canapes sponsored by Fastrack Digital New Zealand while you network with other attendees and exhibitors. 7th Dec Conference 8th Dec Workshops