Learning from each other, shaping what comes next

With many of you and your colleagues heading to London for WTM week, I hope you will also make time to connect with our HSMAI Europe community.

One of the things I value most about our community is the opportunity to bring people together across companies, disciplines and generations. We all bring different experiences, and there is so much we can learn when we make time to listen to each other.

On Wednesday afternoon/evening, 4 November, we will be hosting, among other activities, Curate for senior leaders and Connecting Future Leaders for young leaders and professionals. Both will take place at the Hilton London Metropole, with a shared opportunity to connect over drinks afterwards.

AI will be a common thread across the two programmes.

Our Fall Curate will bring senior hospitality leaders together to discuss AI and its implications for our industry.

We are delighted to welcome back Dr. Peter O’Connor, a true superstar in hotel distribution, who will lead the discussion, opening with “Embrace AI, Secure Success: Hotel Distribution for the Next Decade.”

Peter O’Connor

Professor of Strategy, School of Management, Adelaide

Peter will then be joined by several representatives from the HSMAI Europe AI Advisory Board for an engaging discussion on how AI is reshaping hotel distribution and what this means for the future of our industry.

The conversation will then open up to all Curate participants, creating an opportunity to share experiences, challenge perspectives, ask questions and explore together how we can turn these developments into opportunities for our industry.

🗓️  November 4 | Hilton Metropole London | 4:30 – 7:00 pm

Registration from 4:00 pm

Alongside Curate, our Connecting Future Leaders community will explore “The AI-Powered Commercial Professional.”

Designed for young leaders and professionals aged 35 and under, the session will consider how AI can support everyday work, deepen customer understanding and strengthen commercial decisions — and what skills people need to develop along the way.

Keith Butler of Radisson Hotel Group, Linus Fredberg of Accor’s luxury brands and Amy Clarke of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will share their perspectives, followed by an interactive panel discussion. Please help us reach your colleagues

🗓️  November 4 | Hilton Metropole London | 5:00 – 7:00 pm

After the programmes, the two groups will come together for networking and drinks. I am particularly looking forward to this opportunity for senior and emerging leaders to meet, exchange ideas and build relationships.

Please share these opportunities with your colleagues. If you lead a team, think about who could benefit from Connecting Future Leaders and encourage them to take part. If Curate is relevant to you or a senior colleague, please explore the invitation and registration details.

Sometimes, a personal invitation is all someone needs to get involved. Your encouragement could open the door to a useful conversation, a new connection or a fresh perspective.

I also invite you to explore our latest news, where you’ll discover the launch of our new podcast and our events calendar for a  great selection of HSMAI Europe events taking place across Europe in November. I hope you’ll find something that sparks your interest and inspires you to get involved!

I look forward to seeing many of you and your colleagues in London or at another HSMAI Europe event in a city near you

Have a wonderful day, and I hope to see you soon!

All the best,

Ingunn Hofseth
President & CEO

HSMAI Region Europe
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International

W: www.hsmai.eu