Power Up @ HEDNA | Lisbon 2026
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Power Up @ HEDNA | Lisbon 2026
September 15 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Power Up @ HEDNA | Lisbon
đź“…Â Date: Tuesday, 15th September 2026
⏰ Time: 4PM – 7PM including networking and drinks
đź“Ť Location: HEDNA Conference @ Altis Grand Hotel, Lisbon
Free registration for HSMAI Europe Members
We would be delighted to have you join us during the HEDNA Conference for an exclusive PowerUp session.
Christelle Pitrel, VP Asset Management at Highgate and Chair of HSMAI Europe’s Portugal Advisory Board, will kick off the programme with a warm welcome.
From Revenue Manager to Revenue Strategist: The Impact of AI on Hotel Revenue
The discussion will also explore:
• Impact of LLMs such as ChatGPT on distribution strategies
• Direct APIs – will these, in the long term, replace GDS?
• Long-tail distribution and the impact on direct strategies, price matching and rate exposure
This discussion will be led by Rudi Azevedo, Founder and CEO of RM HUB and a member of the HSMAI Europe’s Portugal Advisory Board.
Rudi has more than 20 years of experience in revenue management and sales within the hotel industry. Through RM HUB, he and his team work with hotels across revenue optimisation, commercial performance, training and technology.
Invited to join in the discussion with Rudi will also be the following:
Shumi Khan
Former Global Senior Vice President of Business Performance & Revenue at Accor and Former Chair of the HSMAI Europe Revenue Optimization Advisory Board
Shumi brings extensive experience in analytics, revenue management and business strategy across hospitality and other industries, with a strong track record of using data and commercial insight to drive strategic decision-making.
David Lamelas
Founder & CEO at Uauai
Founder of Hotel Tech Market and Co-Founder of UauAi and Biovilla Sustainability, with over 17 years of experience across hospitality, technology, AI, revenue and sustainability. David develops AI-powered solutions for the hospitality industry and teaches applied AI in hospitality at NOVA, ADHP and AHP.
Francesco Nardone
Head of Revenue Management at Blastness
Head of Revenue Management at Blastness, leading a team of 20 Revenue Managers across a portfolio of more than 700 hotels. With over 13 years of hospitality experience, Francesco specialises in pricing, distribution, forecasting and revenue technology, and is also a lecturer and international industry speaker.
Kelly Cronin
Commercial Director at Village Hotels
Kelly is an experienced hospitality commercial leader with a strong focus on revenue strategy and commercial performance, and is actively involved in supporting the development of the next generation of hospitality leaders through HSMAI Europe.
We Got Better at Pricing Rooms. Why Aren’t We Better at Selling Them?
Led by Pedro Colaco, CEO at Guestcentric, this conversational panel will explore a simple but important question: hotels have become increasingly sophisticated at deciding what a room should cost, but have they become equally good at selling it?
Over the last 20 years, major advances have been made in revenue management, forecasting, distribution and pricing. Yet much less progress has been made in how hotels present their products, communicate the value between room types and persuade guests to spend more.
The discussion will explore the gap between pricing and merchandising, asking whether the next major commercial opportunity for hotels lies not in refining price even further, but in becoming better at selling the product itself. It will also look at how personalisation, conversational interfaces and AI could change the way hotels present rooms and offers to different guests.
Invited in the discussion with Pedro will also be the following:
Mark Fancourt
Co-founder, TRAVHOTECH
Mark brings more than three decades of global leadership experience across hospitality, travel and technology, with a background spanning operations, IT, strategy and innovation. He was recognised among HSMAI’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing & Revenue in 2023.
Kurt Weinsheimer
President, Sojern
Kurt has more than 20 years of experience in online travel commerce, media and travel marketing. At Sojern, he works at the intersection of technology, guest acquisition and monetisation, helping hotels use data and AI to connect with travellers and drive growth.
Charlie Osmond
Co-founder, Triptease
Charlie is Co-founder of Triptease, a technology company focused on helping hotels increase direct bookings. His work centres on hotel marketing, distribution and technology, helping hotels attract and convert more high-value guests through their direct channels.
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