Strong speaker line-up for NZ Hotel Industry Conference

Strong speaker line-up for NZ Hotel Industry Conference

A great line-up of international and New Zealand keynote speakers will inform and entertain delegates at the 2013 New Zealand Hotel Industry Conference.

Early bird registrations and the conference programme are now available at www.nzhotelconference.com for the must-attend conference, to be held on Thursday 30 May 2013 at the Pullman Auckland. Those who register before early bird registrations close on 1 May will go in the draw to win one of two return trips to Sydney!

The conference programme is one of the most outstanding in recent years, according to Terry Ngan, Director of Horwath HTL Ltd which co-hosts the conference with the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA).

Keynote speaker Rachel Argaman, CEO of Toga Hotels and a former HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year, will focus on the importance of brands and culture in the hotel industry. Toga Hotels is one of the largest hotel chains based in Australia, comprising 54 hotels and serviced apartment properties with 7000 rooms under management throughout Australia, New Zealand and Europe. The Toga hotel group includes the Adina, Medina, Vibe and Travelodge brands.

Rachel was named Telstra National Corporate Businesswoman of the Year in 2008 and HM Magazine‘s Hotelier of the Year in 2010.

Air New Zealand’s new CEO, Christopher Luxon, will speak about market development and growth, challenging costs and productivity. Before joining Air New Zealand in January 2013, Christopher was President and CEO of Unilever Canada, responsible for leading Unilever’s $1.4 billion Canadian business and 1500 employees.

Other notable conference speakers and panel participants include:

• Nigel Greenaway, Group Executive of Eureka Funds Management based in Sydney and board member of the global InterContinental Hotels Group Owners Association
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• Craig Davidson, General Manager, Destination Development and Investment at Tourism Australia
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• Tony Everitt, General Manager Asia at Tourism New Zealand, based in Shanghai
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• Mike Pohio, CEO at Tainui Group Holdings
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• Martin Snedden, Chief Executive of TIA.

Most of the sessions will be panel discussions, with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions, on topics ranging from measuring marketing effectiveness, serviced apartments and hotels, owners’ expectations of operators, and the Chinese visitor experience in hotels.

The annual conference, now in its seventh year, is the only such event dedicated to the New Zealand hotel industry. Over 250 delegates representing all areas of the hotel sector are expected to attend.

Accor is the platinum sponsor of the event which is being supported by 20 domestic and international sponsors and exhibitors.

The conference will conclude with a banquet dinner where the three annual hotel awards celebrating excellence in the hotel industry will be presented. The awards will recognise the Senior Hotel Executive of the Year, Outstanding Young Hotel Executive and Environmental Initiative. Entries for the awards are open until 3 May at www.nzhotelconference.com

All conference delegates will also gain a complimentary invitation to the Technical Seminar being held 3pm-5.30pm on the day before the conference.

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