International Hotel Technology Forum Middle East 2025 (IHTFME)

Introducing IHTFME: the latest addition in the IHTF series. Discover the latest end-to-end solutions to enhance guest experience, increase revenue and improve operational efficiency.

11 - 12

February

2025
  • JW Marriott Marina, Dubai
  • Complimentary
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Six Star Global emerged from frustration with European IT hospitality practices, now reigning as the premier IT Hospitality and Managed Services Partner across the globe. Our extensive knowledge has birthed innovative product suites, spanning the spectrum of 21st-century hotel IT, low voltage systems, and services, complementing our professional and managed services.

Collaborating closely with our clients, our goal is to forge an ever-growing partnership, unravelling the challenges faced by you and your guests. We aim to grasp your ambitions and the constraints you navigate, enabling the crafting of a tailored IT strategy that propels your business forward. With Six Star Global, where frustration transforms into innovation, we can redefine the landscape of IT hospitality.

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To learn more , please visit our website - https://sixstar.global

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Since 2001, m3connect has become one of the largest managed WiFi providers in Europe, serving 13,000+ sites in 23+ countries. We are a leader in cloud technologies, developing our platform for over 20 years.

m3connect offers flexible WiFi networks, advanced technologies like private LTE and 5G, and modern solutions like SD-WAN. Our services include WiFi portals, digital signage, in-room TV, and VoIP.

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To learn more , please visit our website - https://www.m3connect.com/#

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Integrated digital guest journey (up-to 95% self-check-in/out rate with a 9.0 guest satisfaction score) via mobile web app, ONE intuitive employee solution (trained in 4 h.). Holistic guest profiles that are generated in an automated way to steer the business in an efficient way & to generate revenue

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To learn more , please visit our website - www.likemagic.tech

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Philips, a worldwide innovative corporation, integrates state-of-the-art TV technology, such as Chromecast built-in, into the hospitality sector with a legacy spanning back to 1977.

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To learn more , please visit our website - www.ppds.com

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The Epteca Marketplace Ecosystem brings the perfect services and activities directly to your guests and at the right time when they need them.
Using unique data and smart (AI) algorithms, Epteca accurately anticipates your guest’s needs, enabling you to serve them accordingly – increasing your margins and creating a positive brand relationship – guaranteed!

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To learn more , please visit our website - www.epteca.com

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FETCH stands as a forefront tech company specializing in innovative hospitality solutions, tackling industry challenges with cutting-edge innovation. In reshaping hospitality operations, FETCH streamlines ordering, payment, tipping, and feedback processes. Tailoring unique solutions for hotels, FETCH seamlessly integrates room charges and empowers guests with loyalty point utilization. Feedback isn’t mere data; it’s a dynamic tool for guest recovery and improvement. FETCH effortlessly integrates with existing technology, POS, and PMS, ensuring a smooth operational flow. Critically, our loyalty integration extends convenience beyond boundaries – guests can order from anywhere in the hotel using their phones, utilizing loyalty points, and enjoying the ease of room charge. FETCH goes beyond operational efficiency; it’s a dedicated force amplifying guest experiences, providing venues with insights to shine, and ultimately making operations smoother for a happier guest experience.

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To learn more , please visit our website - https://fetchpay.com/

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Cloud based, Hub OS, one of hospitalities most integrated and intuitive hotel-operations systems, supports all aspects of hotel operations, 9 solutions – 1 single platform, from Housekeeping and Maintenance, Guest Experience, Energy and Supplier management, Risk and Compliance, creating collaborative workflows that ultimately drive guest satisfaction.

Hub OS fully integrates with a hotels PMS, providing real-time data to all operational functions. It’s workflow management and guest engagement technology has kicked off a new era in hospitality software, with its innovative solutions offering a 360 degree approach to service delivery.

Already a dominant player in the market, operating in over 1500 hotels and +45 countries since launching in 2015, Hub OS has clients across many key industry players, including IHG, Accor, Six Senses, NH Hotels, Hotusa Group, Pestana Hotel Group among many others.

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To learn more , please visit our website - http://www.hubOS.com/

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Agilysys helps properties optimise Return on Experience for guests and staff so they can achieve High Return Hospitality. Agilysys is the only fully focused hospitality software provider that synthesises data and workflows across a property’s revenue and service centres to elevate guest experiences and increase wallet share per guest across a singular platform. Employees who know more about each guest’s preferences during interactions can deliver more distinctive and efficient service, which leads to greater job satisfaction and staff retention. Guests who feel known and attended in special ways do more, spend more and recommend more as champions of your property.

 

The Agilysys Hospitality Cloud™ combines core operational systems for property management (PMS), point-of-sale (POS), and inventory and procurement (I&P) with Experience Enhancers™ that provide state-of-the-art security, mobile convenience and extensive digital interactions for guests and employees. This enables self-service, personal choice and payment options for guests; the ability to make better decisions and match service capacity to demand using real-time insights for staff; and scheduling control for both. Core solutions and Experience Enhancers are combined in Hospitality Solution Studios™ tailored to specific hospitality settings and business needs.

 

Global customers include branded and independent hotels; multi-amenity resort properties; casinos; property, hotel and resort management companies; cruise lines; corporate and campus dining providers; food service management companies; hospitals; lifestyle communities; senior living facilities; stadiums; and theme parks.

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To learn more , please visit our website - http://www.agilysys.com/

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Chatlyn is a guest communication platform. With chatlyn you can bundle all your messenger channels and use them optimally for service, sales and marketing for the entire team! The platform offers features like automated messaging, integration with existing software solutions, WhatsApp newsletters and an easy-to-use ticketing system to manage guest inquiries effectively. With chatlyn, hotels can streamline their communication processes and increase revenue through targeted and automated upsell and marketing campaigns.

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To learn more , please visit our website - www.chatlyn.com

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    Why attend?

    We are delighted to announce the launch event of IHTF Middle East, the latest addition to join the well established IHTF series.

    Engaging content: Learn from successful case studies, one to one business meetings, innovative networking sessions and social networking functions.

    The latest Insight: Gain exclusive insight on how to utilize the latest technologies to keep expanding your business, whilst developing strong partnerships.

    High-level networking: Join hoteliers from across EMEA as well as a number of hotel technology solution providers. Initiate powerful conversations and discover future potential partnerships that can help transform your business.

    1:1 meetings: Take part in mutually agreed pre-scheduled business meetings to leave you feeling energized and fully equipped for the current and future challenges.

     

    Explore the complete IHTF Collection:

     

    IHTFME 2025 - WHAT TO EXPECT?

    200+

    Attendees to meet each year

    		30+

    Exhibitors to meet each year

    		80%

    Attendees at Director+ level
    200+

    Attendees to meet each year

    		30+

    Exhibitors to meet each year
    80%

    Attendees at Director+ level

    Testimonials

    IHTF 2023

    Agenda

    • 11 Feb 2025
    • 12 Feb 2025
    Expand All

    Streams

    12:15 PM

    Registration & Welcome Lunch

    3:30 PM

    Coffee break

    3:40 PM

    Business meeting 1

    4:15 PM

    Business meeting 2

    4:50 PM

    Business meeting 3

    6 PM

    Conference Close and Networking Drinks in the Exhibition Hall

    7:15 PM

    Dinner hosted at the Melia

    12:15 PM

    Registration & Welcome Lunch

    3:30 PM

    Coffee Break

    6 PM

    Conference Close and Networking Drinks in the Exhibition Hall

    7:15 PM

    Dinner hosted at the Melia

    Streams

    8 AM

    Registration

    11 AM

    Coffee Break

    11:50 AM

    Business meeting 4

    12:25 PM

    Business meeting 5

    1 PM

    Business meeting 6

    1:35 PM

    Networking Lunch

    3:35 PM

    Afternoon Coffee Break

    3:50 PM

    Business meeting 7

    4:25 PM

    Business meeting 8

    5 PM

    Business meeting 9

    6:05 PM

    Conference Day Two Close

    6:10 PM

    Drinks Reception

    7:15 PM

    Dinner hosted at the Melia

    11 AM

    Coffee Break

    1:35 PM

    Networking Lunch

    3:35 PM

    Afternoon Coffee Break

    6:05 PM

    Conference Day Two Close

    6:10 PM

    Drinks Reception

    7:15 PM

    Dinner hosted at the Melia

    Streams

    8 AM

    Registration

    11 AM

    Coffee Break

    11:10 AM

    Business meeting 10

    11:45 AM

    Business meeting 11

    12:20 PM

    Business meeting 12

    1:25 PM

    Networking Lunch

    2:25 PM

    Conference Close

    8 AM

    Registration

    11 AM

    Coffee Break

    1:25 PM

    Networking Lunch

    1:15 PM

    Chair’s opening remarks

    1:15 PM

    Chair’s opening remarks

    1:30 PM

    Back to basics: Understanding the hotel technology ecosystem

    • Considering the various segmented markets, procurement models, and geographical locations
    • Investing in technology that is tailored to the specifics of your hotel model
    • Teaching technology to solve existing problems
    • Coordination with partners to determine whether they have suitable applications for your hotel

    1:30 PM

    Panel Discussion Combating staffing shortages with digital marketing and technology

    • How can we ensure that the customer journey is not hampered by staffing issues?
    • Which online channels in the hiring process should we prioritise and how can existing tools be optimised?
    • How can we use social media in a more creative way?
    • What can we do to appeal to and engage Generation Z?

    2 PM

    ONDA: Empowering hospitality with blockchain: Unlocking new frontiers and possibilities

    • Maximizing hotel brand image by creating organic and vivid community with blockchain
    • Loyalty programme that utilizing NFT and blockchain
    • Other possible usage of blockchain tech with strong membership community

    2 PM

    Unifying payments across all channels: Powerful tools to surpass guests’ expectations!

    • Predicting cross-channel behaviours
    • Tailoring experiences based on payments data
    • Creating flexible guest journeys
    • Success story of a luxury hotel chain digital transformation

    2:30 PM

    Fireside Chat: Achieving an automated, effortless, and simplified customer journey: Is AI the answer?

    • Increasing direct bookings and offering personalised quotes through automation
    • Analysing demographics and understanding customers’ wants and needs; will AI overlap with the human touch?
    • Navigating the importance of AI education to avoid causing complex problems
    • Understanding the top considerations before implementing AI

    2:30 PM

    Working with not against: What can we learn from OTA’s to convert direct bookings?

    • Exploring advertisement strategies to increase eyeball awareness of your brand including examples of Facebook, TV and YouTube advertisements
    • Implementing tactical strategies to increase revenue such as personalised codes for different levels of customers
    • Offering the best web price guaranteed and using automation to stay ahead
    • Aligning with the OTA to make sure that the right people see your advertisements

    3 PM

    Purpose-driven technology for HSP

    In a highly fragmented scenario of powerful but disjointed technologies, the risk for the hotel market is to end up adapting business to technology and not the other way around.

     

    Modern technological developments in AI, Private Networks, building automation, cloud/edge architectures and cybersecurity offer undisputed advantages when introduced with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of hotel management while preventing complexity from becoming a distraction to the real core business.

     

    Let's find out together what modern design criteria and technology choices maximize the convergence of network infrastructures and applications for the HSP market.

    5:25 PM

    Learnings from building a digital hotel experience: A Limehome case study

    • What was effective?
    • What are we still battling?
    • What lies ahead for us?
    • What is a simple starting point for others?

    5:25 PM

    Panel Discussion Navigating the industry’s in-room entertainment innovation

    • Investigating in-room guest entertainment innovations such as virtual remotes, room voice automation and metaverse games
    • Ensuring implemented technology is user-friendly and personalised for guests
    • Examining current guest room behaviours and emphasising the significance of a strong and dependable WIFI network

    8:45 AM

    Chair’s opening remarks

    9 AM

    The evolution of digital check-ins and key cards: What exactly do our guests want?

    • Allowing guests to start their hotel experience immediately with apps, online and digital onsite check-in
    • Using mobile key cards to meet guest expectations and reduce carbon footprint
    • Ensuring personalisation and human interaction is still present in other areas of the hotel
    • Do we still need to provide guests with a choice in how they check in and begin their stay?

    9:30 AM

    Panel Discussion Advancing guest communication strategies

    • Accelerating loyalty through guest personalisation and communications from research, booking, check-in, during the stay, and after check-out
    • Scaling the personal touch to thousands of guests and increasing revenue
    • What guest-personalisation strategies can we learn from other leisure industries?
    • As hospitality is one of the most data-rich industries in the world, how can we break the siloed data across systems to personalize experiences better?

     

    10 AM

    Modernising the MICE & group buyer experience

    • Why did the MICE & Group booking process not evolve like most other buying processes in this day and age?
    • 70% of MICE & Group sales is done offline but direct, what are the pains and gains?
    • Why hotels should prevent 3rd parties from getting in control of their data and distribution mix (like OTA's did to room sales)

    10 AM

    Digital@Scale for guests, employees & operator: The Schani story

    ·       Showcasing a case study of two innovative hotel brands

    ·       From key challenges to a seamless, efficient experience for guests & employee

    10:30 AM

    Panel Discussion Moving away from manual: Aligning hotel processes

    • Investigating the technological and human changes in workflow
    • Providing case studies of increasing efficiency by scaling a platform across multiple chains
    • Removing manual procedures to increase productivity and guest satisfaction

    10:30 AM

    Panel Discussion Unlocking the power of data to increase overall revenue

    • Analysing customer data to determine what they want from a stay
    • Utilising patterns and segmentation to incorporate a data strategy
    • Creating user-centric experiences with CRM data
    • Using real-world guest data to guide business decisions and generate revenue and cost savings

    11:10 AM

    Google travel & revenue maximization: Getting the most out of direct bookings

    • It is well known that direct bookings via official website are critical for profitability. This session will show you how easy it can be to implement data-driven strategies, when using the correct tools and a full value-chain integrated approach, with a special focus on the potential unlocked by Google Travel.
    • It's fundamental to build fully interconnected systems in order to maximise the impact and profitability of direct bookings. Switching from the “patchwork mode” to a “full-integration mode” is essential to develop and implement an integrated, data-driven strategy, throughout the full value chain.
    • Learn how impactful it can be having a large database fed by multiple sources such as Metasearch, OTA, Google, Market Data, PMS, in order to turn unrefined data into strategies. Are you ready to upgrade to an integrated approach, or you want to stay stuck in the patchwork?

    11:10 AM

    iOL Pay – The NextGen in payment solutions for hotels

    • Providing one Global Fintech Platform
    • Providing a contactless & frictionless guest experience
    • Providing 1-click payment facility
    • Providing guests, the option to pay with their card or wallet of choice
    • Eliminating high cross-border merchant fees
    • Eliminating manual payment processing
    • Eliminating fraudulent bookings and costly no-shows

    2:35 PM

    Implementing sustainability strategies into the IT infrastructure

    • How can we effectively manage power on-site?
    • What are our options for dealing with climate control in computer rooms?
    • Should we consider local rather than global suppliers when delivering new IT equipment to employees?
    • Do we need to collaborate with a supplier who does not use plastic?
    • What are our guests expecting of us to help in the fight to become more climate-friendly?

    3:05 PM

    Data by design; Analytics for the real world | Duetto

    • Predictive analytics allowed us to forecast using a mix of advanced data sources; ingesting current, future and historical data to produce accurate pricing; but what does this look like in real-time? 
    • Now that data is produced and analysed in real-time, how do our revenue managers ensure they are ready to act upon it immediately after it is generated? 
    • The goal is not complexity, its trust; how do we trust the data we receive so that we can apply it in the real world?

    3:05 PM

    Connect Teams. Elevate Service. Tapping into the tools to provide operational efficiencies

    • Identifying and overcoming the challenges of today
    • The key to delivering stand-out service
    • The power of operational technology solutions
    • Proven operational efficiencies in the market today

    5:35 PM

    Case Study: Developing an in-house real-time data streaming platform (MDP) and cutting integration costs

    • Showcasing a case study demonstrating how Valamar Riviera is moving toward Enterprise Data Integration and Data Mesh concepts
    • Understanding how to develop a real-time data streaming platform (MDP) to slash integration costs
    • Presenting a new call centre platform integrated in only 30 days through MDP
    • Bringing ideas into action; why does solution prototyping matter?

    5:35 PM

    Effective techniques for technology budgeting and integration

    • Scheduling current and future technology requirements
    • Ensuring that the technology you invest in can be implemented on existing legacy systems
    • Improving your IT infrastructure with a reduced expenditure

    8:45 AM

    Chair’s opening remarks

    9 AM

    Panel Discussion How to identify the perfect match when selecting for a solution provider?

    • Navigating finding the most suitable provider for your hotel to stay head ahead in the industry
    • Creating a barrier of mutual understanding and outlining budget expectations
    • Ensuring initial contact is clear and concise while confirming the technical specifications and requirements
    • Exploring the different IT and technological solution areas

    9:30 AM

    Maximising revenue at all stages of the customer journey

    • Implementing effective revenue management strategies to boost value per guest
    • Increasing revenue across all hotel departments and guest service areas
    • Assessing your current hotel model and putting change management strategies in place
    • Utilising forecasting to determine what is driving consumer demands

    9:30 AM

    Putting the spotlight on cyber security: How can we ensure that all hotels adhere to regulations and requirements?

    • Examining previous industry blunders and determining what we can learn from them
    • Ensuring franchises are meeting brand expectations and cyber security policies
    • What additional strategies should be implemented to protect the data of guests?
    • Navigating the most suited applications available

    10 AM

    Practical application of PCI 4.0 for hoteliers

    • Discus the significant Changes from version 3.2.1
    • Approach to implementing changes prior to the March 2025 deadline
    • Enforcement efforts (then versus now)
    • Compliance impact on Cyber Insurance

    10:30 AM

    Interactive Audience Session Ethical dilemmas in technology: Factors we might overlook

    • Exploring instances of the indiscrimate use of AI, facial regoniton and other technology applications
    • Do these applications contribute to or address issues with racial, gender, or other equity issues?
    • Is there bias in algorithms, and how does this affect the hotel industry?

    12:55 PM

    Closing Panel Discussion Bringing it all together: Key trends, discussion points and takeaways

    • Consider the implications of emerging industry trends through a new analytical and visualisation lens as you reflect on the event sessions
    • Discuss the future direction of customer behaviour, distribution, and hotel technology
    • What can the industry anticipate in the coming months?

    Plan Your Visit

    Venue

    JW Marriott Hotel Marina

    66 Al Marsa St - Dubai Marina - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

    Sponsors

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    Enquiry

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    SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES

    Herdip Kaur

    Forum Director

    +44 207866 9436

    SPEAKING ENQUIRIES

    Jessica Hartley

    Head of Production

    MARKETING ENQUIRIES

    Madelayne Goodall

    Marketing Manager

    SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES

    To enquire about sponsorship opportunities for the conference, please contact:

    Herdip Kaur

    Forum Director


    +44 207866 9436

    SPEAKING ENQUIRIES

    To enquire about speaking opportunities for the conference, please contact:

    Jessica Hartley

    Head of Production