Join us for the International Hotel Technology Forum in Vienna for 3 days of exclusive content, one-to-one business meetings, industry-led case studies and unprecedented networking.
HEADLINE SPONSOR
Join us for the International Hotel Technology Forum in Vienna for 3 days of exclusive content, one-to-one business meetings, industry-led case studies and unprecedented networking.
HEADLINE SPONSOR
Join us for the International Hotel Technology Forum in Vienna for 3 days of exclusive content, one-to-one business meetings, industry-led case studies and unprecedented networking.
HEADLINE SPONSOR
Join us for the International Hotel Technology Forum in Vienna for 3 days of exclusive content, one-to-one business meetings, industry-led case studies and unprecedented networking.
HEADLINE SPONSOR
WHAT TO EXPECT FOR 2023?
Join leading hotels in the region to discuss new trends and opportunities and learn the latest innovations and technological developments in hospitality to stay ahead of the game. Hear from Accor, Kempinski, Radisson, Best Western, Wyndham, Pestana, Nordic Choice Hotels, Melia Hotels, Real Hotels Group and many more. Find the right solution providers to partner with to accelerate your project timeline and achieve the optimal result.
| 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
- 28 Mar 2023
- 29 Mar 2023
- 30 Mar 2023
Streams
Technology & Operations
Distribution & Marketing
12:15 PM
Registration & Welcome Lunch
1:15 PM
Chair’s opening remarks
Speakers
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
Speakers
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
Speakers
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
Speakers
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.
Speakers
3:30 PM
Coffee break
3:40 PM
Business meeting 1
4:15 PM
Business meeting 2
4:50 PM
Business meeting 3
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
Speakers
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
1:15 PM
Chair’s opening remarks
Speakers
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?
Speakers
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
Speakers
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
Speakers
3:30 PM
Coffee Break
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?
Speakers
6 PM
Conference Close and Networking Drinks in the Exhibition Hall
7:15 PM
Dinner hosted at the Melia
Streams
Technology & Operations
Distribution & Marketing
8 AM
Registration
8:45 AM
Chair’s opening remarks
Speakers
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?
Speakers
9:30 AM
Panel Discussion Advancing guest communication strategies
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Speakers
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
Speakers
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
Speakers
11 AM
Coffee Break
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
Speakers
11:50 AM
Business meeting 4
12:25 PM
Business meeting 5
1 PM
Business meeting 6
1:35 PM
Networking Lunch
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?
Speakers
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
Speakers
3:35 PM
Afternoon Coffee Break
3:50 PM
Business meeting 7
4:25 PM
Business meeting 8
5 PM
Business meeting 9
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
Speakers
6:05 PM
Conference Day Two Close
6:10 PM
Drinks Reception
7:15 PM
Dinner hosted at the Melia
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)
Speakers
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
Speakers
11 AM
Coffee Break
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?
Speakers
1:35 PM
Networking Lunch
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?
Speakers
3:35 PM
Afternoon Coffee Break
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?
Speakers
6:05 PM
Conference Day Two Close
6:10 PM
Drinks Reception
7:15 PM
Dinner hosted at the Melia
Streams
Technology & Operations
Distribution & Marketing
8 AM
Registration
8:45 AM
Chair’s opening remarks
Speakers
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
Speakers
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
Speakers
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
Speakers
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?
Speakers
11 AM
Coffee Break
11:10 AM
Business meeting 10
11:45 AM
Business meeting 11
12:20 PM
Business meeting 12
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?
Speakers
1:25 PM
Networking Lunch
2:25 PM
Conference Close
8 AM
Registration
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
Speakers
11 AM
Coffee Break
1:25 PM
Networking Lunch
Speakers
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Plan Your Visit
The International Hotel Technology Forum will be held at The Austria Center Vienna
Austria Center Vienna
Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1, 1220 Wien, Austria
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Content Hub
by Ryan Haynes, IHTF Marketing & Distribution Chair, director of Haynes MarComs, host of Travel Market Life
Although digitalisation pervades many aspects of modern life, hotels are not as far ahead with this compared to many other sectors. But with individuals used to seamless digital experiences when they interact with other sectors, hotels must catch up to provide the service they increasingly expect. So what elements of a customer’s hotel journey should be digitalised to elevate their experience?
“Tech has to solve a ‘pain point’,” explains Tyann Marcink Hammond, who runs 13 rental properties in Missouri using remote digital management. “We don’t want guests to feel they’re at a robotic hotel. Holidays are about reconnecting and building memories with other humans.”
Digitalisation should be about improving the guest experience. Some of the technology implemented will be visible to guests; other technology will sit behind the scenes, helping hotels deliver a better service. But ultimately, digital adoption should always put the guest experience first.
Future Hotels group has a so-called ‘bible of digitalisation’ which evaluates performance on 600 innovation criteria. But the group’s philosophy is that the adoption of digital efficiencies must never dehumanise the guest experience. “We cannot get rid of that element, which creates the magic, originality and authenticity,” said Sotiris Kopatsaris, CEO and founder of Future Hotels. “We have to take into account the individual experience before we start the journey towards digitalisation.”
So what areas of digitalisation are hotels looking towards to improve the guest experience?
The booking phase
In the past, many hotels have relied on online travel agents (OTAs) to secure bookings. But hotels are realising they’re missing out on nurturing long-lasting relationships directly with their guests. As such, hotels are shifting their attention towards direct bookings, using digital tools to elevate the way they can connect with guests. Chris Bowling, Head of Digital Marketing and E-Commerce at Best Western Hotels describes it as “inspiring the booking from the start…rather than fighting for securing the booking at the very bottom of the funnel.”
Bowling’s team at Best Western spent some time reviewing their tactics with OTAs. As technology companies, they found that OTAs were constantly testing and innovating their websites and apps, with a particular strength in performance marketing. Investing higher in the funnel to drive bookings, Best Western has seen strong success on social channels and by revitalising their email strategy.
“I know it’s marketing basics, but we’d maybe forgotten how powerful it can be,” Bowling said. The team has also developed customer lifecycle journeys and is segmenting between their rewards base and new customers who are less brand aware. “[We want to] entice someone with the right kind of discount, inspiration and education about who we are and what we stand for as a brand.”
In Siteminder’s list of the top 12 UK booking channels for 2021, hotel websites had risen to second position, overtaking most OTAs. Ultimately, direct bookings are allowing hotels to leverage guest data to deliver more personalised ecommerce-style communications and offers. And this is something that guests appreciate and connect with.
Digital check in
Other industries have shown guests what to expect from digital services, so they now have higher expectations from hotels. Digital check in is one key way that hotels are giving guests a quicker and more seamless check in experience. Typically, this involves guests receiving a check in link via email 48 hours before they are due to arrive. After checking in, they may receive a digital key, in which case they can go directly to their room when they arrive. Or they simply need to stop at reception on their way in to collect a physical key.
“The guests are very happy using it,” said Roger Tabbal, VP Global Guest Technology and Innovation at Accor. “Some prefer to do everything online. Some still prefer to pass by reception and do a few steps at reception or an assisted check in desk.”
The key is to put guests at the centre of digital decision making to decide which elements to digitalise. Leisure guests tend to like some interaction at check in desks and to learn about facilities; corporate clients often like to go straight to their rooms. Accor also integrates other aspects into its technology for check in, such as in-room lighting and TV services, with the choice of using a web progressive app or an app download.
“Rising digital maturity across all industries is reshaping expectations,” Tabbal explained. “Guests expect a seamless journey from other industries. We listen to our guests, we do market competition checks, we understand what others are doing, we do surveys with the operations team to understand operational challenges, especially now with staff shortages. There’s a post-Covid need for frictionless move in the digital world. We base our decisions on all that.”
There are other digital alternatives that take the stress out of in-person check in. “When you come to Carpe Diem, you don’t have to go to reception,” explained Sotiris Kopatsaris, CEO and founder of Future Hotels and MD, Carpe Diem Santorini. “You can immediately enjoy a relaxing drink and we’ll come and find you. For us, this is revolutionary. We feel you don’t need to have a typical reception anymore.”
Integrated booking experiences
A common pain point for guests booking into hotels is that spa, golf and dining experiences – as well as reserving car parking spaces – often need to be booked separately from the room. This is because integrated technology doesn’t exist in many hotels. The result is a fragmented booking experience, leading to high abandonment and dissuading guests from selecting extra services.
Many commercial teams bundle popular items such as spa treatments and dinners into packages, but guests increasingly want flexible options. As such, hotels are moving towards e-commerce style websites, where guests can build their trips with all the extra services they need. According to research by Oracle and Skift, almost 90% of consumers are either enthusiastic about, or open, to the concept of unbundling. And 43% would be very likely to book a hotel that allows them to pay only for amenities they use, with a further 44% somewhat likely.
The full travel experience is also something that hotels are incorporating into their marketing and revenue generation strategies. Alexandre Pereira, Head of Commercial Strategy at Real Hotels Group, explained that this is being led by customers, who are now searching for a full vacation experience. “It’s not just searching for a room anymore; it’s not only a matter of location. It’s about taking advantage of and enjoying each of our hotels,” he said. “This has made us move forward and look at this piece of the business that wasn’t yet previously exploited.” This includes adding F&B outlets and spas to the hotel offering, which can be enjoyed by guests and locals alike.
On-the-go booking and omnichannel payments
Today’s consumers expect the seamless self-service options they experience in retail ecommerce. With smartphone ownership increasing from 19% in 2012 to 82% in 2021 (Statista), bookings and purchases are often made on the move. Hotels that can provide an Amazon-style shopping basket experience will fit in with these wider trends.
“Over the past few years, industry economics have changed forever with more digitalisation coming in. Guests are demanding a lot more of online capabilities,” Carsten Wernet, CEO of SIHOT, the hotel management software company. “Omnichannel payments are kicking in because guests are demanding a frictionless experience.”
Unfortunately, most hotels have not caught up with the omnichannel revolution seen in retail. Credit cards remain dominant, and each hotel manages payments its own way. “A lot of the time a booking is only a prepayment and they have to get their credit cards out again at the property and pay the rest. To modern consumers used to Amazon and Uber, it’s annoying,” Carsten said.
Omnichannel engagement
Being able to communicate with a hotel in a way that suits them is something guests are increasingly expecting, since they can already do this in the retail space. Sabrina Regner, Director of Guest Engagement and Reservations Management at Falkensteiner, says omnichannel payment experiences go hand-in-hand with providing unrestricted means of engagement. “We should not limit them by just offering mail or phone, or a chat with a bit of a bot functionality,” she said. “We should also give opportunities to WhatsApp, SMS, social media, video call,” she said.
Penta’s new omnichannel approach is a new messaging platform. “Around 75% of consumers favour communicating via messaging channels over traditional channels,” said Amanda Du, Head of Ecommerce at Penta Hotels. “We’ve been holding on to traditional communication tools for too long. It’s time to change.”
Haynes MarComs will be a host at the International Hotel Technology Forum (IHTF) 2023, where conversations about this topic and more will take place among key players in the industry. Come and join us!
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