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Image Credit HFTP
As the world’s largest, longest-running hospitality technology exposition and conference, HITEC North America has always been an attractive destination for hospitality investors and technology companies alike. Each year, the conference brings together hundreds of the latest hospitality technology products and services onto one massive show floor, proving to be an indispensable opportunity for many of those looking to underwrite innovation in the industry.
In 2024, the producers of HITEC recognized a need to create even more value for this contingent of attendees: by launching a brand-new, co-located event called HITEC Technology Investment Conference (HITEC-IC). Taking place at the tail end of #HITEC Week, June 27-28, the inaugural HITEC-IC features a comprehensively investment-focused education program, curated tours of the HITEC Exhibit Hall, and networking opportunities to specifically connect the investment community with representatives from the companies behind the technology.
It is important to not only know which technologies are driving innovation in the hospitality industry, but also how to evaluate the risk and value of these technologies in economic terms. Therefore, the education program has been carefully developed to present a range of valuable perspectives and expertise including the hotel technologist, financial advisors, the entrepreneur now listed on NASDAQ, and the advocate group AAHOA who champions the hotel industry nationally.
Planning the conference’s educational component is event chair Prakash Shukla, who serves as an advisor on the HFTP Global Executive Committee. Shukla’s professional experience overlaps extensively between the investment sector and hospitality technology. He currently is managing partner at Wayfare Ventures, an angel capital investment firm supporting the commercialization of innovations in travel, technology and related services. His background involves investment, general management, finance, technology and entrepreneurship, with previous roles as partner at private equity firm HandsOn Global Management (HGM), SVP/CIO of TAJ Group of Hotels, and an early investor in the companies Speech & Software Technologies, TravelGuru and Transerv. Shukla was inducted into the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame in 2016.
Kicking off the HITEC-IC 2024 education program is Floor Bleeker, Group CTP for Accor. In his session “Tipping Point in Hospitality: Growing Investments and Maturing Technologies,” Bleeker will provide a forward-looking perspective on the technological advancements shaping the hospitality industry including sustainability and AI. Attendees will come to understand the strategic advantages of investing in advanced hospitality tech including enhanced operational efficiency, cost savings and improved guest satisfaction to drive sustainable growth and future readiness.
A highlight of the program is a candid, insightful case study of Agilysys. Led by its CEO/President Ramesh Srinivasan, “The Agilysys (Nasdaq: AGYS) Turnaround Story – 2017 to 2024” will explore the enterprise software company’s transformation from low-level stagnation to a nearly tenfold growth in market capitalization in just under seven years (with a two-year global pandemic in between). The company will share what was done well and what could have been done better, the lessons learned, and the approach that should be used to drive revenue growth, improve profitability and achieve results.
A panel of AAHOA’s leadership including President/CEO Laura Lee Blake, Vice Chairman Kamalesh Patel and Chairman Miraj Patel will also explore the industry’s latest technological advancements in guest experience, operational efficiency and sustainable practices, plus provide practical, actionable solutions tailored for hotel owners. In their session “Revolutionizing Hospitality: Cutting-edge Tech Innovations for Hotel Owners at the Grassroots Level,” attendees will gain insights into how grassroots-level innovations can drive growth, enhance customer satisfaction and give your hotel a competitive edge. Attendees will also benefit from hearing about the impact these technologies have in real-world applications from hotel owners who oversee operations at the ground-level.
Another panel will explore technology investments from the asset owner’s perspective, to understand what drives their decisions, and how they create value from their investments now and in the future. Join panelists (Michael Blank, Principal at Woodmont Lodging, Jeffrey Friedlander, SVP at Clarion Partners, and Melissa Silvers, Principal at SCS Advisors) and moderator David Chestler (President at ProVision Partners) to explore how technology affects investments in the hospitality industry while balancing operations, guest engagement and budgets. What are asset managers really looking for when managing their projects and portfolios? How can brands differentiate themselves? And how can vendors appeal to asset owners and operators?
The education program will further connect tech innovation with underlying economic principles that drive investment decisions. First, explore the global state of the economy with Jim Meek, Managing Director Wealth Management-Institutional Consulting Director at Graystone Consulting, a business of Morgan Stanley. And in another session entitled “Economics, Risks and Asset Pricing,” attendees will be shared valuable insights into the macroeconomic variables, potential risks and current trends driving growth and contraction in the hospitality industry. The leader for this session, Samir Shah, CIO at MBS Mantra, LLC will connect economics, money supply, interest rates and leverage to pricing and performance in commercial real estate and hospitality asset investments, while also evaluating the risks they create.
Capping off the first full day of the program will be a two-hour series of roundtable discussions hosted by notable industry heavyweights including: Sherry Marek, CEO at Aiken Street; Shannon McCallum, VP of Hotel Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas; Ian Millar, Senior Lecturer at EHL Hospitality Business School; Rich Siegel, President/Publisher at Hospitality Upgrade/Hotel Online; Ira Vouk, Founder at Hospitality 2.0 Consulting; and Lyle Worthington, CEO at Worthington Tech.
The second and final day of HITEC-IC will feature a noteworthy discussion led by Rich Siegel and HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe on the topic of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in hospitality, focusing on the exploration of real-world case study methodology with the audience.
Learn more about the education program expected at the inaugural HITEC-IC, as well as the various networking opportunities, by visiting the full schedule online. Registration for HITEC-IC is now open. Please note that separate registration for this event is required from HITEC. Complete event details are available at www.hitec.org/special-events/hitec-ic.
