Welcome and agenda for the session. Introducing LiMin Cheng as the Emcee for the sessions.

Lighthouse uncovers the exact data signals that preceded the surge: forward pace compression, origin market shifts, competitor rate moves. Real platform. Real numbers. Real 2026 case study of the U.S. Middle East conflict. You’ll leave knowing what a demand looks like before it hits your occupancy report — and how to price into it with confidence. In a world of permanent disruption, speed of insight is your only true edge.

Last month, we dissected a coming “Epic Disruption”: AI’s quiet reallocation of pricing decision rights. It’s a structural shift that demands a structural response. If the threat is a redistribution of authority, then survival isn’t about fighting the technology, but about repositioning before the shift is complete. The critical question for every revenue leader is no longer “Will AI change my job?” but “What is the value I provide once AI can price better than I can?” Join the expert who has consistency predicted the evolution of revenue management’s role in Hospitality, Professor Sherri Kimes. Sherri will also explain some research conducted to analyse the impact of AI-powered pricing decisions on the humans using the systems. You might be surprised!

In this session, we’ll dive into three key areas to help you unlock greater profitability:

• Thoughts on the changing role of the Revenue Manager.
• Forecasting in a time of constant volatility.
• Modern skills for Revenue Managers, how to upskill in a fast-changing environment
• Leveraging AI to monetise the Guest Journey while it’s happening.

Join HEDNA alongside leading technology, connectivity, and OTA platforms for an executive discussion on the evolving state of hotel distribution and the geopolitical forces reshaping global travel demand, pricing dynamics, and commercial strategies.

The session will also feature insights from HEDNA’s latest Corporate Travel Study, highlighting emerging business travel trends, evolving traveler expectations, and key distribution challenges impacting global markets.

Welcome and the agenda for the Commercial & Marketing Track. Introducing Ailynn Seah as the Emcee for the sessions.

Events and dining revenue isn’t a demand problem—it’s an alignment problem. When marketing, sales and commercial teams operate in silos, opportunities are lost across the funnel—from targeting the right segments to converting demand and optimising spend.
This panel explores how leading hotels are closing those gaps. Where should ownership sit? What data actually matters? And how do you turn interest into higher-value business? A practical, no-fluff conversation on driving stronger performance across C&E and F&B—without adding more complexity.

In AI-powered search, competition is fierce: only a handful of hotels are selected. This session explores how hotels can optimise, what is the first step to take? How can hotels measure their impact in AI search results. Why technical aspects like structured content, schema and reputation signals – together with clarity, consistency, and credibility – can make the difference between being consistently recommended or completely overlooked.

Discover why modern omni-channel communication (WebChat, WhatsApp, SMS, email, voice) is now a must for hospitality success. See the critical role AI now plays in scaling personalized guest services without sacrificing the human touch. Learn how Global Brands are automating engagement to drive efficiency and revenue.
3 Key Take-aways:
1. Omni-channel is now baseline, not a differentiator
Guests expect to communicate across WebChat, WhatsApp, SMS, email, and voice interchangeably. Hotels that aren’t meeting guests on their preferred channel are already behind on experience and conversion.
2. AI is the only scalable way to deliver personalization
Manual guest communication doesn’t scale. AI enables real-time, personalized responses and service at volume, without increasing headcount or sacrificing quality.
3. Communication is shifting from service → revenue driver
Leading hotel brands are using automated messaging not just to respond, but to proactively engage guests, driving upsells, increasing direct bookings, and improving operational efficiency.

Commercial leadership in hospitality has evolved far beyond managing sales targets, marketing campaigns, or room revenue in isolation. Today’s commercial leaders are expected to unify functions, align teams, navigate constant market shifts, and drive performance across increasingly complex businesses.

In this panel, senior leaders from across the hospitality and travel landscape share how their organisations are rethinking the structure of commercial teams, breaking down traditional silos, and balancing the realities of revenue, brand, operations, distribution, and guest experience.

From talent and leadership development to organisational design and decision-making, this session offers an honest look inside the “commercial engine room” of modern hospitality businesses — exploring what is changing, what challenges remain, and what the next generation of commercial leadership may look like.