Qantas' CEO of Loyalty, Lesley Grant
Qantas' CEO of Loyalty, Lesley Grant
Qantas’ CEO of Loyalty, Lesley Grant

The final tickets for AHICE 2014, being held at Grand Hyatt Melbourne next Thursday May 1, are now on sale.

With more than 320 delegates already confirmed to attend, the 5th annual AHICE (Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition) – an event hosted by HM magazine and firmly focused on the management and operation of accommodation hotels throughout Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific region – will be one of the biggest events on the hotel industry calendar in 2014.

And what an event it promises to be, with Qantas’ CEO of Loyalty, Lesley Grant, leading a stellar line-up of speakers for the day-long event.

AHICE 2014 is themed ‘Generation Next – What’s the Future?’ and will encompass educational sessions, future trends and issues facing the hotelier industry now and in the future.

“We have some terrific speakers lined up and with so many attendees already confirmed, we’re confident we are putting on what will be one of the industry events of 2014,” said HM magazine’s Editor-In-Chief and content advisory panel chair, James Wilkinson.

“This really is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for hoteliers, aspiring hoteliers, suppliers and consultants in the industry here in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific,” he said.

Simon F Cooper Marriott
Marriott’s Simon F Cooper

Leading the line-up of international speakers is Simon F Cooper, Marriott’s President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific.

Over the last three months, Marriott has been headline news – it launched Autograph Collection when it picked-up the management of Pier One Sydney and subsequently followed that with the announcement of a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Perth and a Marriott in Fiji.

Cooper will be the subject of a Q&A session with HM’s Wilkinson, where he will be asked about the new projects, the rise of the Asian traveller and much more.

Grant is the head of Qantas’ most successful division at present, Loyalty, and oversees the Qantas Frequent Flyer business, which has almost 10 million members.

With extensive experience in the aviation industry, Grant drives the evolution and growth of Qantas Loyalty. Sitting across the portfolio of brands and capabilities, she leads one of the world’s leading loyalty businesses.

Appointed to the business in 2012, Grant was the architect of the new structure and the creation of Qantas Loyalty, the next evolution of what was then the Qantas Frequent Flyer business. This step represented the shift in the business to be better able to serve the business stakeholders and customers.

She will provide a unique insight into one of Australia’s leading brands and how Qantas continues to bring in more and more travellers from around the world.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from local leaders including John McDonnell, GM HR at Accor Hotels: Craig Bond, Area GM at Pan Pacific Hotels; Choice Hotels Australasia CEO Trent Fraser and many more.

AHICE will also feature panel sessions on the digital landscape, human resources, Asian century, food and beverage and revenue generation. New in 2014 is the Great Debate where the next generation of leaders will debate General Managers and CEOs on the future of the industry, providing thought provoking insights on management style, strategy and issue management.

Sponsors for 2014 include: Blue Mountains Hospitality Consulting, Foxtel for Business and AH Beard (Gold); and Dometic, FCS, Empire Hospitality, ICOZ, Intrust Super, Nespresso, NCE, Polesy Commercial, Prototype Furniture, Sealy and VOD (Silver).

Supporting hotel chains include: Accor (Diamond); Quest Serviced Apartments (Platinum); Choice Hotels Australasia, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Mantra and TFE Hotels (Gold); and Best Western Australasia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Rydges Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International and Wyndham Hotel Group (Silver).

AHICE 2014 will kick off with a welcome event sponsored by Intrust Super on Wednesday April 30, 2014 from 6-8pm at the new Sheraton Melbourne Hotel, prior to the conference on May 1 at Grand Hyatt Melbourne.

To book tickets, visit www.ahice.com.au 

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management