Operations
Left: A panel moderated by Robin Sheppard of Bespoke Hotels, with Kate Nicholls from UK Hospitality, Adrian Ellis from The Lowry Hotel, Joanne Taylor Stagg from The Athenaeum, and Susan Bland from RBH.
Below: Veteran hotelier and HOSPA president Harry Murray MBE on stage at HOSPACE 2023.
whether it’s human or AI, they just want the least possible error and best possible service.” This statement highlights the uncapped potential of using AI to optimise guest experience, as its very existence looks to eliminate human error. The panel also expressed their concern that smaller independent hotels and smaller hotel companies are going to struggle to make the budgets needed to adopt the latest AI technology. Therefore, there is a growing demand for smaller applications that can service those businesses. Concerns about losing the human touch were also addressed and it became clear that AI should be tailored to fit a hotel’s individual identity — with no ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Are we entering a new ‘wellness era’? A captivating session on the relationship between hospitality and wellness featured Daniel Sprung from Peloton, Emlyn Brown from Accor and expert speaker and author Daniel Fryer. The group looked to shine a light on the growing significance of routine and healthy habits in attracting a new market segment and offered new horizons for hotels looking to prioritise health and wellness offerings. It was clear how important it is for hotels to allow routines with wellness, and guests are likely to come back when it’s offered by a hotel.
Other notable contributors at the event included Hollie McHugh from Net Affinity, Inna Nekrassova from The Lanesborough, Kathrin Cockhill from HotStats, Thomas Pugh from RSM, William Gibbs from Sir Richard Sutton Hotels – who is also the latest member of the HOSPA board – and many more leading minds in hospitality. The traditional gala dinner, attended by a record number of participants, served as a collective celebration of another challenging year in hospitality. During this memorable evening,
Hotel Management International /
www.hmi-online.com
HOSPA had the honour of announcing the winners of the inspirational leader awards. These awards recognise the individuals going above and beyond in the industry and showcased exceptional talent in various categories, from finance to sustainability. The HOSPA team is delighted to have organised its largest event yet and the Royal Lancaster, London, once again played a pivotal role in the success – HOSPA remains immensely grateful for its unwavering support. Of course, no HOSPACE would be possible without the support of its amazing sponsors, especially the headline sponsors Percipient and Ruckus who form an integral part of the growing hospitality community. At HOSPA, the mission is to connect professionals from across the UK and beyond, and events like HOSPACE exemplify the dynamic spirit of the industry. Thomas Pugh from RSM mentioned on stage that he has renamed the misery index to the happiness index, and this positive approach to the future encapsulates HOSPA’s view on the world. ●
For more information about HOSPA, please visit
www.hospa.org. 45
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