Future of Hospitality Seminar

The Future of Hospitality Seminar gathers hotel industry leaders and experts to discuss key themes shaping the hospitality sector. With a focus on fostering innovation, promoting sustainable practices, and enhancing guest satisfaction and engagement, attendees will gain insights into the latest trends and developments shaping the hospitality sector.

Seminars are free to attend for all registered trade visitors. RSVP is highly recommended.

Key Information

Date: 22-24 October 2024
Venue: Singapore Expo, Hall 2

Themes

Day 1: Envisioning the Future of Hospitality
Day 2: Sustainability and Hospitality Design
Day 3: Innovation in Foodservice

Programme

Day 1: Tue, 22 October

Time	Theme: Envisioning the Future of Hospitality
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM	2025 Outlook: APAC Hospitality Industry Trends and Insights • Outlook for hotels in 2025 • Emerging trends in the hospitality sector • Opportunities in APAC’s hospitality landscape Speaker: Govinda Singh, Executive Director – Asia, Hotels & Leisure, Real Estate Advisory, Colliers
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM	In Conversation with ASEAN Hotel & Restaurant Association (AHRA): Shaping the Future of ASEAN’s Hotel Industry This panel gathers Board Members from AHRA to discuss their top priorities, opportunities for innovation, and how they hope to see the hospitality sector evolve. Panellists will also share about the destination management programmes put in place to encourage sustainable tourism. Panellists: • Dawn Teo, 2nd Vice-President, Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) • Christina Toh, President, Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH) • Eugene Yap, President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP) • Hariyadi Sukamdani, Chairman, Indonesian Hotel & Restaurant Association (PHRI) • Khun Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, President, Thai Hotels Association (THA) Moderator: Govinda Singh, Executive Director – Asia, Hotels & Leisure, Real Estate Advisory, Colliers
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM	Lunch Break
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM	Beyond the Hype: AI in Hospitality In this session, hoteliers will cut through the hype around AI to focus on its real-world, practical applications in hospitality. Rather than being a magic solution, AI is a powerful tool when used strategically. The talk will explore how AI can help with automation, enhance personalised guest experiences, and optimise data utilisation. Attendees will also gain insights into the importance of understanding AI’s capabilities and limitations, ensuring it’s applied effectively—often alongside traditional methods for the best outcomes. Real-world examples will provide practical takeaways for improving operations and guest satisfaction. Speaker: Joseph Ling, Founder and CEO, Vouch
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM	Hotel Industry Trends in Southeast Asia Speaker: Kim Ong, Regional Director, STR
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM	Elevating Guest Experiences with a Connected Tech Stack In the digital age, exceptional guest experiences in hospitality require more than just great service; they demand a connected tech stack. This panel, featuring Danilo Mangano from SevenRooms and Shane Kelly from Ministry of Data (MOD), will explore how integrated technology platforms—from reservations and POS systems to guest profiles and marketing automation—revolutionise interactions between restaurants, operators, and their guests. MOD, representing Revel Systems POS in Asia, has supported over 1,000 regional merchants. This discussion will highlight the transformative role of a connected tech stack in enhancing operational efficiency, enabling personalized service, and driving customer loyalty and revenue. Learn practical strategies for leveraging technology to create meaningful guest experiences and gain insights into staying competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Speakers: Danilo Mangano, EVP, International, SevenRooms Shane Kelly, CEO, Ministry of Data (MOD)
3:00PM - 3:30 PM	Investor Insights: Key Trends Shaping the Future of Travel and Hospitality Speaker: Nicholas Cocks, Partner, Velocity Ventures
3.30PM - 4.00PM	APAC Hospitality Market Update • Tourism and visitor arrivals • APAC hotel performance • Hotel operators update Speaker: Claire Lim, Director, Hotels & Hospitality, Asia Pacific, CBRE

Day 2: Wed, 23 October

Time	Theme: Sustainability and Hospitality Design
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM	Hotel Sustainability Panel: Moving Towards a Green Future Rising environmental consciousness intensifies the scrutiny of hotel’s sustainability commitment and results. Hotels are among the most energy-intensive buildings – the hotel industry alone accounts for approximately 1% of global emissions and this is set to increase. In this panel, we gather sustainability leaders and consultants to share the sustainability measures taken by the hotel industry to reduce its carbon footprint. Panellists: • Kezia Natama, Sustainability Senior Analyst, Greenview • Johnny Gao, Assistant Vice President, Sustainability, The Ascott Limited • Ailynn Seah, CEO, The Lumiere Consultancy Moderator: Lucia Loposova, Executive Director, GREEN Hospitality
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM	Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality Speaker: Lucia Loposova, Executive Director, GREEN Hospitality
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM	Block by Block: Building a Technology-Based Foundation for Sustainable Hospitality Operations This presentation highlights the transformative potential of blockchain-based applications to streamline operations and enhance sustainability within the hospitality industry. Speaker: Dr. Michael A. Kruesi, Associate Professor, Singapore Institute of Technology
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM	Networking & Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM	Embark on a Journey of Sustainable Tourism with GSTC This session allows participants to learn more about GSTC, the importance of standards, and how it facilitates tourism businesses towards making a more sustainable tourism industry. Speaker: Rita Kuan, Market Development Manager, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM	Reimagining Hospitality Spaces: Where Innovation Meets Experience In the competitive world of hospitality, design plays a significant role in creating memorable guest experiences and establishing a strong brand identity. This panel brings designers and industry experts to explore the future of hospitality design. Panellists: • Ben Gregoire, Principal, LEVELS Studio • James Robertson, Managing Director, VUCA VUCA Design • Katherine Cameron, Project Director, EDG • Tulsi Grover, Managing Principal, Hassell Moderator: Paul Wiste, Luxury and Lifestyle Hospitality Design Specialist
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM	Delighting Customers with Unique F&B Experiences Industry experts will discuss innovative approaches to elevating the culinary experience, along with the importance of sustainable sourcing and effective waste reduction strategies. Join us to discover how leading hotels and restaurants are delighting customers while embracing sustainability. Panellists: • Christopher Leow, Founder, The Freestyle Founder • Eric Neo, Director of Culinary, Capella Singapore • Stuart Wee, Co-Founder, ANDSOFORTH Moderator: Kelvin Ng, Managing Partner, Green Bridge Partners

Day 3: Thu, 24 October

Time	Theme: Innovation in Foodservice
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM	Future of Foodservice Market Report This session will delve into emerging trends, technological innovations and consumer behaviours shaping the future of foodservice. Learn more about the key factors driving change in the foodservice industry and how to adapt to these challenges. Speaker: Tim Hill, Key Accounts Director, GlobalData Plc
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM	Future of Wellness in Work Environments Improving wellness by integrating biophilia in the built up environment is well-documented. However, few are doing it right! Join our session as we learn about how humans and plants can thrive as an interdependent community in a highly urbanised world! Speaker: Youwei Neo, Marketing Manager, Singrass
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM	The Future of Commercial Kitchen Innovation – Integrating Technology and Sustainability Panellists: • Patrick Chan, CEO, Kitchen Haus Group, President, Association of Catering Professionals Singapore • Seow Tzi Qin, Chef Partner at Jiak Kim House & Culinary Director at The Brewerkz Group • Riyas Katayan, Director, Product Management, Asia South, Rational AG • Phil Llewellyn, Director, PDC Moderator: Tim Hill, Key Accounts Director, GlobalData Plc
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM	Networking & Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM	Foodservice Workshop + Networking hosted by FCSI 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM – Panel Session: Future of Hospitality Panellists: • Blake Walker, Senior Director Food & Beverage Operations, Southeast Asia, Hilton • Rhyannon Browne, Sales Manager, Phoenix Prime Focus and Marrone. • Sam Sheldon, Director of F&B Strategy, Social F+B By Design • Mario Sequeira, Former FCSI Worldwide President and Director, Hospitality Total Services. Moderator: Debbie Yong, Former Editorial Director, Michelin Guide Asia and Middle East and Founder, Signals Asia. 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM – Masterclass presented by Botinkit 4:15 PM - 6:00 PM – FCSI APD Cocktail Party (By Invitation Only)

Day 4: Fri, 25 October

Time	Theme: TechCamp
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM	Food & Beverage TechCamp TechCamp, offered by the International Food and Beverage Technology Association (IFBTA), in conjunction with the Restaurant Association of Singapore, is ideal for operators who are looking to understand the key technologies available, how to successfully implement them, and use the data to build and grow. Those attending TechCamp will come away with an understanding of the basics as they make decisions that impact all areas of operations and management. Presented by industry experts from the IFBTA, Operators, and Consultants, TechCamp is offered in 2-sections, covering systems and applications that are “Guest Facing,” used “Behind-the-Scenes,” and required by “Management.” Subjects covered include POS, Online Ordering/Delivery, Back-Office, Loyalty, Drive-Thru, Payments, Digital Signage & Menu Boards, Labor, Production, Data Security, and of course AI as it impacts all of these areas.

Time

Theme: TechCamp

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Food & Beverage TechCamp

TechCamp, offered by the International Food and Beverage Technology Association (IFBTA), in conjunction with the Restaurant Association of Singapore, is ideal for operators who are looking to understand the key technologies available, how to successfully implement them, and use the data to build and grow.

Those attending TechCamp will come away with an understanding of the basics as they make decisions that impact all areas of operations and management. Presented by industry experts from the IFBTA, Operators, and Consultants, TechCamp is offered in 2-sections, covering systems and applications that are “Guest Facing,” used “Behind-the-Scenes,” and required by “Management.” Subjects covered include POS, Online Ordering/Delivery, Back-Office, Loyalty, Drive-Thru, Payments, Digital Signage & Menu Boards, Labor, Production, Data Security, and of course AI as it impacts all of these areas.

Seminars are free to attend for all registered trade visitors. RSVP is highly recommended.

Speakers