05:00pm — 06:00pm

Tuesday, 3 March - Pre-conference Event

Exclusive look inside the brand-new New Zealand International Conference Centre (NZICC). A big thank you to the NZICC team for hosting us and giving delegates a chance to experience one of New Zealand’s most impressive new venues firsthand.

Limited numbers available.

Wednesday, 4 March - Conference Day

Welcome to Maximum Occupancy New Zealand Accommodation Industry Conference Day

07:30am — 09:00am

Conference Registation

Welcome to Maximum Occupancy New Zealand 2026. Pick up your lanyard and name tag at the registration desk and enjoy a coffee while networking with other conference delegates.

09:00am — 09:05am

Conference Welcome

A welcome introduction to Maximum Occupancy New Zealand 2025 by the conference MC and organiser, Adrian Caruso.

09:05 — 09.15

Official Conference Opening

Mayor of Auckland - The Hon. Wayne Brown — City of Auckland

09:05 — 09:25

State of the Nation - What to Expect in 2026

Paul Hammond — STR

This presentation is a must-attend for it sets the basis for the entire day. Learn what the state of the New Zealand accommodation market is currently and predictions for the future.

09:25 — 09:50

A Hotel Owner's Perspective on 2026 and Beyond

Listen to a panel of leading small to large sized hotel owners, operators, investors, white-label providers and hotel brands on the current state of the market and challenges facing them in 2026 and beyond.

• Facilitators

• Stephen Hamilton
  Horwath HTL — Managing Director

• Panellists

• Terry Ngan
  Terry Ngan & Associates Ltd — Director

• Bruce Garrett
  Brook Serene — Managing Director

• More speakers to be announced soon

• Craig Bonnor
  Cordis Auckland — Managing Director

09:50am — 10:10am

Keynote

Hon. Louise Upston — Minister for Tourism and Hospitality (New Zealand)

10:10am — 10:25pm

The secret sauce of AI and the next big thing coming from AI & Myma.ai

David Thompson — Myma

Presented by our Gold Sponsor Myma

10:25 — 10:30

Power-up Trend Talks

Listen to short sharp presentations from the leading industry suppliers and how you can boost revenue and occupancy using their products.

10:30 — 11:00

Morning Tea

Break time! Enjoy a delicious morning tea.

11:00 — 11:25

What Keeps NZ Hotel Managers Up Late at Night

Listen to some of New Zealand's top hotel and accommodation managers and operators, and what keeps them up late at night.

• Facilitators

• Ronnie Ronalde
  Hotel Council Aotearoa

• Panellists

• Raymond Faulkner
  Swiss-Belhotel International — Vice President - Operations & Development, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific

• Sarah Croskery
  NZ Accommodation Group — General Manager

• Ryan Saunders
  Haka House Hostels — CEO

11:25 — 11:50

The New Marketing Mix

This panel brings together experts across creative, PR, social, paid media, and AI-driven discoverability to discuss what’s changing, what still works, and how to turn brand investment into measurable demand and direct bookings.

• Panellists

• Danelle Ayers
  Studio Moda — Founder & Director

• Sarah May
  Fastrack Digital — Digital Marketing Specialist

• Ginni Post
  GP Communications — Founder

11:50 — 12:15

The Future of Hospitality Talent in New Zealand

Staffing remains a major challenge across the industry. This panel explores practical solutions to attract, train, and retain skilled workers, from international recruitment to new employment models and tech-driven efficiencies.

• Panellists

• Phillipa Gimmillaro
  WorkTheory & Co. — Owner

• More speakers to be announced soon

12:15pm — 12:30pm

How Travel Will Be Discovered, Decided & Booked in an AI-First World

Adrian Caruso — Fastrack Digital

Learn how to prepare your hotel’s digital presence for the AI-powered future of travel search. This session explores practical steps to boost direct bookings through AI-readiness.

12:30 — 12:45

From Clicks to Cash: How Smarter Booking Journeys Lift EBITDA

Duncan Waterman — Room Stay

12:45 — 01:00

The Book Direct Game

Nick Ellis — Revinate

Forget sitting through another presentation - we’re flipping the format with a live, interactive Book Direct Game. Play along in real time, test your book direct knowledge and compete with your peers.

12:55pm — 01:00pm

Power-Up Trends Talks

Listen to short sharp presentations from the leading industry suppliers and how you can boost revenue and occupancy using their products

01:00pm — 02:00pm

Lunch

Network with other attendees over a delicious buffet lunch.

2:00pm — 2:25pm

The Demand Mix: Where Tomorrow’s Room Nights Come From

Demand now comes from many directions - cruise, events, sports, corporate travel and high-value leisure. This panel explores how these segments behave, how they impact occupancy and rates, and how hotels can better align pricing, inventory and marketing to capture the right mix of demand year-round.

• Facilitators

• Lisa Hopkins
  Business Events Industry Aotearoa — Chief Executive

• Panellists

• Prue Daly
  NZICC — General Manager

• Clinton Farley
  The Hotel Britomart — General Manager

• Debbie Summers
  ID Tours Ltd — Managing Director

• Kristy Phillips
  Hospitality New Zealand — Chief Executive

02:25pm — 02:50pm

How to Win More Corporate Business in 2026

Corporate travel is back - but not as we knew it. This expert panel of TMCs, corporate buyers, and hotel sales leaders will share what’s driving today’s business travel decisions and what hotels can do now to stay front of mind - and on every preferred supplier list

• Panellists

• Leigh Higgins
  Sudima Hotels — Group Director of Sales

• More speakers to be announced soon

2:50pm — 3:15pm

Elevating the Plateful: Future-Forward F&B Trends in Hospitality

Listen to some of New Zealand's leading food and beverage experts as we delve deep into the art of bringing F&B experiences to life, exploring the intersection of technology, hospitality, community, and CSR.

• Panellists

• Michael Stamboulidis
  QT Auckland — General Manager

• Gareth Stewart
  InterContinental Auckland — Executive chef

• Matt Simister
  Hotel Indigo® Auckland — General Manager

03:15pm — 03.45pm

Afternoon Tea

03:45pm — 04:05pm

What Industry Leaders See Coming Next

Industry CEOs and senior leaders share a candid outlook on what’s ahead for the accommodation sector and how they’re preparing for the year ahead.

• Facilitators

• James Doolan
  Hotel Council Aotearoa — Strategic Director

• Panellists

• Karl Luxon
  Scenic Hotel Group — CEO

• Paul Wilson
  Amadeus — Vice President Hospitality APAC

• Rod Munro
  BWH Hotels — Managing Director Australasia

• Tim Alpe
  Lylo — Managing Director

• Emily Byrne
  Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand — CEO

04:05pm — 04:20pm

What Guests Are Telling Us Across Auckland and Oceania

Will Howes — Trust You

Drawing on millions of guest reviews, this session reveals key experience and sentiment trends across key cities in New Zealand benchmarked against leading Oceania destinations. Learn how hotels can turn guest insight into action using data and AI to improve reputation, drive direct bookings, and build long-term brand value.

04:25pm — 04:50pm

Smarter Revenue Management & Distribution

As demand patterns shift, revenue performance depends on more than pricing alone. This session explores how operators can combine data, technology, human judgment, and smarter distribution - including GDS - to optimise revenue, expand reach, and protect profitability in changing market conditions.

• Panellists

• Laurel Liddle
  SkyCity Entertainment Group — Director of Revenue - Hospitality

• Jass Sidu
  Hind Management — Director of Revenue

• Andy Collins
  RoomPriceGenie — Senior Business Development Manager - APAC

04:50pm — 05:15pm

KEYNOTE - Where do I begin with AI and can it really help in hospitality?

AI is everywhere in hospitality but where should you actually start, and can it genuinely drive revenue, efficiency and cost savings? This practical panel will share simple, low-risk ways to begin with AI and automation.

This will be followed by a live Q&A where you can ask your questions directly to the panel and other AI experts.

• Panellists

• Gavin Sharkey
  Kowhai.ai — Managing Director

• Barry White
  Softsource vBridge — Principal Consultant

• Jackie Leat
  Fr@nk — Director of Information Technology

05:15pm — 7:00pm

Networking Drinks

Join us for a drink and canapes after the conference and network with your fellow delagates.