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Melbourne

Maximum Occupancy Australia - celebrating 11 years as one of the leading accommodation industry events is coming to Melbourne for the first time!

This one-day information packed conference brings together the entire hotel and accommodation sector - from independents to major groups to holiday parks to small operators - to learn, connect, and grow direct revenue.

Listen and learn to over 40+ industry leading speaker covering everything from management, marketing, HR, AI, F&B, tech, and ownership, it’s the most comprehensive, info-packed one-day event in the industry.

11th November 2025 Register today

Rydges Melbourne (CBD) See speakers See sponsors

November 11, 2025
- 07:15am — 09:00am
  
  Conference Registration
  
  Pick up your lanyard and name tag at the registration desk and enjoy a coffee while networking with other conference delegates.
- 07:45am — 08:30am
  
  Breakfast Masterclass
- 09:00am — 09:05am
  
  Conference Welcome
  
  A welcome introduction to Maximum Occupancy Australia 2025 by the conference MC
- 09:05 — 09:25
  
  State of the Nation
  
  Jacqueline Choo — Pacific STR
  
  This presentation is a must-attend for it sets the basis for the entire day. Listen to an update on the Australian and global accommodation market, the past, present and future.
- 09:30 — 09:55
  
  A Hotel Owner's Perspective on 2026 and Beyond
  - Panellists
  - Raphael Antonini
    Salter Brothers Hospitality — Chief Development Officer
  - Ian Wilson
    Title Hospitality — Director
  - Dean Minett
    Gatehouse Hospitality — Managing Director
  - Steven Wright
    ODIN360 — Managing Director
- 09:55am — 10:15am
  
  Keynote to be Announced
- 10:15am — 10:35pm
  
  Disrupting the Bed: How Next-Gen Stays Are Reshaping Accommodation
  
  A look at how innovative brands like are transforming budget accommodation through design, tech, and guest experience—blurring the lines between hostel, hotel, and lifestyle stay.
  - Panellists
  - Tim Alpe
    Lylo — Managing Director
  - Luke Moran
    lacollective — CEO
  - Paul McGrath
    YHA Australia — CEO
- 10:35 — 10:45
  
  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 Brought to you by Trust You
- 11:00 — 11:25
  
  What Keeps Hotel Managers Up Late at Night
  
  Listen to some of Australia's best GMs from small boutique hotels through to the large ones discuss the current challenges they are facing and their thoughts on what you need to do to run the best accommodation business.
  - Panellists
  - Cassie Gong
    The Royce Hotel — Hotel Manager
  - More speakers to be announced soon
  - Andrew Edwards
    Meriton Suites Melbourne — Hotel General Manager
- 11:25 — 11:50
  
  Events - The Key to Driving Occupancy
  - Facilitators
  - Lisa Patroni
    Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) — CEO
  - Panellists
  - Angie Becker
    Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre — Chief Sles & Customer Experience Officer
  - More speakers to be announced soon
- 11:35 — 11:50
  
  Elevating Careers Together: Practical Solutions for Industry Growth
  
  Emilie Howe — eeger
  
  Presented by our Gold Sponsor - eeger
  Australia’s visitor economy is thriving, but workforce shortages threaten our ability to meet future demand. This keynote explores practical, collaborative solutions to close the gap and elevate careers across accommodation and hospitality. We’ll look at why entry-level roles matter, how multichannel recruitment can mirror the way we attract guests, and how the eeger platform provides a central hub for jobs, careers, and training.
- 11:50 — 12:15
  
  The Future of Hospitality Talent in Australia: Leveraging AI in Recruiting & Retention
  
  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
  - Scott Bear
    Young Hotel Leaders | Novotel Geelong — President | General Manager
  - More speakers to be announced soon
- 12:15pm — 12:30pm
  
  Keynote
  
  Lisa Patroni — Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC)
- 12:30 — 12:55
  
  How Guests Will Book Travel in an AI World: The Future of Direct Bookings
  
  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.
- 12:55pm — 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
  
  Accommodation Industry CEO + Leaders Meet-Up
  - Facilitators
  - Dougall Hollis
    Accommodation Australia (Vic) — General Manager
  - Panellists
  - Adam Schwab
    Luxury Escapes — Co-Founder + CEO
  - Sean Jenner
    BIG4 Holiday Parks — CEO
  - David Tonkin
    Pan Pacific Hotels Group — Country General Manager, Oceania
  - Michelle Bradshaw
    Accor — Vice President Operations Leases Australia and HMA Victoria
- 02:25pm — 02:50pm
  
  Room to Grow: Smart Sales Strategies to Boost Bookings
  
  Hear from some of the industry's leading sales and business development experts as they share practical strategies to grow bookings across leisure, events, and business segments in today’s changing market.
- 2:50pm — 3:15pm
  
  Elevating the Plateful: Future-Forward F&B Trends in Hospitality
  
  Listen to some of Australia'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
  - Jaqui Rosenstengel
    Ovolo South Yarra — F&B General Manager
  - More speakers to be announced soon
  - Mia Barry
    Sunday Lunch — Founder
- 03:15pm — 03.45pm
  
  Afternoon Tea
- 03:45pm — 04:05pm
  
  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 knowledge and compete with your peers. Will you be the hotelier who walks away with the $30,000 grand prize?
- 04:05pm — 04:25pm
  
  Tap into the Chinese travel boom: How AI and Social Media can Help you to Maximise your Occupancy
  
  Kevin Lu — Trip.com
- 04:25pm — 04:50pm
  
  Refining Distribution for Peak Performance - Brought to you by ARMA
  
  This transformative discussion led by seasoned experts, will focus on best-practice distribution approaches, aligning them with robust revenue management practices to maximise profitability. Our panel will explore strategies for various types of operators, delve into the latest emerging trends, and tackle common pitfalls for all.
  - Facilitators
  - Melissa Kalan
    Australian Revenue Management Association — CEO
  - Panellists
  - Michael Heyward
    Heyward Group — CEO & Founder
  - More speakers to be announced soon
  - Miranda Chirau
    Revstar Group — Group Director of Revenue
- 04:50pm — 05:10pm
  
  Digital Everywhere: How to Maximise Visibility Across Every Platform
  
  Travellers are discovering hotels in more ways than ever from Google and AI-powered search to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and beyond. This session explores how hotels can build a digital presence that meets guests wherever they are. Learn how to optimise visibility across key platforms, create content that converts and stay ahead in a fast-evolving digital landscape.
  - Facilitators
  - Sarah May
    Fastrack Digital — Digital Marketing Specialist
  - Panellists
  - Mauro Risch
    The Hotel Photographer
  - Jeff Baars
    Urban Rest — Chief Commercial Officer
  - Natasha Prendergast
    BIG4 Holiday Parks of Australia — Head of Marketing
- 05:15pm — 05:40pm
  
  Session to Be Announced
- 05:30pm — 7:00pm
  
  Networking Drinks
  
  Join us for a drink and canapes after the conference and network with your fellow delagates thanks to our drinks sponsors.