HSMAI Europe is delighted to announce the winners of Europe’s Top Ten Extraordinary Minds in the Hospitality & Travel Industry. With the awards in its first year, the HSMAI European Awards 2011 recognised both leading experts and industry professionals for their exemplary work within the travel industry.

Ingunn Hofseth, President of HSMAI Europe, introducing the HSMAI European Travel Awards 2011.

“Tonight we will award Europes Top Ten Extraordinary Minds in the Hospitality & Travel Industry. This will see us honour some of the great men and women who have achieved unbelievable results, and who will stand out as role models in the hotel and travel industry for many years to come,” said Ingunn Hofseth, President of HSMAI Europe, as she introduced the event.

The winners are:

• Bjørn Kjos, CEO, Norwegian Air Shuttle
• Gerard Greene, CEO, Yotel
• Grace Leo, President, G.L.A. Hotels
• José A. Tazón, Chairman, Amadeus
• Kurt Ritter, President, The Rezidor Group
• Tamara Heber-Percy, CTO, Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• Michael Levie, Founding Partner and CEO, citizenM hotels
• Petter Stordalen, Chairman and Owner, Nordic Choice Hotels
• Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group
• Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Founder, EasyJet

Hearing some of the winners express their gratitude and sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm about the future of our industry, was truly a highlight of the event, which also introduced several other awards.

We are immensely pleased to provide you with updated information on one of this year’s most exciting events in European travel and hospitality taking place at the Hilton Park Lane, London, Tursday 5 May at 6 pm; an inspirational evening with focus on Professional development, Networking and Business, where we also will celebrate:

• The HSMAI European Travel Marketers
• The Young European Hotelier of the Year
• The Young European Travel Industry Leader of the Year

Dress code: Black tie

To top it off we will be presenting awards to the Top Ten Extraordinary Minds in the Hospitality and Travel Industry. Whilst nominations are still in the process of being entered, the evening will see some of the most prestigious industry professionals celebrated for their contribution to the sector.

Many of whom have confirmed his/her presence at the awards ceremony (while some have yet to confirm), where attendees will be offered the opportunity to learn from their extensive knowledge and experience, with winners interviewed live on stage by Jeff Senior, Chairman of HSMAI Global and Executive Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International.

Come celebrate with our industry’s top leaders and enjoy the three-course dinner as well as lots of lively entertainment. Secure a table for your organisation now!

For registration and payment, please click here

The Young European Hotelier of the Year in partnership with

Every year HSMAI hosts a number of various awards events all over the world, of which these two, earlier this year, are the latest:

HSMAI Adrian Awards 2010

The HSMAI Awards Norway 2010

We would like to remind you of the HSMAI European Travel Marketer Awards taking place in London 5 May 2011. On this evening we will not only present the winners of several marketing awards (competition still open, see above link for details) and award the European Travel Marketer of the Year. We also have other exciting awards that will be presented during the evening:

• The Young European Hotelier of the Year
• The Young European Travel Industry Leader of the Year
• Europe’s Top Ten Extraordinary Minds in the Hopsitality and Travel Industry

We need you to suggest good candidates for all of these awards, and are certain you know brilliant leaders either within your own organisation or within your network. See below links below for more information:

Europe’s Top Ten Extraordinary Minds in the Hospitality and Travel Industry

The Young European Hotelier of the Year and The Young European Travel Industry Leader of the Year

Sign up for the event dinner and submit entries for the other awards here:

HSMAI European Travel Marketer Awards

In addition to several breakfast/afternoon meetings, the following events will take place in 2011. Please disregard schedule published on 24 October 2010.

1 March 2011 – Compliment Day

Started in Holland eight years ago, this day has gained national recognition first in Holland, now also Belgium. More information will follow.

5 May 2011 – Chief Marketing Officer Roundtable, London

Conference for CMO’s, CCO’s, CEO’s etc. (about 20 people)

5 May 2011 – HSMAI European Travel Marketer Awards, London

Compete in several different categories with your best marketing efforts of the year 2010. Winners will be celebrated this night, together with friends and colleagues from the travel industry. During the three-course gala dinner we will also award the European Young Hotelier of the Year, the European Young Leader of the Year, and Europe’s Top Extraordinary Minds in Leadership, Sales and Marketing.

Autumn 2011 – HSMAI Sales Conference

The conference will be taken to several European cities during the fall. Aimed at sales professionals at all levels, this is where they will be trained by experts and be able to share experiences as they network with likeminded colleagues.

Autumn 2011 – General Managers’ Forum

Started by HSMAI Chapter Norway, General Managers have for several years gathered at this successful event where topics relevant to General Managers are discussed. The conference, aimed at General Managers from the hotel sector, will this year be taken to several European cities. Other General Managers and Senior Executives are also welcome to join.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Webinars

Different webinars with various contents will be published throughout the year

HSMAI Student

A forum dedicated to college students within Hospitality, Travel and Tourism studying for a bachelor degree or higher. The forum will provide opportunities to network with fellow students and industry professionals from across Europe. HSMAI Europe will monitor and assist the forum, but it will be operated by the students themselves.

HSMAI European Academy

The Academy is a Pan-European programme offering training and certification in revenue management and sales, with certified trainers on a national level.

HSMAI Gazette

With four editions per year, this magazine offers interviews with industry leaders, trends and forecasts, and relevant topics for the hospitality and travel industry.

Special Interest Groups

Three Special Interest Groups will be established within Revenue Management, Digital Marketing and PR & Information.

NEW EVENTS IN 2012

The HSMAI Meeting Exchange will take place in all of the Nordic countries. This is a day where vendors and purchasers of corporate travel, conference and events will meet to make contact and business during 15 minute meetings. Following the Meeting Exchange, the same evening will be the arena for the HSMAI National Travel Marketer Awards.

For further information and updates on these events, Please see the HSMAI Calendar. For activities in the Americas region, visit www.hsmai.org.

Leading experts in the hotel and travel industry have this week called for greater cooperation between hotels and customer review websites such as TripAdvisor in a bid to provide accurate feedback to the consumer as the UK government-backed hotel ratings systems comes under review.

At the first ever HSMAI conference held this week in London, TripAdvisor’s Guillaume Thevenot underlined his belief that government-backed ratings will die out, with the consumer championing online feedback sites.  Certain hotel industry figures on the panel and in the audience argued that an official ratings system is needed alongside online consumer feedback, which can be inaccurate.

The hotel expert and novelist, Daniel Edward Craig, responded with a call to hotels to adapt to the growing online feedback presence by engaging and responding to clarify any inaccuracies.  UK-based Q Hotels, represented on the panel, announced that it has already implemented a ‘response to TripAdvisor’ feedback as part of their marketing strategy and the panel agreed this ability to adapt is what is needed in the hotel industry.

Members of the audience acknowledged the positives in such steps by the hotel industry but questioned what online feedback sites are doing in return, calling for the likes of TripAdvisor to share business intelligence and create clearer demographic divisions in their ratings.

Ingunn Hofseth, President and CEO of HSMAI Europe, commented:

“Our first ever conference in London brought together some of the greatest minds in the hotel and travel industry from across Europe resulting in a thrilling and lucrative debate on the UK ratings system.  The fact that we are a pan-European organisation meant that  we were able to discuss every aspect of key industry issues and start to address them from every possible angle.”

Michael Nowlis (right) of the London Business School, who chaired the panel discussion, said:

“The panel discussion was one of the most insightful sessions of the day, with the audience and panellists challenging one another with very probing questions.  While I agree that hotels need to engage consumers online, interesting points were raised about consumer review sites needing to create a more sophisticated feedback system.  Faced with the potential disappearance of an official UK hotel ratings system, this issue takes on even greater significance.”

Ms Jorunn Svidal, Director of Revenue Management, Thon Hotels and one of the panelists, added:

“Coming from a country that has never had an official ratings system, we don’t see any need for a government-backed system. However, the online world is daunting for hotels and this fear needs to be addressed. We need to discuss such issues in the open and today is a big step towards that.”

Top photo: The Hilton London Metropole, venue for last Monday’s conference.

HSMAI Europe is facing a great opportunity for growth in several European markets, encompassing all segments of the travel and hospitality industry. In our encounters with members, as well as prospective members and possible partners, we have been met with repeated reassurances of the continued need for an organisation like ours.

The HSMAI brand is strong in some countries, while relatively unknown in others. Both categories have greeted us with open arms and suggested activities to launch in various areas. They all acknowledge the potential, emphasising the need for us to reach out and seize the opportunity.

Companies, organisations and individuals alike have expressed great interest in our products, and there are many who are willing to help us succeed in our endeavours, which has made it a lot easier for us to identify the vast potential for attracting strategic partners and the basis for potential membership across Europe.

There’s no denying that recent activities in a number of European countries have contributed to the overwhelmingly positive response, which is something we will continue to bear in mind. Please see this recent report.

Meanwhile all of us in HSMAI would like to use the opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Ingunn Hofseth
HSMAI Europe
President

LONDON, UK — Last Thursday saw the first ever meeting in the recently established European Advisory Board. Thanks to our good partners the meeting was held at one of the best hotels in the world, The Ritz London, lasting all day.

In my opening statement I focused on our vision, objects, values and purposes and, but not least, various HSMAI concepts and activities planned for HSMAI Europe.

Mr. Michael Nowlis, London Business School and member of the HSMAI European Advisory Board, gave an interesting presentation of industry trends, followed by a long – and good – discussion, including several proposals to be incorporated in our forthcoming market plan.

A mandate was presented to the group:

Mandate

The Advisory Board will act as HSMAI’s eyes and ears to the market, give advice and help HSMAI fulfil its vision to become the leading meeting place for the travel and hospitality industry in Europe.

Furthermore, they will be ambassadors of HSMAI, and will, through their own network and the network of their peers, assist actively in recruiting members to HSMAI.

The group’s next scheduled meeting will take place in London Friday 6 May, the day after the HSMAI European Travel Awards, also in London, to be held at the Hilton Park Lane Hotel Thursday 5 May.

Eventually the HSMAI Europe Advisory Board will consist of more than 20 esteemed leaders from across Europe. Given the central position of HSMAI in Norway, we will have several representatives from this chapter. Several hotels, airline companies, etc. from international chains and individual actors from all over Europe will be invited to participate. We will, however, make an effort to achieve the right mix of male and female members.

The final composition of the group is set to March 2011, but we are very pleased to introduce the current board:

• Carl Weldon, Managing Director BAHA, UK
• Martin Jørgensen, CEO – Chief Executive Officer Net Trans, Norway
• Michael Nowlis, Director, London Business School, UK
• Robin Kamark, CCO SAS, Sweden
• Terje Olsen, Head of Sales Nordic, HRG Nordic, Norway
• Young N. Nguyen CEO, d2o, Norway

With everything going on in Europe these are very exciting times, which will benefit members in all countries, and expectations of HSMAI Europe are high.

Please make sure to reserve Monday 7 February already now for the HSMAI Revenue Management & Internet Marketing Strategy Conference, as well as Thursday 5 May for the HSMAI European Travel Awards.

We will get back to details on submitting contributions to the awards at a later stage.

Meanwhile we wish you all a very happy holiday season.

Sincerely,
Ingunn Hofseth
President & CEO, HSMAI Europe

The last six months have been buzzing with activity over at the HSMAI European division’s HQ and, consequently, in the hsmai.eu editorial staff, acting as same for hsmai.no, where activities have been plentiful. As we speak, we’re in the middle of preparing the perhaps most important event in the Norwegian hospitality industry; the Meeting Exhange (pages in Norwegian), which, for the newsdesk means editing and designing the tabloid-sized Meeting Exchange newspaper.

2010 on the other hand, will focus on the European dimension, with HSMAI Europe’s president and CEO Ingunn Hofseth transferring to London, for easier access to different parts of Europe, not to mention the eventual chartering of a UK chapter, among others. All of which necessitates an intensified focus on the European perspective, which will become evident on the hsmai.eu website, as well as in selected social media, in the year to come.

The editorial staff will however need to concentrate on the Meeting Exchange newspaper for a couple of weeks, which luckily corresponds very well with the festive season anyway. We would, therefore, like to take the opportunity thank members, readers and partners so much for a most interesting year, which goes to companies providing useful press releases, too. Please don’t stop.

We would like to extend our sincerest wishes for a joyous and tranquil season. To one and all, in the hopes that we’ll met again next year – in the sign of Europe.

This week’s conferences in Oslo and Stockholm featured an introduction to Revenue management confirmed the need for an international certification within that field – regardless your chain affiliation or nationality. The programme, originally developed in the U.S., is currently adapted and tailored for European needs, to be launched on this website in a couple of weeks.

The global financial recession has brought about challenges we need to address, as tourism and business travels alike have taken a downturn, calling for increased focus on maximising business opportunities and revenue management.

We also need to take a closer look at marketing, and to establish how to get the most out of each penny spent, thereby improving margins. Interestingly, we see how the two Special Interest Groups Revenue management and Travel Internet marketing overlap in that respect, which is why we’ve decided to launch the two first. But we acknowledge national differences, introducing both national and pan European SIG’s.

However, we go even farther:

With seminars and the Certified Revenue Management Executive programme we wish to enable our members to optimise income for just their businesses, and it really doesn’t matter where you are, as webinars will be used extensively, both in this particular area of interest and others. What better way to maximise income, than to save both time and money?

All webinars will be held in English and in a number of European languages.

Thanks a lot to all those who have contributed to a memorable and instructive week – and to HSMAI Global’s president and CEO Bob Gilbert, who toured the Norwegian and Swedish capitals with us this week.

A peaceful and enjoyable weekend to one and all!

Ingunn Hofseth
President and CEO
HSMAI Europe

HSMAI’s European division faces a busy month with one-day conferences on SIG’s (Special Interest Groups) in the capitals of Poland, Norway and Sweden this November, with a golden opportunity to revive the Swedish chapter, as well as the chartering of a chapter in Poland.

The Hilton Warsaw, venue for the Warsaw SIG conference in November.

In addition to an introduction to the SIG concept, all conferences will offer a walk-through of HSMAI’s Revenue Management programme.

HSMAI global’s president and CEO Mr. Robert A. Gilbert will give an introduction at the Oslo and Stockholm conferences, whereas Mr. Tomasz Janczak gives same at the Warsaw conference, taking place at the Warsaw Hilton.

All conferences also feature Ms. Marion Hughes’ insights in Revenue Management. She currently makes her home in New York City as Vice President, Business Development for Intelligent Hotels, a global leader who have developed and deployed intelligent revenue strategies for a wide range of hotel groups, including Leading Hotels of the World, Preferred Hotels and Resorts, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Loews Hotels, Le Meridien, Relais & Chateaux, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Capella Hotels, Holiday Inns, Ramada Hotels, Choice Hotels, Marriott, Hilton International, and Mexicos Grupo Posadas.

Oslo Congress Centre at Youngstorget in central Oslo. Photographer: Kjetil Ree/Wikimedia Commons

Marion has worked for a European luxury hotel group managing sales and marketing for 6 of their hotels and overseeing 14 sales executives. She has extensive experience from working in online distribution and has held a global marketing role in a key European Travelocity business unit.

The conferences will be opened by HSMAI Europe’s CEO and president Ms. Ingunn Hofseth, also CEO and president of HSMAI Chapter Norway.

The participant fees in Warsaw include one year’s HSMAI membership, with access to the SIG’s in question – as well as future SIG’s and other HSMAI activities and benefits (the article continues below video clip).

The conferences take place in the Warsaw Hilton 17 November, Oslo Conference Centre 18 November and the Clarion Hotel Stockholm 19 November.

The Clarion Hotel Stockholm.

The Oslo conference also features the launch of SIG’s within the following fields of interest:

• Revenue Management
• Resort Marketing
• Travel Internet Marketing
• Environmentally Sustainable Travel-Business

As Norway already has a fully operational chapter, participants are also offered an introduction to theme-based adventures, by Innovation Norway’s travel director Mr. Per-Arne Tuftin. The Travel Internet Marketing session is conducted by journalist and social media specialist Ms. Ingeborg Volan of Sermo Consulting.

Register now!

Please read further details – and register – on these pages:

• The Warsaw conference (PDF)
• The Oslo Conference (web page in Norwegian)
• The Stockholm conference (PDF)