Executives from Microsoft, Starwood Capital Group, and Aimbridge Hospitality cover trends ranging from AI to revenue optimization
LONDON—July 27, 2023— IDeaS, the world’s leading provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, held its annual Converge Hospitality Revenue Summit. The sold-out event was attended by more than 200 global hospitality executives and delivered two days of networking opportunities, education, and strategies for business growth and a look at the future of revenue management (RM) technology.
The event comes as IDeaS further expands its product suite and offerings to more than 30,000 hotels worldwide and demonstrates its position as the pre-eminent revenue management leader.
Featured speakers at Converge included Shane O’Flaherty, Microsoft’s global director of travel, transportation, and hospitality; Joe Pettigrew, chief commercial officer, hotel asset management of Starwood Capital Group; and Andrew Rubinacci, executive vice president of commercial and revenue strategy at Aimbridge Hospitality.
Attendees gained insights into the transformative impact of generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT, on the future of travel and hospitality, visions for the future of the connected commercial hospitality organisation, and tactics for adapting to change as a commercial leader.
IDeaS’ revenue technology leaders spoke about the value of moving toward a holistic approach to total revenue management and profit optimization, practical examples of how clients use Optix™ for G3 RMS to identify strategies for business growth, insights on the impact of net operating income by applying revenue management to meetings and events, and how advanced analytics can improve profitability through personalization.
Here’s what attendees had to say:
Luisa Paiva, yield and reservations manager, Heritage Lisbon Hotels: “The summit is a great place to learn about what is new, to understand whether we are on the right track, and understand how the future of IDeaS can help to build our future.”
Monika Sand, vice president of revenue management, Lindner Hotels & Resorts: “It’s always a good place to connect and meet new people, and it’s always full of content and forward-looking topics, which gets you thinking how to put them into action. We have been long-term partners of IDeaS, and we are very happy with the partnership.”
Mercedes Blanco, chief partnerships officer, The Hotels Network: “I love the intimacy, the quality of the attendees and partners, and the networking opportunities are a great way to connect on the future of hospitality.”
Dr. Ravi Mehrotra, president, co-founder, and chief scientist, IDeaS, said: “Our mission has been, and always will be, to challenge ourselves, our partners and the industry to innovate forward. The feedback from our clients and the revenue community we have created is critical to that innovation. The evolution of our software is dependent on the valuable feedback we receive from our community. We are very grateful to have had the opportunity to converse and share insights with these leaders and look forward to seeing them next year at Converge 2024.”
Sanjay Nagalia, co-founder, chief operating and technology officer, IDeaS, said: “We are elated to have such a strong showing of global hospitality leaders at this event. This year we’re making significant investments in our foundational software solutions with an eye on the ever-changing market requirements of our industry. This reflects our commitment to listening to our clients’ needs and providing the right-sized solutions.”
