Curate is an exclusive benefit for Organizational Member companies of HSMAI. Executives from these companies have the rare and unique opportunity to discuss emerging industry trends and issues while engaging with each other in a highly interactive format. The forum is also unique in that it provides an opportunity for sales, marketing and revenue management executives across a wide array of companies to discuss the implications of these trends across each discipline.
Fall 2024
November 12, Washington DC
> Beyond the Buzz: Turning AI Hype into Results — HSMAI’s 2024 Curate Executive Insights Forum will bring together top executives from the hospitality and tourism industry to explore the practical applications of AI and its potential to drive tangible results within the next 12-24 months.
Curate will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to gain valuable knowledge, network with peers, and stay ahead of the curve in leveraging AI technologies to improve efficiency, increase customer satisfaction and drive overall growth.
>SCHEDULE — Curate 2024 will be held from 8 am – 5:30 pm on Tuesday, November 12th, with a welcome reception on Monday night, November 11th and a closing reception on November 12th with the Sales Leader Forum attendees. More details are outlined on the schedule below.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Welcome Reception
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Schedule subject to change.
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
What is Curate? Why are we here. Rules of engagement.
8:45 am – 9:45 am Session #1: THINKING LIKE AN AI NATIVE
Hari Abburi, Future Skills Curator & Faculty at The Fast Future Executive, will help you reimagine your business to be AI first – across customers, enterprise and ecosystem. He ask’s the question, what if your business was born in 2030? This talk will give you a framework to build specific use cases of technology but importantly will drive your focus on how value is created with AI centric business approach.
9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Networking break
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Session #2: INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION SESSION 1
Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss real-world AI applications, share learnings, and identify potential challenges.
10:35 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. Session #3: FIRESIDE CHAT WITH JIM YANG
Jim Yang, former Data Scientist at Microsoft, will chat with industry stalwart, Dorothy Dowling, sharing practical insights on using ML/AI to increase revenue and improve customer experiences in marketing, sales, and operations.
11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Session #4 TRAVEL IN THE AGE OF AI
In this session, McKinsey’s Alex Gersovitz will discuss the transformative potential of gen AI in travel. Alex will explore how the rapid advancement of this technology has elevated customer expectations for seamless travel experiences and discuss the implications for industry stakeholders.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. NETWORKING LUNCH
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Session #5 ACTIVITY
Lou Zameryka, co-founder and CCO of Alively, will lead attendees in a series of post-lunch movements to get our brains and bodies fired up for the afternoon.
1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Session #6 SALES AND AI
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Networking Break
2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Session #7 AI & EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT – HSMAI FOUNDATION
Michael Goldrich, Vivander Advisors and HSMAI Foundation Board member, presents on cutting edge research undertaken for the HSMAI Foundation.
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Session #8 INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION SESSION 2
Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss real-world AI applications, share learnings, and identify potential challenges.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Session #9 CASE STUDIES
4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Break
4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Session #10 AI SUCCESS STORIES IN HOSPITALITY
AI Marketers Guild founder David Berkowitz will present AI Success Stories in Hospitality. In this engaging session, you’ll discover how AI is transforming the industry, with real-world examples from both hospitality and other sectors, offering valuable insights that can be applied to elevate guest experiences and optimize operations.
5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Wrap-up and next steps
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Reception with Sales Leader Forum attendees
Delegates may be interested in staying an extra day to attend the Sales Leader Forum starting on Wednesday, November 13th. Registration for this event is separate from Curate and has a fee.
> CAPITAL HILTON— We have a block of rooms set aside at the Hilton. Please make guestroom reservations before the block cutoff date of October 27, 2024.
> PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY — Curate is less an event than an ongoing community. Coming to the event means engaging fully with this community of professional excellence and experience. The best minds in hospitality sales, marketing, and revenue optimization will be at Curate 2023, creating a networking experience like no other. Find a full list of Organizational Member companies who are invited to send delegates here.
Spring 2023
HSMAI Virtual Curate Spring 2023: Beyond Burnout
The HSMAI Foundation’s 2022-23 State of Talent Report identified “Mental health, safety, and wellbeing” as one the top issues facing sales, marketing, and revenue professionals. To provide insight on solutions, Hamza Khan, Speaker, Author and Leadership Expert, shared his wisdom from his research and his book, “The Burnout Gamble,” in this video series exclusively for HSMAI Organizational Members.
Watch Videos
Fall 2022
October 18-19, 2022
Frisco, TX
Commercial Strategy
HSMAI’s Curate 2022 focused on how to design and build a commercial- centric organization that is strategically designed to optimize profits.
The evolution within the hospitality industry to break down silos between commercial disciplines — especially sales, marketing, revenue management, and distribution — has accelerated. And the emergence of the word “commercial” in titles at the property and corporate levels has created much conversation about strategy, organizational design, and scope in recent months.
At Curate 2022, we dove into how we can harness the innovation and technology that has emerged from the convergence of sales, marketing, and revenue optimization to create holistic commercial strategic organizations. To accomplish this, we learned from leaders and case studies from inside and outside the hotel industry, interactive discussions, and collaborative brainstorming.
Spring 2022
HSMAI Curate Presents:
Commercial Talent Recruitment & Retention During Recovery
Spring 2022 Virtual Program
The pandemic has disrupted the hospitality industry, and many commercial sales, marketing, and revenue optimization professionals are dealing with the ramifications on a daily basis. One key area of impact has been on attracting and retaining talent.
The spring 2022 Curate Presents program features an on-demand video series that highlights trends and covers insights and tips from hospitality thought leaders on attracting, retaining, and developing talent.
Pre-read material: HSMAI Foundation “State of Hotel Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization Talent: 2020-2021” Special Report.
MODULE 1:
Distant and Distracted: Recruiting and Retaining Talent in an Uncertain, Hybrid World
Presenter: Debra Jasper, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Mindset Digital
The expectations of today’s workforce have changed. How you recruit, onboard, and retain talent must change, too. That means breaking old rules, choosing the essential over the expected, and rethinking just about everything. In this session, international keynote speaker and Mindset Digital Chief Executive Officer Debra Jasper will cover how to:
- Leverage more agile and engaging approaches to recruit and retain top talent
- Design recruitment campaigns that capture attention and drive results
- Fully optimize your recruiters’ online presence (now, more than ever, people are connecting with you virtually)
- Use gamification, leaderboards, and simple rewards (think water bottles and T-shirts) to transform how you onboard and train your teams
Job seekers have lots of options these days. This fast-paced session will explain how to embrace — and showcase — new approaches that will elevate your outreach and help you stand out from the crowd.
MODULE 2:
Trends in Engaging Commercial Talent in Hospitality
Panelists: Mike Gamble, HSMAI Americas & HSMAI Foundation Board Member, Searchwide Global; Ken Greger, HSMAI Foundation Board Member, August Leadership; moderator Michelle Woodley, HSMAI Foundation Chair, Preferred Hotels & Resorts
This session will discuss the executive recruiter perspective on the current state of hospitality talent, the roles of company culture and DEI in retention post-pandemic, and what companies can do to help their employees stay engaged.
MODULE 3:
Development, Upskilling, and Reskilling for a More Resilient Team
Panelists: Linda Gulrajani, HSMAI Revenue Management Advisory Board Past Chair, Marcus Hotels & Resorts; Theo Holloway, HSMAI Marketing Advisory Board Chair, BWH Hotels & Resorts; Eric Kreins, HSMAI Sales Advisory Board Chair, Hilton; moderator Juli Jones, HSMAI Vice President
This session will discuss the sales, marketing, and revenue optimization perspective on how a renewed focus on professional and personal growth and development within your team can encourage longevity with and loyalty to your company.
Additional HSMAI content on navigating the commercial talent landscape:
- Ownership Group Executives Talk Demand, Talent Best Practices
- Revenue Optimization Best Practices on Developing and Retaining Talent
- The CMO Perspective: Insights on Resource Allocation, Loyalty Programs and Talent
- Industries to Scout for Hospitality Sales Talent
- How to Attract Future Hospitality Talent
- 10 Talent-Related Trends Hospitality Leaders Should Know About
- Doing More with Less: Ideas to Supercharge Efficiency and Productivity
- 3 Ideas on Preventing Burnout and Finding Your Passion Again
- Top, Middle or Bottom: Where Is Your Time and Energy Best Spent?
- Tactics on Building Authority and Encouraging Interdepartmental Learning in Hotel Sales
Prior Curate Content
Curate Presents Interviews – Leadership in Challenging Times
» CINDY NOVOTNY — HSMAI Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales
» LELAND PILLSBURY — Albert E. Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Marketing
» ROBERT CROSS — Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Optimization
» MENTAL RESILIENCE: DR. JANNELL MACCAULAY, leadership/performance specialist and HSMAI ROC 2020 speaker
» RESONANT MARKETING: MIRI RODRIGUEZ, author of Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story
» LEGAL ANALYSIS: GREG DUFF, chair of Foster Garvey’s hospitality, travel, and tourism practice
Curate Update Fall 2019: How Are Our Attendees Feeling About the Economy?
Recap Spring 2019: HSMAI’s Curate Event Explores AI and Innovation
Recap Spring 2018: HSMAI’s Inaugural “Curate” Digs into Critical Issues in Hospitality
Our thanks to the organizations who committed to HSMAI Organizational Membership in 2022.