Schedule at a Glance
Please note the schedule below is tentative and subject to change without notice.

2011 Program Highlights

PLEASE CHECK BACK SOON FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE 2012 PROGRAM, INCLUDING COMPLETE SESSION DESCRIPTIONS.

INNOCENTS ABROAD
Like Dorothy and Lemuel Gulliver before them, American hotel companies, and their trusty suppliers, find that they are no longer in the familiar confines of their native lands. In the second decade of the 21st Century, they are travelers in new worlds that demand an understanding of local customs, compliance with local laws and understanding of different languages. 
      As the world economy continues to recover from the depths of international recession, American hotel companies are looking to global markets, specifically Asia, to augment flat growth in the United States and Europe. Who can say no to 24.4 percent RevPAR growth in China? This session will explore strategies to enable you to say “yes” to the global market.
      From the Company Perspective: Our panel will focus on the do’s and don’ts of mobilizing and deploying your U.S.-based business in another country.
      From the Customer Perspective: Our panel will discuss the needs of hotel companies as they expand globally and what they would like from vendor partners.
      From the Legal/Regulatory Perspective:  There is much that is incumbent on U.S.-based businesses as they move outside U.S. borders. This panel discussion will include: compliance with U.S. laws and local laws, repatriating earnings, intellectual property rights and contracts.
                                                                                                                           
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF CONFUSION
Cloud. Whoever thought so much hype, angst and hope could be pinned on such a small word? This session will start with a basic primer on cloud characteristics, deployment and service models. We will cut through some of the confusion and continue to explore the topic of cloud adoption with a select group of industry CIOs.

Entertainment & Information Your Way: The Bottom Line
The increased use of the Internet by hotel guests is rapidly creating new complexities for hoteliers.  Owners and brands sometimes have conflicting goals, while guests may feel that the Internet service does not meet their expectations.  What’s behind this tension between owners and brands?  What can be done?  Hear about the latest trends and analysis from a wide range of industry experts.

LinkedIn and Facebook and Twitter, Oh My!
Like Dorothy in Oz, social media has catapulted businesses out of Kansas and into a world where things are sometimes not what they seem. The rapid proliferation of social media tools has made businesses sit up and take notice as the tools are all but ubiquitous, begging the question what should we do with them? Do you need to have a social media strategy as part of your business and branding toolkit? This wide-ranging, panel discussion among smart people (e.g., not experts) will look at the social media question from the standpoint of the B2B and B2C usage and discuss navigating the road from Kansas to Oz.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER
With all of your traveling and worrying about the cloud, investors and other all-consuming business tasks—not to mention attending to your family duties—there is little time for y-o-u.  This session will explore wellness, both physical and mental, delivered with Zen-like grace, leavened with a bit of New York candor, by our mystery guest.

For questions about attending the Executive Vendor Summit, please contact Kate O’Neil at kate@hospitalityupgrade.com or 678-802-5304.