The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Middle East (HSMAI ME) has wrapped up its 5th Annual ROC Commercial Strategy Conference in Dubai, with 28 keynotes and eight panel discussions.
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Middle East (HSMAI ME) has wrapped up its 5th Annual ROC Commercial Strategy Conference, with 28 keynotes and eight panel discussions covering a wide range of topics aimed at accelerating recovery in the hospitality industry.
The event took place on November 28 & 29 at the Conrad Dubai with over 275 attendees gathered to hear keynotes and panels exploring every aspect of hospitality, from sales, marketing, to commercial and revenue management. This year’s conference also featured speakers and experts from outside the hospitality industry who contributed with a fresh perspective, bringing in valuable insights and ideas to attendees.
Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “With the world on the move again the successful hosting of this important industry event in Dubai further reinforces the city’s position as a leading international destination for events and is well aligned with the ambition of our visionary leadership to place Dubai on top of the world as a global economy and tourism hub.”
“This event also showcased the strong sense of vibrancy and optimism that prevails in Dubai, and allowed us to share with participants our experiences in successfully transforming challenges into opportunities and ultimately develop a viable blueprint for sustainable growth across all sectors including tourism. The delegates were able to hear about the updates and transformation taking place across the industry, exchange views and information on growth strategies and renew their commitment to continue working together to further bolster this crucial sector.
“The presence of so many industry experts and professionals at this conference reflects the increase in business and travel confidence and adds to the continuing momentum across global tourism. We look forward to welcoming similar events in the future as we continually strive to achieve Dubai’s vision to become the most visited destination and the best city in the world to live and work in,” he added.
The also event highlighted how the region has seized its unique position post-pandemic, as speakers focused on industry relevant issues.
Bob Gilbert, President and CEO of HSMAI said: “Since the pandemic we have noticed a shift where professionals from all departments attend our conferences, especially those from the commercial sector. We’re seeing more and more sales executives attending marketing and revenue conferences, and more marketing executives attending sales and revenue conferences.
“HSMAI is breaking down silos between departments as Marketing, Sales and Revenue Management colleagues seek to gain a better understanding of each other’s disciplines and come together to make the best business decisions.”
Mona Faraj, Managing Director of HSMAI Middle East, said: “This year there has been a significant increase in participation, and it’s encouraging to see how it’s gaining traction. With each passing year, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International gains more respect and value in the Middle East. When we started 5 years ago, we focused on the Revenue Optimization Conference (ROC), however today, all disciplines work towards optimizing revenue, so we’re inclined to a commercial strategy conference that shares a more holistic view. By offering industry professionals and partners leading education, best practices exchange, thought leadership, and networking opportunities, we plan to continue building this regional community.”
A significant addition this year to ROC Middle East was the ROC Global tradition – ROC(ing) The Lightening Round where senior revenue and marketing executives from global hospitality brands shared their best practices, strategic insights, and big ideas for driving revenue and profit.
The ROC Star Awards were back this year in a brand-new format. Sales, marketing, and revenue initiatives were recognized by the audience themselves after being shortlisted by the advisory board. The winners this year were Ayman Husain from Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention, and Alain Aboukhater from Al Bandar Rotana Dubai Creek. They were each gifted with 5000 USD worth of education at Cornell and HSMAI.
Jeff Strachan, Director, Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) then summed up the two day event in a 30 minute presentation for attendees to take home the very best of what HSMAI Middle East’s 5th Annual ROC Commercial Strategy had to offer. – TradeArabia News Service
