The environment was professional yet relaxed, and included
presenters such as Keynote Speaker and Moderator,
Paul Ruffino (Chief Operating Officer of Hospitality
Management Services, Inc.), Simon Taylor (Head of
Business Development - International Restaurants at
Condé Nast International), Eva LaRue (Star of TV’s CSI
Miami, and Luxury Travel Ambassador for Dot Luxury), and
other inspiring influencers from across the luxury hospitality
spectrum. For a full list of speakers go to www.ilhasummit.
com/2017-speakers
Sessions were intimate, with no more than 150 people in
the room to accommodate for an easy exchange of ideas
between speakers and attendees. Notable topics included
Wellbeing Hospitality: The Mega Trend Hotels & Resorts
Cannot Afford to Ignore, presented by Roger Allen (Group
CEO, Resources for Leisure Assets), Designing for Luxury:
Urban vs. Rural, presented by Steve Henry (Principal,
BAMO), and the panel session Developing a Sense of Place,
which discussed how today’s affluent traveler seeks a more
local, authentic experience. To view the full conference
agenda,go to www.ilhasummit.com/programme-2
A cocktail and networking reception sponsored by
Belvedere & Hennessy was the perfect way to wrap up
the first day. Attendees were treated to specialty drinks
and a new brand was launched by the Croatian Chamber
of Economy’s Tourism Sector – Stories a collection of 16
Croatian Unique Hotels. www.storiescroatia.com
By the second day, it was clear that authenticity was the
reigning theme of this year’s conference.
Vaibhav Garg, Director of Talent and Culture at Accor
Hotels said, “Even a luxury client is looking for experiences
over materialistic things.” Garg continued, “Personalization
is the new luxury,” he said.
In the session, How Today’s Thirst for Authenticity is
Shaping Luxury Hospitality, Nancy Friedman (Principal,
MMGY Global) discussed the importance of creating
unique moments and exciting memories for guests.
Friedman says all travelers – from Millennials to Boomers
– prefer experiences over amenities. According to MMGY
Global’s study entitled 2016 Portrait of American Travelers,
“88% of affluent travelers say memories they get on
vacations make it worth it.”
This is why it’s imperative for properties to design one-of-a-
kind experiences with their clients in mind.
One of the first things hotels can do to create these
authentic experiences is to think locally. David Flam,
Marketing Director of Maistra, discussed the hyper-local
food trend booming amongst hotels worldwide.
Today, more people are focused on consuming locally-
sourced food, and this sentiment doesn’t disappear while
ILHA 73