- HGEF Series | Europe 2027, 26 May ~ Agenda
25th May 2027 - 6:00PM TO 9:00PM
Leader's Evening Reception & Dinner
An exclusive evening bringing together C-suite and Director-level hotel leaders from across Europe for dinner, drinks, meaningful conversation and peer networking ahead of the 2nd European Hotel Guest Experience Forum.
26th May 2027 - 8:00AM TO 7:30PM
8:00AM TO 9:00AM
Breakfast & Networking: A Warm Welcome for Our Guests
Winter Arrival: Start your festive morning by registering, collecting your badge, and joining fellow hoteliers for a joyful Breakfast with Santa – where every guest experience begins with holiday cheer!
9:00AM TO 9:10AM
Welcome Address
Speaker Details Coming Soon
Decoding the Architecture of Hotel Guest Experience
Charles Thomas, CEO & Founder, HOTEL GUEST EXPERIENCE FORUM & REDD MEDIA
LAYER 1 - GUEST JOURNEY
Discovery → Booking → Pre-Arrival → Stay → Post-Stay → Loyalty
9:15AM TO 9:40AM
Opening Panel: The Guest Journey Is Changing: From Discovery to Loyalty
Have a perspective worth sharing?
We're inviting C-Suite and hotel leaders across operations, technology, revenue, loyalty, marketing and guest experience to contribute to the Forum programme.
Enquire About Speaking Opportunities
LAYER 2 - EXPERIENCE MOMENTS
Awareness → Expectation → Arrival Impression → Comfort & Control → Responsiveness → Confidence
9:40AM TO 10:05AM
Leadership Panel: The Moments That Define the Stay
LAYER 3 - GUEST EXPERIENCE
Quality → Consistency → Personalisation → Responsiveness → Trust → Recovery
10:05AM TO 10:25AM
Industry Insight: Safeguarding Guest Confidence Across the Digital Guest Journey
Adam Blake, CEO, THREATSPIKE
10:25AM TO 10:35AM
Hotel Case Study: From Guest Problem to Hotel Solution
10:35AM TO 10:55AM
Morning Coffee & Networking
LAYER 4 - DECISION & OWNERSHIP
10:55AM TO 11:15AM
Industry Insight: The Operating System Behind the Connected Hotel
Speaker Details Coming Soon
11:15AM TO 11:40AM
Leadership Panel: Who Owns the Guest Experience?
• This panel explores how hotel departments – wellness, front office, housekeeping, F&B, IT, marketing, and more – collaborate to create a cohesive, holiday-inspired guest experience across European hotels. Panellists share festive case studies from diverse markets on aligning efforts, managing occupancy, and integrating real-time feedback to deliver personalised, memorable stays during the winter season.
Kimberley Ofrecio, Group Commercial Director, MACDONALD HOTELS & RESORTS
Nikolay Beloshitsky, CEO, HOTEZA
11:40AM TO 11:50AM
Hotel Case Study: From Executive Decision to Guest Experience
Join the Conversation
The Forum is designed around real-world experiences and practical leadership insights. If you have a perspective that could benefit the industry, we'd love to hear from you.
CURATED 1-TO-1 MEETINGS
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
12:00PM TO 12:20PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 1
12:20PM TO 12:40PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 2
12:40PM TO 1:00PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 3
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 3 weeks before the event.
• This networking session provides a unique opportunity for hoteliers and sponsors to collaborate on shaping the future of guest experiences. Use our event app to schedule personalised 1-2-1 meetings to discuss innovative strategies, share insights, and explore solutions that enhance the guest journey.
• The meeting scheduling feature will go live 4 weeks before the event. Please ensure you download the app, complete your profile, and plan your meetings in advance to make the most of this valuable networking opportunity.
• The App is only available for registered attendees.
1:00PM TO 1:45PM
Lunch & Networking
Network with fellow attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors from across Europe
Savour a delightful Christmas-themed lunch featuring European holiday specialities. Network with fellow attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors from across the continent in a warm, festive atmosphere under the glow of holiday decorations.
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
1:50PM TO 2:10PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 4
2:10PM TO 2:30PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 5
2:30PM TO 2:50PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 6
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 4 weeks before the event.
Could Your Perspective Help Shape the Next Era of Guest Experience?
We're inviting C-Suite and senior hotel leaders to contribute to the programme through panels, hotelier perspectives and executive discussions.
Enquire About Speaking Opportunities
LAYER 5 - SYSTEMS
2:50PM TO 3:15PM
Leadership Panel: The Connected Hotel: When Systems Shape the Guest Experience
For decades, hotels, resorts, aparthotels and serviced apartment operators competed primarily on location, room quality and price. Today, guest expectations have evolved. Guests increasingly evaluate the complete experience rather than the room alone.
From service and wellbeing to technology, sustainability, convenience and local connection, accommodation providers are being challenged to create meaningful value that extends beyond the physical room. As competition intensifies and guest expectations continue to rise, what truly differentiates one stay from another, and what are guests genuinely willing to pay for?
This session brings together leaders from hotels, resorts, aparthotels and serviced apartment operators to explore how the value proposition of modern accommodation is evolving and what it will take to remain relevant, memorable and commercially successful in the years ahead.
3:15PM TO 3:25PM
Leadership Perspective - Panel Discussion
Hotel Case Study: Connecting the Systems Behind the Guest Journey
• This panel explores how hotel departments – wellness, front office, housekeeping, F&B, IT, marketing, and more – collaborate to create a cohesive, holiday-inspired guest experience across European hotels. Panellists share festive case studies from diverse markets on aligning efforts, managing occupancy, and integrating real-time feedback to deliver personalised, memorable stays during the winter season.
LAYER 6 - PEOPLE & DELIVERY
3:25PM TO 3:50PM
Leadership Panel: People, Technology & the Delivery of the Guest Experience
Diana Zambrano, Head of Guest Experience & Community, Sheraton Stockholm
3:50PM TO 4:10PM
Afternoon Coffee & Networking
A seasonal touch to refresh and reconnect before the final sessions.
AI ACROSS THE ARCHITECTURE
4:10PM TO 4:30PM
Fireside Chat: AI, Automation & the Hotel of Tomorrow
• This panel explores how hotel departments – wellness, front office, housekeeping, F&B, IT, marketing, and more – collaborate to create a cohesive, holiday-inspired guest experience across European hotels. Panellists share festive case studies from diverse markets on aligning efforts, managing occupancy, and integrating real-time feedback to deliver personalised, memorable stays during the winter season.
4:30PM TO 4:40PM
Hotel Case Study: Connecting the Systems Behind the Guest Journey
4:40PM TO 4:50PM
Hotel Case Study: Turning Guest Feedback into Action
Help Shape Guest Experience Across the New Europe
From operations and technology to revenue, loyalty and culture, we're looking for hotel leaders who can bring fresh perspectives to the conversation.
Express Your Interest in Speaking
LAYER 7 - DATA, INSIGHT & FEEDBACK
4:50PM TO 5:20PM
Leadership Panel: From Data to Decisions: Are Hotels Listening to the Right Signals?
As the European hospitality landscape continues to evolve, this forward-looking discussion brings together industry leaders to explore what the next chapter of hotel innovation will look like.
From reimagining festive-season experiences to redefining sustainability, technology, and guest engagement, the panellists will share insights from across diverse markets and business models from boutique and luxury collections to regional hotel groups. Together, they will examine how hotels can balance digital transformation with authentic human connection, strengthen ESG and quality management practices, and embrace responsible growth that drives both profitability and purpose.
This closing session will offer a visionary outlook on how hospitality can create meaningful, memorable, and sustainable guest experiences in 2026 and beyond.
5:20PM TO 7:30PM
Wrap Up, Networking Drinks & Prize Distribution
Join us for an evening reception to celebrate the Forum’s success. Enjoy drinks, light refreshments, and live music in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Connect with attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors from across Europe, exchange ideas, and continue the conversations from the day in an informal networking setting.