The New Zealand Hospitality Conference is returning in July, following a two-year hiatus.
The 2022 theme is “The Future of Hospitality”, with the conference featuring presentations and workshops that look at multiple categories across the industry – from technology and sustainability to beer production and events.
Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive Julie White says the conference will be the industry’s think tank for the future.
“We’re making this an opportunity for the industry to lead itself out of the challenges of the past two years,” she says.
“We have taken the approach we are not facing a reset, rather it will be recalibration. Looking to the future, rather than back, is incredibly important for us, and the conference will reflect that.
“Post-Covid, rebuilding the future our key priorities are people, creating partnerships, and retraining people so the industry can take advantage of what’s coming to move forward with confidence.
“The future of the workforce is one the biggest issues for us as an industry, and it’s incredibly important we put a microscope on that.
“This will be a unique conference, in that we will be involving a lot of learnings from overseas, featuring special speakers and presentations.”
Included will be a presentation from the Tasmanian Hospitality Association on their 2030 industry recovery plan, as well as keynote speakers from New York, Las Vegas, and New Zealand, including:
Danny Meyer – a New York restaurateur and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, which focuses heavily on customer satisfaction. His New York Times bestseller book Setting the Table looks at the power of hospitality in restaurants, business, and life.
Shane Green – a Las Vegas business magnate who consults global Fortune 500 leaders on customer experience and organisational culture. He talks on transforming employees’ mindsets, experience, and habits to improve the customer experience, employee retention, and organisational performance.
Mike King – New Zealand mental health advocate who will be speaking on day two of the summit as a part of the Hospitality Think Tank addressing one of the most pressing issues for our industry – well-being and fatigue.
More speakers will announced as they are confirmed.
The conference will also take a close look at the future of beverage, with local alcohol settings due to come up for renewal later this year.
“This is such an important part of the overall hospitality experience so this is the exact right time to have critical conversations around what local alcohol policies could look like moving forward. What does the future of LAPs look like?,” says White.
“This is a must-attend for people who have an alcohol licence.”
White says being able to hold the conference in person for the first time in three years to celebrate the businesses that have made it through COVID is something the industry needs to be able to do.
“This is a chance for the industry to give itself a huge pat on the back after what it’s been through.”
The conference is on the 26/27 July 2022 at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Auckland. The two-day conference will feature industry experts from New Zealand, Australia and Asia and finish with the Hospitality Awards for Excellence.
Entries for the awards are now open on the Hospitality NZ website here.
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