Independent Hotel Show London presented by James Hallam, the only trade event for the UK’s luxury and boutique hotel industry, is returning with a bang as it announces an impressive speaker line-up for its 9th edition, taking place at Olympia London on 4-5 October 2021.

The packed two–day seminar programme will see a wide range of insightful content across the Innovation Stage, in partnership with eviivo and dressed by sofa.com, and the Social Business Space, designed by Aorta, along with new feature the Tech Solutions Bar presented by Hospa, which will provide objective, expert tech advice for guests at the show.

A highlight of the two-day programme will be a no-holds-barred session on ‘The Future of Hospitality’ hosted by Robert Richardson FIH, CEO of Institute of Hospitality. Panellists Chris Gamm of Springboard, David Taylor MI FIH of Lore Group, Julia Sibley MBE of The Savoy Educational Trust, Kathy Dyball of Caterer.com and Sally Beck of Royal Lancaster London will be setting the hospitality world to rights as they discuss retaining staff, strengthening the reputation of the industry and where to direct future resources and investment.

Elsewhere in the programme, Juliet Kinsman, Sustainability Editor at Condé Nast Traveller will host an all-star panel for ‘ESG: Building A Sustainable Business Strategy’. Philippa Hughes of The Bull Inn Totnes, Sue Williams MI FIH of Whatley Manor Hotel, Will Ashworth of Watergate Bay Hotel and Another Place Hotel Collection and Beach Retreats and James Ghaffari, Director of Growth and Product, B Lab UK, will take a close look at what it truly means for a hotel to be socially and environmentally responsible.

The Social Business Space designed by Aorta will once again be a hub of discussion, debate and learning, as hoteliers are invited to sit down and discuss topics such as rebuilding the urban city hotel, the rise of residences, creating a lifestyle brand and what it means to be an environmentally and socially conscious business.

Independent Hotel Show Event Director Elena Attanasio commented: “The Independent Hotel Show programme is packed with content aimed directly at our audience of boutique, luxury and independent hoteliers. We know the specific issues, trends and challenges that affect our audience and work hard to provide practical, implementable thought leadership alongside more wide-ranging analysis and insight.”

Other sessions on the Innovation Stage include:

• City Kickstart: Reviving the Urban Hotel. While the entirety of the hotel and hospitality industry has been hugely impacted by the events of the past 18 months, city hotels have in many cases missed out on the benefits of the UK’s staycation boom. This session looks at how we can revive and revitalise the nation’s urban hotels.

• Sensory Design: Imagining the Impossible. The smell, sound, taste and touch of a space have a huge influence on how it’s experienced. In this session, Hotel Designs Editor Hamish Kilburn is joined by an expert panel to explore what’s possible in multisensory hotel design.

• Through The Keyhole: How Well Do You Know Your Guests? Most independent hotels are gathering customer data in some form, but many don’t know how to effectively convert that raw information into insights, improvements and increased profits. This session will provide lessons and learnings from hoteliers who’ve made data work for them.

• Blurred Lines: Changing the Hotel Framework. The hotel model is changing, and innovative hoteliers are exploring new ways of operating and new potential revenue streams. Join this session to hear how thinking outside the box can lead to countless possibilities.

Sue Williams, General Manager of Whatley Manor, commented: “Independent Hotel Show is an essential event to attend if you wish to keep moving your business forward. So many inspiring speakers on relevant subjects that challenge us all. It is one of our industry events that I always prioritise in the diary.”

View the full seminar programme at independenthotelshow.co.uk/seminar-programme. Register for your complimentary pass to the show on the Independent Hotel Show website.