Commercial Strategy Reboot: Meeting People Where They Are

Putting the guest and employee experience back at the heart of hospitality

Following the HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference and a period dominated by AI, major events, changing demand, and economic uncertainty, this panel returns to a fundamental hospitality principle: commercial strategy begins with understanding people. The discussion explores what it means to meet people where they are today - first as customers, then as employees - while incorporating women's perspectives as customers and leaders without making gender the primary subject of the panel.

WHY THIS CONVERSATION NOW

• Major events such as the World Cup can create extraordinary demand - but the more important question is what happens when the event is over.
• Travelers remain selective about where they spend, making relevance, value, trust, and meaningful experience increasingly important.
• Commercial teams shape the promise, but frontline teams deliver the experience. Guest experience and employee experience are therefore inseparable.
• Employees are being asked to adopt new technology, build new skills, and work differently - often while already under significant pressure.