DEERFIELD, IL and SCHAUMBERG, IL–(Marketwired – June 21, 2016) – Hospitality Technology (HT), a B2B media brand serving the hotel and restaurant technology industries, and Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), a global not-for-profit trade association run by and for the benefit of hotel IT executives, today announced the name of the combined North American conference, HT-NEXT (www.ht-next.com).
Taking place in spring of 2017, HT-NEXT will marry the most popular parts of the organizations’ previous conferences (HT‘s Hotel Technology Forum and HTNG’s North American Conference) into one new combined event. Along with the announcement of the conference name comes the debut of the HT-NEXT logo, website www.ht-next.com, and the 2017 conference theme, Be Frictionless.
“HT-NEXT is an example of collaboration at its finest,” says HTNG CEO Mike Blake. “We believe that bringing our two events together — which have always been produced in the springtime in a window just weeks apart — will allow hotel executives and solution providers to make better use of their valuable time. We’ll be blending the strengths of our two brands into one concentrated event for networking and education.”
HT-NEXT will bring together more hoteliers from diverse areas of the business that are empowered by technology. The event will feature an expanded educational program to address the ways that technology is impacting not only the property experience, but also e-commerce, digital marketing, revenue management, and a variety of other areas. “Critical focus areas such as property management and security will absolutely be a part of this conference, but we’re also committed to being a resource for technology stakeholders from a variety of business units,” says HT editor-in-chief Abigail A. Lorden. Familiar elements such as the HTNG workgroups, TechOvation Awards, HT’s annual Lodging Technology Study, and Visionary Awards will all be a part of HT-NEXT.
Themed “Be Frictionless” in 2017, the inaugural HT-NEXT will put a spotlight on how technology can help hotels remove friction points for staff and guests. “In all phases of the guest experience, and in all areas of operations, it’s time to eradicate friction,” says Lorden.
Sponsorship packages will be announced this summer. “HT-NEXT is committed to balancing the exclusivity that sponsors expect, with the expanded reach that the industry needs. We believe we’re establishing a platform that marries both,” says HT brand director Lenore O’Meara.
The new conference will be produced annually each spring, beginning in 2017. Dates and venue for HT-NEXT will be announced shortly. Visit www.ht-next.com to stay connected with the conference.
About Hospitality Technology
Hospitality Technology (HT) is the only publication dedicated to covering the role of information technology in improving business performance for hotel and restaurant operators. The Hospitality Technology editorial portfolio includes: a print publication that publishes nine times annually and reaches more than 16,000 hospitality industry executives, three networking and educational events (MURTEC®, Hotel Technology Forum and Restaurant Executive Summit), a comprehensive website, e-newsletters, web seminars, and several exclusive annual reports and studies. Visit Hospitality Technology online at www.htmagazine.com. Hospitality Technology is published by Stagnito Business Information + Edgell Communications, headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.
About Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG)
The premier technology solutions association in the hospitality industry, HTNG (www.htng.org) headquartered in Schaumberg, Illinois, is a self-funded, nonprofit organization with members from hotel and hospitality companies, hospitality technology vendors, consultants, media and academic experts. HTNG’s members participate in focused workgroups to bring to market open solution sets addressing specific business problems. HTNG fosters the selection and adoption of existing open standards and also develops new open standards to meet the needs of the global hospitality industry. Currently more than 400 corporate and individual members from across this spectrum, including most of the world’s leading hotel companies and technology vendors, are active HTNG participants.
