CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 5,900 attendees recently attended the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. from June 24 to 27. Produced by the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), attendees experienced a world-class show exhibit hall showcasing the latest hospitality technology solutions from more than 325 companies, a comprehensive education lineup highlighting the impact of technology on the industry and a wealth of networking opportunities with other industry professionals, executive decision-makers and investors from more than 60 countries.
“As the producer of HITEC, HFTP strives to continuously build upon what brought the brand into existence more than 50 years ago, which is to break down the barriers to, and connect hospitality professionals with, the innovative ideas and technologies that are revolutionizing our industry, our lives and the way we all do business – now and well into the future,” says Frank Wolfe, CEO of HFTP.
The opening headliner presentation featured Dr. Bryan K. Williams, a former global corporate director of Training and Organizational Effectiveness for the Ritz-Carlton hotel company. In his session, Williams gave 10 tips to help attendees take control and transcend obstacles in their professional and personal lives.
The next morning’s session by industry media personalities Anthony Melchiorri and Glenn Haussman explored how to break down technological silos between disparate groups of industry stakeholders and leverage technology-powered profitability. This session also welcomed two new inductees to the 2024 International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame, including Floor Bleeker, CTO at Accor Group and Terence Ronson, founder of Pertlink Ltd.
The third day of HITEC celebrated the innovative business concepts of eight ambitious hospitality technology startups who competed in the Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) pitch competition. After delivering their pitches, the woman-founded H2O Connected won the People’s Choice Award by popular vote among attendees for its smart-device, water-management solution, while Folio received the Judges’ Choice Award for its modern, effortless procurement software built for hotel operators.
Planning for HITEC Indianapolis 2025 is already underway, which will take place June 16 to 19. General booth sales are already open.
The post HITEC 2024 Welcomes Nearly 6,000 Industry Stakeholders appeared first on Hotelier Magazine.