2024 Workshop Talks Agenda

Early Bird Panel

Beds and Breakfast:
Insights to Boost Your Earnings in 2024

Grab a coffee and a croissant and join this early bird session with Graham Donoghue, Sykes Holiday Cottages, and James Kinnersly, AirDNA, to discover how much more you can earn by looking out for seasonal spikes, pricing for key events, and reading the data on what makes a successful holiday let

Safety Unveiled:

Insights and Strategies for Short-Term Rentals
Elevating Safety Standards in Short-Term Rentals

Join Justin Ford, Breezeway's Head of Safety & Certifications, as he highlights the crucial role of safety in our industry through real-world examples of incidents in short-term rentals. Acquire essential knowledge for conducting comprehensive safety inspections, explore effective methods to leverage software tools for a more streamlined and enhanced inspection process, and gain insights on establishing a robust safety program at your rental agency.

Host: Justin Ford, Breezeway Director of Short-Term Rental Safety & Certification Programs

Speakers: Humphry Bowles - CEO, Superhog, Danielle Prior - Head of Hospitality Growth Operations, AltoVita

Regulatory Landscape:

Navigating the regulatory landscape presents both opportunities and obstacles, with some areas embracing short-term rentals while others face challenges such as zoning laws and taxes. Successfully navigating the complex regulatory environment is crucial for stakeholders. What are the potential impacts to our industry with upcoming elections?

Host: Viktorija Molnar, Acting Secretary General, EHHA

Speakers: Eduardo Miranda - President of ALEP, the Portuguese STR Association and chairman of EHHA, Manuel Lozano - Founder, APAR – Vacation Rental Professional Association Mexico, Matt Curtis - Founder, Smart City Policy Group, Andy Fenner - CEO STAA

Revenue Management

How to predict and work hard for demand
In our ever-evolving STR landscape, optimising revenue is a critical aspect of success. Join some of our industry experts as they share some of the intracicies and effective strategies of rev management. Don’t miss the chance to gain practical insights that can elevate your revenue management practices.

Host: John An, Founder & CEO, TechTape

Speakers: Siana Vesselinova - Solutions Consultant, Pricelabs, Andrew Ozigi - CEO / Founder Home.ly, James Begley - VP Sales, Lodgify, Charlie Gibbons - UK Country Lead and Revenue Mgmt Advisor, Beyond

STR Policy

What next with government regulation of short-term lets?

Fiona MacConnacher, Public Affairs Manager, Booking.com
Charlie Reith, UK & Ireland Gov't Affairs, Expedia Group
Carl Thomson, Public Policy Manager, Airbnb

Future-Proofing Your Business

In our rapidly growing and evolving business environment, maintaining a proactive stance is essential for sustained success. Our panellists will share their strategies and approaches, emphasizing the importance of adjusting to emerging trends, adopting new technologies, and addressing ongoing challenges. These insights are geared towards ensuring competitiveness and resilience with our sector.

Host: Julie George, Million Dollar Host

Speakers: Dave Payette - Founder & CEO, 365Villas, Veronica Rivas - Director, Business Development, Homes & Villas by Marriott International, Chavdar Marinov - CEO & Founder, Hostify, Dainela Derin - Co-Founder, Skol Apartments Marbella Holidays

Understanding the booking dynamics:

Successfully managing Direct and OTA bookings demands a tailored approach to your business, come see why one-size-fits-all may not be an effective strategy and how you need to balance the load

Host: Mark Simpson, Founder, Boostly

Speakers: Rebecca Cribbin - Founder & CEO, Holiday Rental Experts, Rose Tipka - Founder & CEO, Your Family's Place, Laura Muse - Founder, Muse Escapes

Profit with a Purpose:

How STR companies can balance People, Planet, Profit to drive a Purpose led, sustainable approach to growth. The panel will explore the key components, methods and best practice in balancing the triple bottom line. Why it matters and how you measure.

Host: Dr. Xavier Font, Professor at University of Surrey, Editor in Chief, Journal of Sustainable Tourism

Speakers: Graham Donoghue - CEO, Sykes Cottages, Dale Smith - CEO, Host & Stay, Janet Uttley - Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland