This inaugural summit unites WA’s accommodation and business events sectors to build a high-performing workforce, elevate service excellence and strengthen the State’s global competitiveness and industry profile.
Designed as a focused half-day event, the summit connects accommodation leaders, revenue and sales professionals, MBCCE and PCO specialists, and people and culture teams around a shared agenda — strengthening capability, competitiveness and collaboration across the visitor economy.
Through expert insights and industry-led discussion, attendees will explore how economic conditions, changing consumer expectations, technology, pricing strategy and targeted marketing are shaping the future of accommodation and business events in WA. The program is practical, forward-looking and tailored for decision-makers responsible for people, performance and profitability.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This summit is ideal for professionals driving strategy, service excellence, and workforce performance across WA’s accommodation and business events sectors, including:
- Hotel General Managers, Revenue Managers, Sales & Marketing Managers, or Managers/Directors of any business unit
- Meetings, Banquets, Conferences, Conventions & Exhibitions (MBCCE) Executives
- Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs)
- HR and Procurement Leaders
- Broader tourism, accommodation, events professionals and service providers
SUMMIT THEMES
Gain a clear understanding of Western Australia’s economic environment, tourism strengths and competitive position in domestic and global markets. This session sets the context for strategic decision-making, helping leaders align workforce capability, investment and service delivery with where the market is heading.
Explore how emerging technologies are being used across accommodation and business events to improve guest and delegate experiences, streamline operations and support smarter workforce management. Learn where technology can create genuine value — and where to focus investment for the greatest impact.
Understand how shifting demographics, travel behaviours and expectations of service excellence are influencing accommodation and business events demand. This session looks at what today’s guests, delegates and clients value most, and how teams can adapt service models and culture to meet rising expectations.
Discover how data-driven insights can support more effective pricing, demand management and revenue optimisation across accommodation and MBCCE sectors. This theme focuses on balancing commercial performance with long-term brand value and customer loyalty in a competitive market.
Learn how tailored marketing strategies can engage diverse audiences — from corporate buyers and conference organisers to leisure travellers and event delegates. This session explores how sales, marketing and revenue teams can work together to build stronger relationships, drive loyalty and attract the right markets for WA.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Andrew Baxter
One of Australia’s Most Trusted Business, Marketing & Communications Advisors Andrew Baxter is passionate about helping companies unlock topline growth through sharp strategy and executional excellence. He has worked with Australia’s largest companies, brands and government bodies, including as CEO of Ogilvy and Publicis, and as a Senior Advisor at KPMG. A celebrated marketer, he led campaigns such as Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” and founded 24 Hour Business Plan to help organisations turn strategy into action. Andrew’s keynote will set the strategic tone for the summit and offer practical insights relevant to leaders across accommodation, business events, marketing and HR.
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN
Attendees will leave the summit with actionable insights, practical strategies, and new perspectives to drive performance across accommodation and business events. Key takeaways include:
- Workforce and leadership strategies to attract, retain and develop high-performing teams in WA
- Market intelligence on economic trends, consumer behaviour and global positioning
- Technology and innovation guidance to enhance guest experiences, streamline operations and support smarter workforce management
- Revenue, pricing and marketing insights to optimise profitability and engage diverse audiences
- Valuable networking opportunities, including a keynote lunch and post-event cocktail reception to connect with peers, industry leaders and potential collaborators
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
The schedule is being finalised. Session and speaker details will be added as they are confirmed — please check back for updates.
12 noon – Registration
12.30pm – Welcome and opening remarks
12.45pm – Keynote lunch session (lunch provided)
1.30pm – Facilitated Q&A
1:45 pm – SESSION 1: CONTEXT, COMPETITION & POSITIONING
WA’s Place in the Global Market: How We Compete and Why It Matters
2:10 pm – SESSION 2: FROM ROOM TO ROUTE — DESIGNING THE END-TO-END GUEST & DELEGATE JOURNEY
Tech, Experience and Expectation in a High-Yield Market
2:35 pm – SESSION 3: EVOLVING CONSUMER PREFERENCES
Changing Behaviour, Booking Patterns and Decision Drivers
3:00 pm – NETWORKING BREAK
3:30 pm – SESSION 4: REVENUE & PRICING STRATEGY
Data-Led Decision Making for Rooms, Events and Total Revenue
3:55 pm – SESSION 5: TARGETED MARKETING & AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT
A practical, insight-led session on how destinations, hotels and venues can cut through to increasingly fragmented audiences—corporate, leisure, business events and emerging high-yield segments—using clearer storytelling, sharper targeting and more human brand connection.
Speaker: Rob Dougan, Executive General Manager, Strategy & Culture, Tourism Australia
4.20pm – End of day, closing reflection
4.30pm – cocktail reception (drinks and networking included)
SPEAKERS/PANELISTS
A curated line-up of industry leaders, specialists and practitioners from across accommodation, business events, technology, revenue, marketing and workforce development will be announced shortly. Together, these speakers will bring diverse perspectives and practical insights aligned to the summit’s core themes.
Tania Hudson
CEO
Committee for Perth
Tania is the CEO of Committee for Perth, an independent, future-focused organisation that seeks to advance Perth as a global region of choice to live, work, invest, study and visit. Over the past 30 years, Tania has held executive leadership roles across a diverse range of industries and sectors across Australia, including banking, resources, medical research and creative industries. Most recently, she was CEO of the Chamber of Arts and Culture WA. Tania sits on the Board of The Essentials Collective, and her passions include travel, dogs, cooking and keeping fit.
Gareth Martin
CEO
Business Events Perth
A passionate advocate for Western Australia and the business events sector, Gareth is the CEO of Business Events Perth. Proudly calling Perth home, Gareth has been with the organisation for more than 16 years, promoting WA as a leading destination for business events.
Appointed CEO in 2019, he has a strong focus on working collaboratively with key stakeholders, clients and member partners to drive strong outcomes for the business events sector. Gareth is also on the Australian Business Events Association National Board, to advocate a strong and collective national voice for the business events sector. His spare time is spent with his family creating memories with new adventures exploring WA and its vast natural landscapes.
Chad Anderson
Director General
Department of Creative Industries Tourism and Sport
Chad Anderson is a senior executive with over 20 years’ leadership experience across federal, state and territory governments with a strong track record in the finance, education, sport and tourism sectors.
He was most recently the Deputy Director General, Tourism at the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation where he had responsibility for setting strategic direction and leading the Tourism industry across Queensland.
Previous roles include Executive Director, Sport and Recreation Partnerships, Strategy and Development at the Queensland Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport; Executive Director, Brisbane 2032 Taskforce at the Queensland Department of Housing and Works; and Director, School Engagement and Partnerships at the Australian Sports Commission. Chad has also represented Australia as a professional triathlete.
He brings a talent for identifying opportunities and building partnerships, as well as developing a culture of innovation and delivering cross-sector strategies.
He holds a Bachelor of Business, Finance and Management from Northern Territory University, he has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course as well as the Deputies Leadership Program and Executive Fellows Program through the Australian and New Zealand School of Government.
Rob Dougan
Executive General Manager of Strategy and Culture
Tourism Australia
Rob Dougan serves as the Executive General Manager of Strategy and Culture at Tourism Australia. With a strong commercial mindset, Rob and his team shape the organisation’s future driving better outcomes for the Australian tourism industry.
Rob’s department oversees: Strategy, analysing and identifying investment areas for Tourism Australia’s finite time and resources. Planning, ensuring alignment of activity around our organisational objectives. Aviation route development, driving connectivity for Australia. Additionally, Rob champions People and Culture, fostering a high-performance work environment within Tourism Australia.
Previously, Rob spent 15 years in marketing and advertising across Sydney and London, leading high-profile campaigns for Tourism Australia itself, along with Tourism Tasmania, EasyJet and Qantas amongst others, a background that cultivated his strategic and creative insights.
Bradley Woods
CEO
Australian Hotels Association WA
Bradley Woods is recognised as one of Australia’s leading political advocates for the hotel, tourism and hospitality industry. As Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the AHA(WA), Bradley is responsible for leading and navigating the many complex issues facing the WA tourism and hospitality industry.
As CEO, Bradley has the responsibility of ensuring that the AHA(WA) provides its members with the highest level of advice, advocacy, training, marketing opportunities and industry events. Bradley has demonstrated a strong capability for developing meaningful public policy solutions, formulating political strategy and delivering successful outcomes for his industry.
Michael Heyward
CEO
Emekeli Research
Michael Heyward is the CEO and Founder of Emekeli Research, a company which was set up in 2024 to advance the profession of Revenue Management in Meetings and Events for Hotels and Venues, by establishing industry standards for measuring performance and providing benchmarking on these metrics.
Michael has over 30 years of experience in Hotel Operations, Revenue Management and Higher Education, across Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, at the leading edge of the development of Revenue Management as a discipline in Hotels and Rail. The drive to innovate, challenging the way we work and making better business decisions, continues.
SPONSORS
Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the Leaders’ Summit.
LOCATION
Grand River Ballroom – Pan Pacific Perth
207 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000
CONTACT
Questions? Contact us on (08) 9321 7701 or email grm@ahawa.asn.au