2026 Program Overview
Co-Host
Tuesday 5 May 2026 | Adelaide Oval, South Australia
| 9:00am-5:00pm | Design Inn Symposium |
| 5:15pm-7:15pm | NETWORKING RECEPTION at a venue to be revealed. (Available for AHICE speakers, exhibitors and Design Inn delegates only). |
| 7:30pm-onwards |
NETWORKING: AHICE ‘AFTER DARK’. Our networking continues at a venue to be revealed (drink on arrival and pay as you go).
|
Note: Program is subject to change
Wednesday 6 May 2026 | Adelaide Oval, South Australia
| 8:00am-8:40am | BREAKFAST MASTERCLASS. Join us for another exciting breakfast masterclass to kick off AHICE 2026 in Adelaide. |
| 8:45am-8:50am | WELCOME to AHICE 2026 by AHICE Group President JAMES WILKINSON, including a welcome to country. |
| 8:50am-9:15am | PANEL SESSION: AUSTRALASIA BY THE NUMBERS: ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY OUTLOOKS. We kick off AHICE 2026 with a ‘by the numbers’ market outlook for Australasia and the greater Asia-Pacific region. |
| 9:05am-9:20am | POWER SESSION: THE AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION OUTLOOKS. The association leaders give us their expectations for the year ahead. |
| 9:20am-9:30am | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 9:30am-9:55am | PANEL SESSION: ASIA-PACIFIC INVESTMENT OUTLOOK (part 1). Leading investors take to the stage to look at the segments, destinations, and brands that are fuelling growth. |
| 9:55am-10:10am | KEYNOTE Q&A: South Australian Premier, THE HON. PETER MALINAUSKAS MP, in conversation with AHICE Group President and HM Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON. |
| 10:10am-10:30am | POWER SESSION: ASIA-PACIFIC FRANCHISING OUTLOOK. Franchising continues to grow at a rapid rate and this panel will look at expectations for the segment. |
| 10:30am-11:00am | NETWORKING: MORNING TEA.Enjoy coffee, tea and delights in our exhibition showcases in the East and West wings of the Adelaide Oval. |
| 11:00am-11:20am | POWER SESSION: SOUTH-EAST ASIA MARKET OUTLOOK. A snapshot of what to expect in South-East Asia this year. |
| 11:20am-11:40am | PANEL SESSION: AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL TOURISM OUTLOOK. From hotel performance to growth areas and solid demand, what to expect in the regions this year. |
| 11:45am-12:10pm | PANEL SESSION: ASIA-PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK. The Asia Pacific region continues to have major demand from a growth standpoint and this session will look at hot destinations, brands and market segments. |
| 12:10pm-12:20pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 12:20pm-1:10pm | NETWORKING LUNCH. Enjoy lunch in our exhibition showcases in the East and West wings of the Adelaide Oval. |
| 1:10pm-1:30pm | POWER SESSION: THE MICRO MAGIC COMETH. From Moxy to Drifter, MMNT and more, uncover the brands that are taking minimalist rooms and vibrant social spaces to the forefront. |
| 1:30pm-1:40pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 1:40pm-2:15pm | THE GREAT AHICE DEBATE: WHITE LABEL VS HMAs. It’s game on as white label goes head-to-head with operators. |
| 2:15pm-2:25pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 2:25pm-2:40pm | PANEL SESSION: THE AUSTRALASIAN CAPITAL MARKETS OUTLOOK. There’s been a flurry of deals in recent months and this session will look at the key destinations across the region where there’s demand for transactions ahead. |
| 2:40pm-3:15pm | NETWORKING: AFTERNOON TEA. Enjoy coffee, tea and delights in our exhibition showcases in the East and West wings of the Adelaide Oval. |
| 3:15pm-3:45pm | POWER SESSION: NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC MARKET OUTLOOK. A snapshot of what to expect in New Zealand and the South Pacific this year. |
| 3:45pm-3:55pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 3:55pm-4:55pm | POWER SESSION: JAPAN & FAR EAST ASIA MARKET OUTLOOK. A snapshot of what to expect in Japan and the Far East Asia this year. |
| 4:15pm-4:35pm | KEYNOTE SPEAKER. To be announced. |
| 4:35pm-4:45pm | PRESENTATION: THE REAL ESTATE MARKET OUTLOOK. Expectations for 2026 and beyond. |
| 4:45pm-5:10pm | PANEL SESSION: MIDSCALE & UPSCALE DRIVING GROWTH. The phenomenal growth of midscale and upscale projects is firmly continuing and this session will uncover the destinations and brands attracting significant demand. |
| 5:10pm-5:20pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 5:20pm-5:45pm | PANEL SESSION: SUSTAINABILITY TO THE FOREFRONT. Expectations for 2026 with sustainability and examples of best practice in the industry. |
| 5:45pm-8:00pm | NETWORKING RECEPTION at the Adelaide Oval. |
| 8:00pm-onwards | NETWORKING: AHICE ‘AFTER DARK’. Our networking continues at a venue to be revealed (drink on arrival and pay as you go). Presented by  |
Note: Program is subject to change
Thursday 7 May 2026 | Adelaide Oval, South Australia
| 8:15am-8:20am | WELCOME TO INN Tech. INN Tech is our mini Hotel Technology Summit with power sessions and a keynote Q&A to give you a flavour of what’s hot in tech, from revenue management to on-property tech and more. |
| 8:20am-8:40am | INN Tech BREAKFAST MASTERCLASS: ON-PROPERTY TECHNOLOGY. The hot products and platforms you need in your hotels in 2026 and beyond, served with breakfast. |
| 8:40am-9:00am | INN Tech POWER SESSION: REVENUE MANAGEMENT. A snapshot of the top trends in Revenue Management for 2025 from key industry leaders. |
| 9:00am-9:20am | INN Tech POWER SESSION: THE INTELLIGENT GUEST JOURNEY. Personalisation, connectivity and loyalty are firmly at the forefront. |
| 9:20am-9:30am | INN Tech FOCUS Q&A. It’s all about trends in a Q&A with a leading technology provider. |
| 9:30am-9:50am | INN Tech POWER SESSION: THE OTAs & GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OUTLOOK. Where global and local travellers are targeting for their next trip in 2026 and some top trends you need to know. |
| 9:50am-10:15am | PANEL SESSION: LUXURY MARKET OUTLOOK. What to expect for 2026 and beyond for one of the world’s most resilient sectors, luxury. |
| 10:15am-10:25am | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 10:25am-10:55am | NETWORKING: MORNING TEA.Enjoy coffee, tea and delights in our exhibition showcases in the East and West wings of the Adelaide Oval. |
| 10:55am-11:20am | PANEL SESSION: ASIA-PACIFIC AVIATION & TOURISM OUTLOOK. More flights, cruise ships and private jets are on the way and what you can expect for the year ahead. |
| 11:20am-11:30am | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 11:30am-11:50am | POWER SESSION: FOOD & BEVERAGE TO THE FOREFRONT. The food and beverage offerings at hotels continue to evolve and this session is a snapshot of the hottest trends right now. |
| 11:50am-12:00pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 12:00pm-12:25pm | PANEL SESSION: ‘THE MONEY’.Expectations of capital flow, debt and hot segments in demand for 2026 and beyond. |
| 12:25pm-1:15pm | NETWORKING LUNCH. Enjoy lunch in our exhibition showcases in the East and West wings of the Adelaide Oval. |
| 1:15pm-1:40pm | PANEL SESSION: WHAT ASSET MANAGERS WANT. One of our favourite sessions where the asset managers give their honest opinions on how they see the hotel industry. |
| 1:40pm-2:05pm | PANEL SESSION: PEOPLE & CULTURE. From staffing challenges to operational excellence benchmarks, this session will look at the top issues and trends in human resources. |
| 2:05pm-2:15pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 2:15pm-2:40pm | PANEL SESSION: LIFESTYLE & COLLECTION BRANDS. Global growth has been exceptional for lifestyle and collection brands and there’s a lot more on the way. |
| 2:40pm-3:15pm | NETWORKING: AFTERNOON TEA. Enjoy coffee, tea and delights in our exhibition showcases in the East and West wings of the Adelaide Oval. |
| 3:15pm-3:40pm | PANEL SESSION: ASIA-PACIFIC INVESTMENT OUTLOOK (part 2). Leading investors take to the stage to look at the segments, destinations, and brands that are fuelling growth. |
| 3:40pm-3:50pm | LEADERSHIP Q&A. A fireside chat with a leading hotelier or investor. |
| 3:50pm-4:10pm | KEYNOTE: LEADERSHIP IN SPORTS AND BUSINESS. Speaker to be revealed. |
| 4:10pm-4:35pm | PANEL SESSION: ‘THE CLOSING BELL’ – INDUSTRY EXPECTATIONS FOR 2026. Our popular ‘closing bell’ session where global industry leaders offer their take on the year ahead. |
| 4:35pm-5:35pm | FUTURE LEADERS FORUM SESSIONS. |
| 4:35pm-4:40pm | WELCOME TO THE 2026 AHICE FUTURE LEADERS FORUM by AHICE Group President JAMES WILKINSON and Professor SIMON PAWSON, Associate Dean – Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School. Presented by  |
| 4:40pm-5:00pm | FUTURE LEADERS POWER SESSION: OPPORTUNITIES IN PROPERTY & DEVELOPMENT. Rising stars talk about their careers and where the opportunities for growth are in property and development. |
| 5:00pm-5:10pm | FUTURE LEADERS: LEADERSHIP Q&A. A rising star and industry leader on the industry at present. |
| 5:10pm-5:35pm | FUTURE LEADERS POWER SESSION: THE HOTELIERS’ OUTLOOK. Several of Australasia’s leading owners, investors and operators look at the industry outlook for 2026. |
| 7:15pm-10:00pm | NETWORKING: AHICE FAREWELL GALA EVENT at a venue to be revealed. Don’t miss our all-new farewell networking event and all delegates are invited! |
Note: Program is subject to change
AHICE House Rules
A note from the organisers: Due to a number of unofficial invite-only events taking place during the official event times in recent years, we would ask that businesses and individuals please do not host any events during the above times as a courtesy to other sponsors of AHICE and Design Inn.
We all know that without sponsors, events like this cannot happen and we ask that our request is respected.
If events do take place during the official times, without the written approval from the AHICE team, the organisers and representatives of those companies will not be able to attend any AHICE sessions at the Adelaide Oval or Design Inn and are at the risk of passes being revoked.
We will also be requesting that supplier attendees that aren’t sponsors of the event to not canvas for business with sales materials and documents at the events at the Adelaide Oval or SkyCity. Those that do it will be at the risk of passes being revoked.
To find out how you can be involved in the program, please contact:
HOTEL OWNERS & CHAINS
James Wilkinson, AHICE Group President: jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au
SUPPLIERS & ADVISERS
Tara Ducrou, Group Commercial Manager: tducrou@intermedia.com.au
Get in touch
Want to get more information and discuss commercial opportunities?