2024 AHICE Fiji Program Overview

Please see the 2024 Asia-Pacific Hotel Industry Conference & Exhibition (AHICE) Fiji Investment in Tourism Summit program overview below. 

Wednesday, 3 July 2024

4:00pm-5:45pm

NETWORKING EVENT AND SITE TOURS of the new CROWNE PLAZA FIJI NADI BAY RESORT AND SPA presented by IHG, Tappoo, De Beaurepaire wines

           

6:00pm-8:00pm

NETWORKING EVENT at SHERATON FIJI RESORT AND SPA presented by Marriott International, Tappoo, De Beaurepaire wines

           

Note: Program is subject to change

Thursday, 4 July 2024

Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa

8:45am-9:05am

OFFICIAL WELCOME by Emcee NICKY STYRIS, AHICE Group President JAMES WILKINSON, Tourism Fiji CEO BRENT HILL and a traditional welcome ceremony from the VOU DANCE GROUP.

9:05am-9:25am

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Fiji Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Honorable VILIAME GAVOKA.

9:25am-9:45am

OUTLOOK: WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FIJI ISLANDS in 2024 and beyond by STR Regional Director MATTHEW BURKE.

9:45am-10:00am

HOTELIER Q&A: Accor Chief Operating Officer PME – Pacific, ADRIAN WILLIAMS, in conversation with AHICE Group President, JAMES WILKINSON.

10:00am-10:25am

PANEL SESSION: THE ESSENTIAL AVIATION & TOURISM OUTLOOK FOR 2024.
Moderated by: JAMES WILKINSON, Group President – AHICE

Panelists:
JAMES PRIDGEONSenior Manager Tourism and Customer Operations, Fiji Airways
BRAD RUTHERFORD, CEO, South Sea Cruises
PAUL GORMAN, General Manager, Luxury Escapes
ROBERT THOMPSON, Executive Director of Regions, Tourism Fiji
TIM SWAN, General Manager – Global Sales, Air New Zealand

10:25am-10:50am

PANEL SESSION: THE ESSENTIAL HOTEL OPERATORS OUTLOOK FOR 2024.
Moderated by: NICK THOMPSON, Hotels and Hospitality Director, JLL New Zealand

Panelists:
CAREY OSBORNE, Cluster General Manager – Fiji, Hilton
JEFF WAGONER, President & CEO, Outrigger Hospitality Group
LEE PEARCE, CEO, Raffe Group
RUWAN PEIRIS, Director, THSA

10:50am-11:00am

KEYNOTE: FIJI TOURISM INDUSTRY OUTLOOK by Tourism Fiji CEO BRENT HILL.

11:00am-11:30am

NETWORKING: MORNING TEA presented by Investment Fiji

11:30am-11:40am

HOTELIER Q&A: Marriott International Vice President – Hotel Development, Australia, NZ, and Pacific, RICHARD CRAWFORD, in conversation with AHICE Group President JAMES WILKINSON.

11:40am-12:05pm

PANEL SESSION: THE EASE OF DOING BUSINESS IN FIJI.
Moderated by: BRENT HILL, CEO, Tourism Fiji

Panelists:
CRAIG STRONG, Chief Investments Officer, BSP
KAMAL CHETTY, CEO – Investment Fiji
TUSHAR RANIGA, Regional Director – Development, Australasia, Hilton
UDIT SINGH, CEO, FRCS

12:05pm-12:30pm

PANEL SESSION: HOTEL AND TOURISM INVESTORS OUTLOOK.
Presented by PPDS.


Moderated by: ROBERT WILLIAMS, Head of Hotels & Hospitality Asia Pacific, Watson Farley & Williams

Panelists:
BOB LOWRES, Owner, Radisson Blu Naisoso
JAY SINGH, Owner, Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa
NAIBUKA SUANE, Chief Investment Officer, Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF)
SANJAY PRATAP, Director of Assets – Fiji, CP Group

12:30pm-12:45pm

KEYNOTE: THE ASIA PACIFIC REAL ESTATE MARKET OUTLOOK by NICK THOMPSON, Hotels and Hospitality Director, JLL New Zealand.

12:45pm-12:55pm

HOTELIER Q&A: IHG Hotels & Resorts Portfolio General Manager – FNPF Owned Hotels, LACHLAN WALKER, in conversation with AHICE Group President, JAMES WILKINSON.

12:55pm-1:55pm

NETWORKING: LUNCH presented by Fiji Airways

1:55pm-2:20pm

PANEL SESSION: FOOD AND BEVERAGE OUTLOOK AND TRENDS FOR 2024 AND BEYOND. 
Moderated by: ALISON HULM, Director  Development, Australasia, Langham Hospitality Group

Panelists:
ANDREW CAMERON, Founder and CEO, Enzyme Consulting
DANIEL ALTSHULER, General Manager/Licensee, Helm Bar & Bistro and Cockle Bay Yacht Club
WILLIAM DE BEAUREPAIRE, Director, De Beaurepaire Wines
-Speaker to be announced

2:20pm-2:40pm

AVIATION Q&A: Fiji Airways’ Senior Manager Tourism and Customer Operations, JAMES PRIDGEON, in conversation with AHICE Group President JAMES WILKINSON.

2:40pm-3:05pm

PANEL SESSION: FUTURE HOTEL AND TOURISM PROJECTS UPDATE.
Moderated by: KATHERINE CAMERON, Project Director, EDG Interior Architecture + Design (Singapore)

Panelists:
LEIGH HOWARD, Chief Operations Officer, Tourism Fiji
MELVIN CHAND, General Counsel, Head of Real Estate Sales & Hotel Development, Nawi Island
SHAUN PARSONS, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa
SIMON WHITE, General Manager Hotel Operations New Zealand, EVT
VINCENT MACQUET, General Manager, Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa

3:05pm-3:40pm

NETWORKING: AFTERNOON TEA presented by Tourism Fiji

3:40pm-4:10pm

PANEL SESSION: HOTEL DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK: WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FIJI ISLANDS.
Presented by BSP.


Moderated by: RODGER L. POWELL, Managing Director, THSA

Panelists:
-CAMERON BURKE, Director of Development – Australasia & Pacific, IHG Hotels & Resorts
LACHLAN HOSWELL, Managing Director, Business Unit Australasia, Radisson Hotel Group
LINDSAY LEESER, Chief Development Officer Pacific & Head of Apartments and Leases, Accor
-TRISTAN COOPER, Director, Hotel Development – Australia, NZ & The Pacific, Marriott International

4:10pm-4:35pm

KEYNOTE: ESSENTIAL SUSTAINABILITY – THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2024 AND BEYOND by ANDREW CAMERON, Founder and CEO, Enzyme Consulting (Singapore).

4:35pm-4:50pm

HOTELIER Q&A: Outrigger Hospitality Group President & CEO, JEFF WAGONER, in conversation with AHICE Group President JAMES WILKINSON.

5:00pm-5:20pm

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Fiji Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, the Honorable MANOA KAMIKAMICA.

5:20pm

WRAP-UP by emcee NICKY STYRISAHICE Group President, JAMES WILKINSON and Tourism Fiji CEO BRENT HILL.

5:20pm-7:15pm

NETWORKING: GALA RECEPTION at Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa presented by Accor and Tappoo

         

7:30pm-onwards

CLOSING PARTY: COCKTAILS, DRINKS AND DESSERTS at Club Wyndham Denarau Island, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, presented by Travel + Leisure

Note: Program is subject to change

IMPORTANT: THE AHICE HOUSE RULES

A note from the organisers: Due to a number of unofficial invite-only events taking place during conferences 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 Fiji.

We all know that without sponsors, events like this cannot happen and we ask that our request is respected. If unapproved events do take place during the official times, the organisers and representatives of those companies will not be able to attend any AHICE sessions and are at the risk of passes being revoked.

We are also requesting that supplier and adviser attendees that aren’t sponsors of the event do not canvas for business with sales materials and documents at AHICE Fiji events. Those that do will be at the risk of passes being revoked.

To find out how you can be involved in the program, please contact:

HOTEL CHAINS, BRANDS, OWNERS & ADVISERS

James Wilkinson, AHICE Group President: jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au

HOTEL SUPPLIERS

Samantha-Jo Ewart, Sales Manager: sewart@intermedia.com.au

GET IN TOUCH

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