LtoR - Terry Price (Past President HFTP), Frank Wolfe (CEO HFTP) and Terence Ronson (M.D. Pertlink) — Photo by Photo by Anat Givon
Spanning a two-day period, AHTEC@HOFEX took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition center, and attracted a regional audience to include New Zealand, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Macau, Philippines, Thailand and the Peoples Republic of China. — Photo by Photo by Anat Givon
All sessions were captured on video, allowing participants to re-live the event and study in more detail the content-rich presentations at their own pace. Furthermore, this allows those who could not attend in person, to 'virtually participate' and also share the knowledge and experience. — Photo by Photo by Anat Givon
AHTEC at HOFEX 2011 Banner

With participation from 35 International Speakers representing 8 different countries and over 200 Registrants, AHTEC@HOFEX 2011 held on May 12th and 13th, has quickly become the leading independent Hotel Technology Conference in Asia.

Spanning a two-day period, AHTEC@HOFEX took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition center, and attracted a regional audience to include New Zealand, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Macau, Philippines, Thailand and the Peoples Republic of China.

The all-encompassing agenda contained 4 Keynote Sessions and Case Studies, 3 Commercial Sessions and 9 Panel Discussions comprising the following Speakers:

  • 1. Acme Dong - Deputy Director Information Center - Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town Company - Shenzhen, (PRC)
  • 2. Angie Leung - Managing Director - HTTPOOL - (Hong Kong)
  • 3. Charles Reed - Global CEO - DOCOMO InterTouch (Singapore)
  • 4. Chris Gribble B.Bus., CPA - VP and General Manager - Hospitality Solutions - Infor-SoftBrands, Asia Pacific (Australia)
  • 5. Dale Johnstone - Partner - Xione Group Limited & Vice Convenor ISO/IEC JTC1 SC27 WG1 - (Hong Kong)
  • 6. Daniel Lam - Business Development Executive - General Business - IBM Greater China - (Hong Kong)
  • 7. Dave Shuker - Executive Director - Redwing Consulting (Indonesia)
  • 8. Dean Winter - General Manager - Upper House (Hong Kong)
  • 9. Dirk Dalichau - Vice President Operation & Development, Miramar International Hotel Management Corp. S.A. - (Hong Kong)
  • 10. Dirk Dumortier - VP Cross Industry Solutions APAC - Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (Singapore)
  • 11. Eric Du - General Manager - Dragon Hotel, Hangzhou (PRC)
  • 12. Eric Tsui - Professor of Knowledge Management, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong)
  • 13. Frank Wolfe - CEO - HFTP - (USA) - Conference Co-Chair
  • 14. Gerhard Zimmer - Hotelier (Philippines)
  • 15. Grahame Tate - Managing Director - Asia Pacific, IDeaS a SAS Company (Australia)
  • 16. Henri Roelings - CEO - Hospitality Net (Netherlands)
  • 17. Howard Field - President - Howard Field (UK)
  • 18. Howard Tse - Regional Director, Business Development, Enterprise Systems - Micros-Fidelio Asia Pacific - (Hong Kong)
  • 19. James Lee - Director of Finance - Regent Hotel (Singapore)
  • 20. Jurgen Meyer - IT Director - Minor Hotel Group - (Thailand)
  • 21. Les Spielman - Founder - HACL (Hospitality Automation Consultants Limited) (USA)
  • 22. Mark Keith - Managing Director - HVS - (Hong Kong)
  • 23. Mark Page - Director of Sales - Enterprise System - Micros-Fidelio (Australia)
  • 24. Matt Mitchell - Vice President - Global Accounts - iBahn - (Hong Kong)
  • 25. Michael Levie - Founding Partner - citizenM - (Netherlands)
  • 26. Michael Sacks - Managing Director - Micros-Fidelio, Hong Kong - (Hong Kong)
  • 27. Oliver Winzer - CEO - at-visions - Asia Pacific (Singapore)
  • 28. Rajagopal Gampa - Corporate Director of Information Technology - New World Hospitality - (Hong Kong)
  • 29. Rudi Leung - Director - AGENDA - (Hong Kong)
  • 30. Sean Seah - Director of e-Commerce with Langham Hospitality Group (Hong Kong)
  • 31. Siv Forlie - Director of Corporate Revenue Management - Shangri-La International Hotel Management Limited (Hong Kong)
  • 32. Tat Meng Chee - Regional Sales Director - Hospitality, Asia Pacific - Avaya, (Singapore)
  • 33. Ted Horner - Founder - Horner and Associates (Australia)
  • 34. Terence Ronson - Managing Director - Pertlink (Hong Kong) -Conference Co-Chair
  • 35. Terry Price - Chief Information Officer - Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa (USA)

AHTEC (Asian Hospitality Technology Education Conference) - was created out of a newly formed partnership between HFTP (Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals - USA and owners of HITEC©), HKES-Allworld (Hong Kong Exhibition Services / Allworld - owners of HOFEX©) and Terence Ronson, Managing Director - Pertlink (a Hong Kong Hospitality Consultancy with a focus on IT). This first show was co-located at HOFEX.

Terence Ronson - Managing Director - Pertlink and Co-Chair said, "Our relationship with HKES and HOFEX dates back to 2002, and we are extremely happy to see the Technology Conference held in conjunction with HOFEX mature to this level. Hard work and effort have definitely paid off, with the results of the show fuelling our enthusiasm to do even better next time - it was a magnificent event".

General Manager - Daniel Cheung of HKESALLWORLD had this to say about AHTEC@HOFEX 2011, "We have been successfully working with Pertlink for many years now, and are very happy to see them partner with HFTP for this event. AHTEC@HOFEX 2011 was a great success, and complimented HOFEX with this Technology Conference. We certainly look forward to working with AHTEC in the coming years".

With participation from Mainland China, a simultaneous interpretation was utilized so that the audience and speakers could share more easily share views and knowledge.

All sessions were captured on video, allowing participants to re-live the event and study in more detail the content-rich presentations at their own pace. Furthermore, this allows those who could not attend in person, to 'virtually participate' and also share the knowledge and experience.

And as part of the many networking opportunities the conference offered, a unique Welcome Reception was held at the newly opened Hotel ICON. Attendees had the opportunity to join a behind-the-scenes tour and experience at first hand the many great facilities of the Hotel, especially the Classrooms and LABs of the integrated Hotel school where Hospitality students receive a first class education.

Richard Hatter, General Manager, Hotel ICON said, "It was an honor and pleasure to have been the selected the venue for this very special party. Our lounge and bar, GREEN was chosen because it's the perfect venue for relaxing intimate gatherings whilst having a 3-storey vertical garden as the backdrop. The hotel only opened a few days prior to the event, and so was a great platform to showcase our property and what we had to offer."

Frank Wolfe - CEO of HFTP and C-Chair commented on AHTEC: "HOFEX is the leading Hospitality show in Asia, and being part of that with AHTEC, has been a great opportunity to further HFTP's cause by delivering first class education programs. We are extremely delighted to be part of this, and overjoyed at the outcome of this first event. We are anxiously looking forward to the next Conference".

There was an extensive programme for AHTEC@HOFEX 2011 and the subjects included:

  • · Cloud Computing - How to get your head round this elusive subject
  • · Let's use Technology to bridge the generation gap - Social Media
  • · IT & Finance - do they mix together like oil and water
  • · Security is the 8-letter word you should be very very afraid of
  • · What in the world must I have been thinking when I decided to put an ERP system into a hotel?
  • · How to keep your guests entertained in their rooms
  • · Convergence - what does this mean?
  • · Technology in F&B
  • · Adapt, Capitalize and Win - a focus on Sales
  • · Wi-Fi roaming and mobile technology in Hotels
  • · citizenM - re-imagining how a Hotel should be
  • · How to change your old Hotel into a new hi-tech one
  • · Why is internet access so important, and how will you cope with increased bandwidth

Sponsors included:

  • · at-visions
  • · DOCOMO Intertouch
  • · Micros-Fidelio
  • · Alcatel-Lucent
  • · Avaya
  • · iBahn
  • · IBM
  • · IDeaS
  • · Infor-Softbrands
  • · Square-i International

AHTEC was co-located with HOFEX for 2011, and will co-locate with other shows in those years when HOFEX does not happen, since it is a bi-annual event.

Videos from AHTEC@HOFEX 2011 will shortly be released to various online media.

The first group of photos can be viewed here:

Terence Ronson
Managing Director
Pertlink Limited