Hotel social moves into the boardroom: Hospitality Social Media Summit brings a two-day commercial programme to London this September

The Hospitality Social Media Summit (HoSS) will bring hospitality marketing leaders to Chicago Booth London on 3 and 4 September 2026 for a two-day executive programme built around a single question: how to turn social media into a measurable commercial channel.

Produced by Kordie, HoSS is not a traditional conference. It is a build-and-ship programme where delegates work on their own brand, commercial priorities and live challenges across both days, and leave with finished strategies, frameworks and ready-to-use assets rather than pages of notes to revisit later.

The programme is led by a faculty of practitioners who have run social for some of the world's most recognised brands. Whitney Reynolds, former Global Director of Social Marketing at IHG and Kimpton, headlines and co-produces. She is joined by Laura Ferrari, former Director of Social Media EAME at Hyatt; Santiago García Solimei, award-winning former Global Director of Social Media and Brands PR at Meliá Hotels International; Stefano Della Schiava, former Head of the Nespresso Content Studio; Ben Lilly, founder of award-winning Giant Leap Digital, whose hospitality clients include Corinthia and Almanac; and Steve Hyde, co-founder of Push, one of Europe's most awarded AI-led digital agencies.

Day 1: Build a commercially focused social strategy

Day 1 is a full-day strategic masterclass led by Whitney Reynolds. Delegates build a complete social media strategy for their property, group or brand, connecting business objectives with audiences, platforms, content, brand voice, team responsibilities and the KPIs that prove impact to leadership. Every delegate leaves with a practical Social Media Strategy Blueprint shaped around their own organisation.

Day 2: Build the systems and assets to deliver it

Day 2 moves into focused 90-minute practical labs covering the capabilities hospitality teams need now: paid social that turns attention into direct bookings, AI workflows that improve speed and quality, video formats designed to influence action, creator partnerships and usage rights, international audience activation, social care and reputation, commercial measurement, and scalable content systems. Each lab combines an expert framework, guided application, peer benchmarking and executive Q&A, and every session produces a tangible output, from a Paid Campaign Blueprint to a Creator Brief and Rights Pack, Regional Activation Plan or Reputation Response System.

The programme connects social activity directly to the outcomes hospitality businesses care about: direct bookings and demand, restaurant and bar covers, group and event enquiries, guest trust and reputation, loyalty and repeat business, and brand equity across international markets. The learning continues after the event through six months of access to the HoSS Digital Hub, with practical courses, templates, tools and implementation resources.

Quotes

"Hospitality social media has outgrown the content calendar. It now sits at the centre of awareness, reputation and direct bookings, but most training has not caught up. This is a working summit where teams build the operating models they need to take social seriously at the boardroom level." — Alisa Kremer, Founder, Kordie

"Today's social media teams are being asked to do more with social than ever before. This summit is about giving delegates the strategic scaffolding to meet the demands of the job. It brings a business-results-oriented perspective to the work, alongside practical frameworks teams can use immediately to drive performance and visibility." — Whitney Reynolds, Headliner and Co-Producer, Hospitality Social Media Summit

"Most hospitality brands have global ambitions but local execution that doesn't quite match. The strategy exists at headquarters, but by the time it reaches the property team in a different country, something gets lost: the nuance, the platform choice, the cultural tone. The result is content that looks consistent on a brand level but doesn't actually speak to the audience it is meant to reach. That is the gap I want to help close. Winning Hearts Worldwide is about giving teams a practical framework to move from 'we want to attract international travellers' to a focused, market-fit plan they can brief and execute." — Laura Ferrari, Former Director of Social Media EAME, Hyatt

"We are living in a moment where everyone can make content, and AI is making that even easier. But for premium brands, ease is not the point. The point is distinctiveness, consistency and control. A content system is what allows a brand to stay culturally alive without becoming chaotic. It connects strategy, craft, production, governance and data into one living engine. Not to make more noise, but to make every expression of the brand feel intentional." — Stefano Della Schiava, Former Head of the Nespresso Content Studio

"Social media has evolved from a brand awareness channel into one of hospitality's most influential commercial drivers. For luxury brands, success is no longer about creating beautiful content, it's about building measurable guest relationships while protecting brand equity across every touchpoint. I'm looking forward to joining the Hospitality Social Media Summit to share practical strategies that help hospitality businesses turn social engagement into long-term commercial growth." — Ben Lilly, Founder, Giant Leap Digital

Tickets and partnership enquiries for the London flagship are open now at hospitalitysocialsummit.com.

Media Contact

Xènia Cantarell

Project Manager [email protected] +44 204 572 7314