For obvious reasons, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) announced last week that this year's HITEC will pivot to a virtual edition called "Cyber HITEC." I guess most of you have been participating and attending in a variety of online event formats over the past 3 months... and you probably had some good, some bad, and maybe some great online experiences originating from creative minds.

So the question I would like to ask you is to share your personal best experiences so far and recommendations for team HFTP... supporting them to make CYBER HITEC a success!

Ian Millar
Ian Millar
Manager of Institute of Business Creativity & Senior Lecturer at EHL Hospitality Business School

My top 5: 1). Session specific: As these will be online, make the sessions very specific. So not “what will be the future of hotel wireless infrastructure” but “what will WIFI 6 mean for your hotel guests and the three things you need to know”. As Cyber HITEC is over a long period we could have an increased number of sessions but with more focus.

2). Time zones: Please try to keep in mind that traditionally the HITEC attendee has been USA based, but for some of us on other time zones that would love to participate, please have a thought for us non-USA time zone people.

3). Session Length: After having attended many online sessions, I have found that the shorter sessions with focus are the real interesting ones. Have speakers that can get to the point and don't be afraid to cut them off if they go over. I would much rather have an insightful 30-minute presentation or discussion than sitting for 90 minutes in front of my screen and feel lost when it ends.

4). Lose the disclaimers: I know it needs to be done but when you have a 30-minute session, and the first five are taken with anti-trust agreements, non-disclosure and every other thing that needs to be said to ensure lawyers can't make a dime, please find a way that this is done once and once only per participant.

5). Don't go back to the norm! The hospitality industry has had a hell of a time, and while many say we need to get back to how we were, back to normal, please make it a central theme of cyber HITEC that we are at a crucial point of “no going back” for hospitality technology. “We must go forward”, we must be better and improve our technology mindsets, technology usage. 

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