A collection of New Zealand’s most influential hotel and tourism leaders will take to the stage at the upcoming Aotearoa Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition (AHICE), hosted by HM Magazine and Hotel Council Aotearoa.

Taking place from August 12-13, 2025, at Te Pae Convention Centre, Christchurch, AHICE Aotearoa will once again bring together the region’s top hospitality executives with leaders from Accor, EVT, TFE Hotels, Travel and Leisure Co, Hilton, Panache Hotel Group, Radisson Hotel Group, Sudima Hotels, Wyndham, and many more, registered to attend.

Tourism Minister to speak at AHICE

On Wednesday August 13, New Zealand Minister for Tourism and Hospitality and Deputy Leader of the House, the Hon. Louise Upston will address delegates in a keynote session. Since the 2008 election, Upston has served as the MP for Taupō. Prior to entering Parliament in 2008, Louise was self-employed as a project management consultant. She also held directorships in a number of trusts and companies involved in property, tourism, management, and consulting.

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She has held a number of Ministerial roles in the Fifth National Government, including the portfolios of Corrections, Education, Land Information, Local Government, Women, and Tertiary Education Skills and Employment.  She also served as Government Chief Whip. Also on the tourism front will be Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Officer,René De Monchy, who will take to the stage for a conversation with Hotel Council Aotearoa Strategic Director, James Doolan.

INN Tech to launch in New Zealand

This year’s AHICE Aotearoa will see the New Zealand debut of the INN Tech Hotel Technology Summit. Following successful iterations in Australia and South East Asia, the two-hour Aotearoa Summit will feature punchy power sessions and a keynote address uncovering new developments in hospitality technology, from revenue management to on-property tech and much more. Expect to hear from leaders at Assa Abloy, Agilysys, FutureLog, Liverton and more.

The power of live music

There will also be a discussion about the importance of live music in hotels, with Los Angeles-based musicianToby Rand,flying in from Los Angeles for a conversation with AHICE Group President and HM Editor-In-Chief, James Wilkinson. Lead singer of Ashenmoon, RadioXX and Juke Kartel, Rand started his career in Melbourne and has gone on to be an acclaimed artist in the United States and Australia. He shot to fame on the TV show Rockstar: Supernova and now has residencies in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Having regularly performed in hotels like Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, he’s a strong advocate of the power of supporting local artists. In this enlightening discussion he will look at the opportunity hotels have to support local artists and in turn provide guests with fantastic entertainment, night-in, night-out.

Hotel development, investment, sustainability and more

Sustainability will be firmly in the spotlight with a keynote presentation by Hind Management Chief Sustainability Officer,Kanika Jhunjhnuwala. Following continued growth in the New Zealand market, EVT Director of Hotels and Resorts, Norman Arundel, will discuss market challenges and opportunities in a Hotelier Q&A. In a panel session, View from the Top: The Leaders’ Expectations (part 2),leading hoteliers will share their outlook for the year ahead. Panellists will include Craig Bonnor, Managing Director, Cordis Auckland; Lachlan Hoswell, Managing Director, Business Unit Australasia, Radisson Hotel Group; Karl Luxon, Chief Executive Officer Scenic Hotel Group; and Simon White,General Manager Hotel Operations New Zealand, EVT. Leading investors will share their insights into the current market and their outlook for the years ahead. The Investors’ Outlook, presented TFE Hotels and hosted by Nick Thompson, Director – New Zealand, JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group, will feature Brett Russell, Director, Russell Group; Sudesh Jhunjunwala, Founder, Hind Management / Sudima Hotels; and Udai Sarin, Chief Executive Officer, Sarin Investments. The Australasia-Pacific Investment Trends Outlook, presented by IHG Hotels and Resorts, will feature Ben Schumacher, Vice President Operations – South East Asia Pacific Rim, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts; Ramzy Fenianos, Chief Development Officer – APAC, Radisson Hotel Group; Trent​​​​ Conroy, Head of Investments and Portfolio Growth, Choice Hotels Asia PAC; and Tristan Cooper, Director, Hotel Development – Australia, NZ and The Pacific, Marriott International. They will unpack key investment trends and expectations from across Australasia and the Pacific. The Aotearoa General Managers’ Outlook will discuss expectations for 2025 and beyond. Hosted by Ronnie Ronalde, Advisor, Hotel Council Aotearoa, the panel will include Bruce Garrett, General Manager, The George Christchurch; Jeremy Samuels, General Manager, Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa; Shannon Craig, Area General Manager, EVT; and Scott Thomson, Regional General Manager – North Island, Hilton and General Manager, Hilton Auckland. Find out more and register: ahiceconference.com/aotearoa