HSMAI MEA presents a packed programme for 8th CSC in Dubai

Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Middle East and Africa (HSMAI MEA) lifts the lid on a power-packed programme for the 8th Annual HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference MEA (CSC) which takes place on November25 and 26,  2025 at the Conrad Dubai Hotel.

 

The annual event will gather the region’s leading hospitality experts in sales, marketing, revenue management and distribution for two inspirational days of industry insights, networking opportunities and awards.

 

The programme, shaped in collaboration with the HSMAI MEA Advisory Board, task groups and partners, features a stellar line up of speakers and an extensive range of formats including plenary sessions, lightening rounds, panel discussions, leadership hubs, interactive forums, trends & insights sessions as well as awards, networking lunches and receptions.

 

The morning plenary sessions will bring the audience together for some of the industry’s most pressing issues and hottest topics. Joining the conference is bestselling author and Founder & CEO of Digital and Savvy, Maha Abouelenein, who will be giving a keynote speech on the powers of connected storytelling. Programme highlights include Luca Allam, Communication Coach and creator of the podcast Luca’s Inside Track, who will host a live podcast in conversation with Aida Al Busaidy, Associate Vice President of Consumer Advocacy, DTCM. Alessandro Brunori, Vice President - Brand Experience at G42, poses the questions “Can humans be as creative as AI?” while Nick Santonastasso, Champion of Resilience, will reframe challenges as catalysts for growth in his presentation “Unstoppable: Turning Adversity into Advantage”.

 

The speaker lineup also includes Sam Weston, Head of AI & Marketing at 80Days, Bhanu Chopra, CEO of Rategain, Sabine Kühn, CEO and Managing Partner at Talent & Truth and many more.

 

In the afternoons, attendees can choose from three concurrent tracks:

 

The Leadership Hub, curated and led by HSMAI MEA Advisory Board members, features panels, keynotes, and fireside chats on critical strategies, emerging trends, and pressing challenges in hospitality.

 

The Interactive Forum is a dynamic breakout session designed for deep engagement and collaborative problem-solving through open discussions as well as Masterclasses by Michael J. Goldrich, Founder & Chief Advisor of Vivander Advisors and Heather Scharmer, President & Founder of HMS, and Anders Johansson, CEO of Demand Calendar.

 

The Trends and Insights track gathers top industry experts for a series of rapid, 15-minute keynotes addressing today’s critical challenges across hospitality sales, marketing, revenue, and distribution. Each session offers actionable insights with time for audience questions.

 

At the end of the first day, the ROCKSTAR Awards 2025 will celebrate property commercial executives who have pushed boundaries and set new standards of excellence in categories such as rooms, F&B, spa, meetings & events etc. Nine finalists will deliver their story in under 2.5 minutes, and the audience gets to decide the winners in a live voting.

 

Mona Faraj, President, HSMAI Middle East & Africa, said: “We have created a programme that sparks fresh discoveries on timely topics, delivers bold ideas and offers valuable takeaways to our audience. This year we will be covering topics such as Artificial Intelligence, catalysts for growth and commercial success, consumer trends and loyalty strategies, communication, and generation Z. Due to last year’s overwhelming success, the “Ask Me Anything” forum with Chief Commercial Officers of MEA returns to the programme.” -TradeArabia News Service