Innovation with common sense - is that possible? Software (AI) and machines (robots) that combine to become helpful team colleagues? The second day of the HITT Think Tank in Amsterdam last week revealed people’s unexpected appreciation of tech developments in the face of rapid change in the market - also in the future. The participants and experts had a lively discussion about why tech solutions cannot be a core element of the hospitality industry. Or will it? 

Set in the charming ambience of a historic barn in the heart of Amsterdam, the HITT Think Tank Amsterdam fostered a lively atmosphere where insightful presentations and engaging discussions took centre stage. The yellow catch box flew back and forth in the question-and-answer game.

The four experts at the 7th HospitalityInside Think Tank (HITT) on the topic of innovation are united by different characters, careers and tasks: two professors from Delft and Amsterdam, the Head of the Innovation Lab at Accor Paris and the CEO of software company Mews. Academia, research labs, best practice and personal experience made for an exciting potpourri on 18 June in Amsterdam. 

No hotelier can maintain his business without suppliers. Both can only become sustainable together. The supply chain - from the baker to the furniture manufacturer - is one of the biggest challenges for operators and investors alike when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint. At HITT Amsterdam (17/18 June), the founders of the Dutch materials bank Madaster, the US-product database MindClick and the German project management company Drees & Sommer will be demonstrating how to find solutions and data. 

Is your company "green" or "sustainable"? Your products "eco"? The EU will ban such vague words as greenwashing: They mislead consumers. However, laws such as the Green Claim Directive are slow to take effect. "We need to think more radically, consume differently and grow differently," says Graham Miller. Discuss new sources of value creation with the Professor of Sustainability at the HospitalityInside Think Tank (HITT) on 17 June.

The two HITT Think Tank Days on sustainability and innovative topics are centred around two discussions on data. The Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) compares 45 countries and special assets (hotels!) to determine whether they comply with the 1.5-degree target in the Paris Climate Agreement. A tech start-up from Copenhagen is in the process of clearing up the current data jungle of hundreds of green certificates. More on 17/18 June in Amsterdam!

Previously, hotel operators and brand companies told their "green story", now it's the owners and investors. The sustainability narrative - and the value of the property - stands or falls with them. What can operators and investors do to balance their mutual interests? And how can the risks be limited? With this reality and risk check, four high-calibre experts will kick off the 7th HospitalityInside Think Tank on 17/18 June in Amsterdam. Will you be there? Ask your own questions.

The HospitalityInside Think Tank (HITT) has attracted further international and high-calibre experts for its focus on innovation on the second day of the event in Amsterdam: a specialist in Emerging Technologies from the Saudi Arabian city of the future NEOM, a researcher and human robot professor from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and the CEO of the cloud-based property management solution for hotels, Mews, which has just become a unicorn. Learn first-hand from those who are shaping your future!

15 billion tonnes of raw materials are tied up in buildings throughout Germany, 30 to 40 percent of all CO2 emissions are caused by the construction and real estate industry. The pressure on the sector is growing. The challenge now is to use green instruments wisely to avoid stranded assets. A civil engineer speaks.

What can you expect at the HospitalityInside Think Tank (HITT) in Amsterdam? Today we are able to reveal the names of the first keynote speakers - high-calibre experts, investors and hoteliers who are ready to share their experience and knowledge with you. The strength of this think tank is its "off-the-record" atmosphere in an unconventional setting. This closeness to experts and colleagues over the course of two days is something that no traditional conference can offer. The range of topics.

The HospitalityInside Think Tank (HITT) 2024 has several firsts in store. The Think Tank is moving from Berlin to Amsterdam and Heleri Rande is replacing Xenia zu Hohenlohe in the moderation team. The final title is "Adapt and Transform: Mastering Hospitality ESG and Innovate with Hospitality Tech Labs". Sustainability no longer works without technologisation, just as AI, robots, AR and VR will transform everyday hotel life. It will be intense and colourful!

The HITT has taken place six times so far, mostly in Berlin and on a ship. With the move of this Thought Leadership Event to Amsterdam next June, we will no longer be on the water, but right by the water - in a different, unconventional creative location, in the centre of the city of free spirits. For two days, we will be discussing sustainability and innovation.