HOW /Hotel Operations Weekend/ Festival is the only event dedicated exclusively to hotel operations. Event mission is to spotlight global operational trends while addressing regional challenges and identifying actionable solutions. Each year, we bring together industry professionals, including hotel GMs, operational directors, department managers, regional CEOs, and owners of independent hotels. HOW Festival will be held from December 4th to 6th, 2024, at the Falkensteiner Resort Punta Skala in Petrčane, near Zadar, Croatia.

In early December, more than 500 participants will gather at the seventh edition of the Festival, where over 50 speakers will discuss 18 topics related to hotel operations over two days.

The main program will feature a conversation with Marcus Smola, CEO of BWH Group for Central Europe, who will discuss strategic priorities and trends in hotel operations. The conference will continue with a professional presentation from STR on the state of the hotel market, including key figures such as average daily rates and room occupancy. In addition to the essential topic of how artificial intelligence is transforming the hospitality industry, the plenary session will conclude with a lecture by Marnick Vandebroek, a globally awarded speaker, author, and communication coach.

The HOW Festival covers also topics for various hotel departments. In the area of human resources, the conference will cover topics such as the importance of good communication in hotel operations, how to avoid burnout and stress, as well as an interesting session where participants will hear from representatives of different industries about their employee retention and attraction strategies, which could potentially be implemented in the hospitality sector.

The program will also cover topics like cybersecurity risks in hospitality, resolving operational challenges in IT departments, a presentation on strategic brand positioning in the market, and solutions for training the Housekeeping Department during times of high employee turnover.

Alongside an excellent two-day educational program (December 5th and 6th), the conference will kick off with a welcome cocktail on December 4th, and the entertainment program on December 5th will include a pub quiz, dinner, and a party. This year, participants will also have the opportunity to support three charities through various activities: the Down Syndrome Association Zadar, the Autism Association Zadar, and Cukrići – the Association of Children with Diabetes.

The conference sponsors are the Zadar City Tourist Board, the European Association of Hotel Directors, and Falkensteiner Hotels & Residences.

More information about all activities, speakers, and the program is available on the official conference website.