Welcome from event host Piers Brown, CEO of International Hospitality Media

Presentation: A look at the economic outlook for Dubai and the broader MEA region, to include investment flows and the future for hospitality and real estate. Will investment liquidity open up and where is capital coming from?

Investors and developers discuss the challenges and opportunities they are facing in buying, funding and delivering real estate across the living and hospitality sectors. How can investors and developers budget in an environment of high interest rates and geopolitical challenges?

Hosted by George Sell, Editor-in-chief, Urban Living News

in conversation with:

What is the success criteria for branded residences - what are the most important components?

Considerations:

Brand strength and alignment.
Location and market demand.
Quality of design and construction.
Amenities and services.
Operational management.
Value propositional and investment appeal.
Sales and marketing strategy.
Regulatory and legal considerations.
Community and lifestyle appeal.
Post sale support and relationship management.

Hosted by Jacques Sharam, Associate Director - Global Residential Development at Savills Middle East

Grab a coffee and catch up with our exhibitors.

Join us for an interactive workshop tailored to Dubai’s unique rental market, designed for property owners, investors, developers, and operators looking to maximize revenue in the face of market challenges. Using 2025 and 2026 data insights, this session will dive into key strategies for optimizing short-term rental pricing, managing occupancy fluctuations, and navigating Dubai’s distinct seasonal and supply-demand dynamics. With opportunities to share your experiences and insights, this collaborative session will equip you with actionable, data-driven approaches to build a pricing strategy that’s as dynamic as the Dubai market itself.

Hosted by Athul Mohan, Market Manager, MEA and Asia, and Global Franchise Partnerships, Pricelabs

How to select the right operator for your apartments and residences.

Considerations -
Operator expertise: operational efficiency and experience, guest / resident engagement and communication.
Brand and operator alignment: synergy between brand and operator, consistency in experience, local market dynamics.
Technology and innovation: tech savvy operators, proptech integration.
Financial considerations: profiability, fee structures, short term v long term benefits.
Contractual agreements: brand licensing and management agreements, duration.
Sustainability and ESG focus: sustainability goals and social community integration.
Risk management and cultural fit.

Host: Patrick Smith, CEO, Strive Services Group

With the growth of remote worker visas, how can owners attract this growing traveller demographic and what are the flex work options?

Workshop hosts:

Gonçalo Hall, CEO, NOMADIX and Hamza Khan, Co-Founder & CEO, LetsWork

Dubai’s hotel, serviced apartment and short term rental real estate sectors are the most transparent in MEA. As the choice of accommodation options broadens for the traveller, how do owners and investors make informed decisions on what to build and where? What data is available and what is required? What governmental regulation policies have come into effect post-pandemic? What are the opportunities for benchmarking companies?

Sally Henry, VP Business Development, Key Data Dashboard

Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

With COP 30 just around the corner, this is a prime opportunity to rethink, reboot, and refocus how sustainable design can be a force for good for future generations.

The essence of 21st century marketing - social, local and mobile

Live, work and play: what is the success criteria for branded residences - what are the most important components?

Considerations:

Brand strength and alignment.
Location and market demand.
Quality of design and construction.
Amenities and services.
Operational management.
Value propositional and investment appeal.
Sales and marketing strategy.
Regulatory and legal considerations.
Community and lifestyle appeal.
Post sale support and relationship management.

Hosted by Jacques Sharam, Associate Director - Global Residential Development at Savills Middle East 

As real estate and hospitality continues to evolve, so do the technologies and tools used to manage properties. This workshop explores how owners and operators can leverage the latest PMS innovations to achieve operational efficiencies, enhance guest experiences, and increase revenue.

You will discover:
• How property management systems are evolving to meet the needs of operators, especially those with broad portfolios such as hotels, serviced apartments and short term rental accommodation
• Best practices for implementing and optimising a PMS for maximum ROI
• How to use PMS data to improve guest experiences and drive revenue
• The role of PMS integrations in creating a seamless, end-to-end guest journey

 Hosted by Oriol Plana, Founder & CEO at mr.alfred ~ Co Founder at HiGuests

An update on the short term rental and holiday home market including state of the market, ADR and occupany within the region, legislation, demand / supply and distribution, challenges and opportunities and outlook on the future.

Hosted by Paul Mallee, Founder and Managing director, Maison Prive

From the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to the evolution of the guest experience, how operators / property managers can use data and insights to leverage the right technology for their businesses to become more efficient, save money and stay ahead.

Hosted by:

Suzanne Luscombe, Strategic Growth Director, resicentral
Josef Caron, Commercial Director, Hospiria
Oriol Plana, Founder and CEO, mr.alfred; Co-founder, HiGuests

Time to refuel, network and meet our exhibitors.

Student housing is a relatively untapped market within MEA and is expected to grow over the coming years, supported by several key demand drivers, including a number of government initiatives.

Vik Rao, Founding Partner and CEO, Strategic Housing Group – The Myriad Student Co-Living Communities

Discover more about Aljada - a self sustained mixed use community development by Arada Developments LLC in Sharjah

Amit Arora, Chief Operating Officer, ARADA

Discover more about the early stage growth of Livinc: Flexible Living Platform | Coliving | Corporate & Relocation within the UAE region

Zakee Ahmed, Founder and CEO, Livinc

Another chance to network and discover solutions to help your business

Designing and constructing Dubai's tallest hotel. At over 360 meters high, the tower will be the tallest hotel only building in the world when completed.

David Thomson, SVP of Commercial for Hospitality, The First Group

Growing ageing population, rising healthcare costs and rising interest rates are affecting the retirement plans of people.
This session takes a deeper dive on how people are making sacrifices, exploring new sources of funding and adjusting their retirement
expectations.

With over one third of UAE expatriates hoping to retire in the country, what are the potential opportunities for developers and investors in the region?

A recent industry report highlighted Airbnb revenues increased 421% in Dubai alone.

With 15,000+ hoteliers and lots of serviced apartments now listing inventory on Airbnb worldwide, join the debate on whether short term rentals and Airbnb is a friend or foe to MEA hospitality? 

Moderator: Patrick Ryan, Editor, Hotel News ME

Panellists:

Ali Manzoor, Associate Partner, Knight Frank, Dubai

Rana Mukherji, General Manager, Bespoke Hotels International, Middle East & Africa

Ruben de Looff, COO Maxxton

A summary of the main take aways from the event

Last chance to make those all important connections over drinks.