Maximum Occupancy Australia unveils initial speaker line-up

Maximum Occupancy Australia has unveiled its initial speaker line-up for its 2026 conference, bringing together leading figures from across Australia’s hotel, accommodation, tourism and travel sectors.

Taking place on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, Maximum Occupancy Australia returns to Melbourne for a full day of candid conversations about the opportunities, challenges and changes shaping the accommodation industry heading into 2027.

The latest print edition of AccomNews is out now. Read it HERE

Maximum Occupancy is an established accommodation industry conference series bringing together hotel and accommodation owners, operators, general managers, commercial leaders, technology specialists and tourism executives to discuss the issues and opportunities shaping the future of the sector.

The initial speaker line-up includes:

• Nicholas Reece – Lord Mayor of Melbourne
• Adam Schwab – Co-Founder + CEO, Luxury Escapes
• Paul Constantinou AM – Co-Founder and Non-Executive Chairman, extended STAY Australasia
• Lisa Patroni – CEO, Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC)
• Dougall Hollis – General Manager, Accommodation Australia (Vic)
• Sarah Derry – Chief People Officer, The Star Entertainment Group
• Andrew Turner – Group General Manager Technology & Digital, EVT
• Lee Davey – State General Manager, EVT Hotels and Resorts
• Rachel Harman – General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
• Ian Wilson – Director, Title Hospitality
• Dean Minett – Managing Director, Gatehouse Hospitality
• Robert Moore – General Manager Hotels & Hospitality, Brady Group
• Jeff Baars – Chief Commercial Officer, Urban Rest
• Peter Minatsis – General Manager, Hannah St Hotel
• Carl Forrest – Hotel Manager, Pan Pacific Melbourne

With further speakers still to be announced, the 2026 program has been built around the commercial and operational issues accommodation leaders are dealing with right now.

Related AccomNews story: Maximum Occupancy New Zealand a sell out

Maximum Occupancy Founder Adrian Caruso said the focus this year is on creating conversations that go beyond traditional conference presentations. “Maximum Occupancy has always been about bringing the people actually running, owning and growing accommodation businesses together and having the conversations that matter,” Mr Caruso said.

“The industry is changing incredibly quickly. AI and technology are changing how hotels operate and how guests discover accommodation. At the same time, owners and operators are dealing with rising costs, staffing challenges, changing demand, pressure on profitability and an increasingly complex distribution landscape.

“We want to put those issues on the table and ask some of the questions hotel and accommodation leaders are already asking behind closed doors.”

The conference will open with Jacqueline Choo from STR examining the Australian accommodation outlook and what will drive demand in 2027, followed by the official conference opening from Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nicholas Reece.

Among the major discussions will be The Owner’s Table: What Hotel Owners Want in 2027, featuring Ian Wilson, Dean Minett and Robert Moore, while general managers from The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, Hannah St Hotel and Pan Pacific Melbourne will tackle What Keeps Hotel Managers Up Late at Night.

Technology will also feature prominently, with senior leaders examining AI Inside the Hotel: What’s Actually Working?, while other sessions will explore where the next hotel guest will come from, corporate travel, hotel F&B profitability, productivity and the changing digital landscape.

Read more events news on AccomNews HERE

Luxury Escapes Co-Founder and CEO Adam Schwab will join VTIC CEO Lisa Patroni for a discussion examining the changing sources of accommodation demand, while senior industry leaders including Sarah Derry and Lee Davey will discuss what they see coming next for the sector.

The program will also feature a one-on-one conversation with accommodation industry pioneer Paul Constantinou AM. In Building an Australian Accommodation Empire, Constantinou will share the story behind building Quest Apartment Hotels to more than 170 properties, the lessons learned through decades of growth and what he believes it takes to build an enduring accommodation business.

One of the day’s closing discussions, If You Were Running My Hotel Tomorrow, What Would You Change First?, will challenge industry leaders with an underperforming hotel and a hypothetical $100,000 investment, asking where they would put the money first – marketing, technology, people, rooms, F&B or revenue.

Additional speakers and further program announcements will be made in the lead-up to the conference.

Maximum Occupancy Australia will be held on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at Pullman East Melbourne.

For conference information, agenda and tickets, visit the Maximum Occupancy Australia 2026 website.