Latest news with #ChrisSilcock
Skift
2 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Hilton's AI Strategy: Less Hype, More Guest Experience
Hilton shows that AI's real value in hospitality may be behind the front desk, not in the booking path. Hilton believes that its best early opportunity to deploy artificial intelligence isn't by changing how travelers book rooms, but by improving the experiences that guests have. At the Skift Data + AI Summit in New York Wednesday, Chris Silcock, Hilton's president of global brands and commercial services, said the hotel giant is deploying AI tools to predict guest needs, automate hotel operations, and improve how staff recognize the most loyal customers. "We're not a tech company, but we deploy a lot of tech, and we build a lot of tech," said Silcock. "We're a service company. We're a hospitality company, people serving people." That distinction drives Hilton's AI strategy. Rather than investing heavily in the front end of travel, like inspiration and search, Silcock said Hilton is betting t
Skift
4 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Hilton Pushes Deeper Into Luxury Market in Loyalty Play
Hilton expects to open three luxury properties a week this year, on average. This puts it on track to have a substantially larger share of luxury rooms than its peers, partly to make its loyalty program more attractive to travelers. Hilton is betting on luxury hotels as it chases affluent travelers worldwide who want more aspirational redemption options in its loyalty program. The hotel giant reached a milestone Monday with its 1,000th luxury and lifestyle hotel opening globally. It said it expects to add more than 150 luxury and lifestyle properties this year, equivalent to roughly three new hotels per week. "Our more than 218 million Hilton Honors members dream of those experiences and are motivated, in part, to consolidate their spend and get access to luxury properties," said Chris Silcock, president of global brands and commercial services, in a Skift interview at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum in New York City. Silcock will also speak on stage Wednesday June 4 in New York City at Skift's Data and AI Summit. Adding More Luxury to the Mix As of March 2024, Hilton only had 3% of its rooms in the luxury category. It held roughly three t
Skift
28-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
One Week to Go: Limited Seats Remain for the Skift Data + AI Summit in NYC
The Skift Data + AI Summit is just one week away on June 4 in NYC, featuring top leaders from Hilton, Marriott, Amex GBT, Meta, KAYAK, and more. With expert-led roundtables and limited seats remaining, now's the time to secure your spot. The countdown is officially on: in just one week, on June 4, the travel industry's brightest minds and boldest innovators will converge in New York City for the Skift Data + AI Summit - a dynamic day of insights, strategy, and cutting-edge discussion at the intersection of AI and travel. Whether you're driving innovation at a global travel brand, rethinking personalization with data, or just getting your AI roadmap started, this is the must-attend event of the year. Meet the Trailblazers Taking the Stage This year's speaker lineup reads like a who's who of travel, tech, and transformation. Here are just a few of the visionaries taking the stage: Chris Silcock , President, Global Brands and Commercial Services, Hilton , President, Global Brands and Commercial Services, Hilton Mit Shah , CEO, Noble Investment Group , CEO, Noble Investment Group Naveen Manga , Global CTO, Marriott International , Global CTO, Marriott International Rodrigo Acuna Agost , Head of Research and AI Center of Excellence, Amadeus , Head of Research and AI Center of Excellence, Amadeus Janette Roush , SVP, Innovation and Chief AI Officer, Brand USA , SVP, Innovation and Chief AI Officer, Brand USA Marilyn Markham , VP of AI & Automation Strategy, Amex GBT , VP of AI & Automation Strategy, Amex GBT Matthias Keller , Chief Product Officer, KAYAK , Chief Product Officer, KAYAK Kurien Jacob , Partner and MD, Highgate Technology Ventures , Partner and MD, Highgate Technology Ventures Scott Drey , Creative Director - Meta Creative Shop and Vertical Lead, Travel, Meta , Creative Director - Meta Creative Shop and Vertical Lead, Travel, Meta Paula Port , VP of Global Marketing, Destination Toronto , VP of Global Marketing, Destination Toronto Cara Whitehill , VP, Thayer Investment Partners , VP, Thayer Investment Partners Gilad Berenstein , Founder, Brook Bay Capital , Founder, Brook Bay Capital Max Niederhofer , Partner, Heartcore Capital , Partner, Heartcore Capital And More This isn't just a conference — it's an invitation to shape the future of travel. New This Year: Expert-Guided Roundtables We're excited to debut expert-guided roundtables — focused, high-impact sessions that pair attendees with specialists to tackle pressing topics through open dialogue. Each roundtable has limited capacity and is designed to spark real solutions. Featured Roundtable Topics Include: Smart Travel Assistants and AI Interfaces – led by Stripe – led by Stripe Streamlining Operations with AI – led by AWS – led by AWS AI-Powered Travel Personalization – led by Curacity – led by Curacity Targeted Marketing for Travelers – led by Preferred Hotels – led by Preferred Hotels Preparing Your Tech Stack for AI – led by Amadeus These are deep dives with real experts, not just panels, but conversations that can change how you approach your work. Final Call: Only a Few Seats Left We're down to the wire and tickets are almost you've been on the fence — now's the time to act. With a packed agenda, exclusive roundtables, and a speaker lineup you won't find anywhere else, the Skift Data + AI Summit is where the future of travel intelligence will unfold.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hilton Meetings & Events Trends Report Ushers in ‘Year of the Meetings Maximizer'
From the Rise of Silent Meeting Time to the Emergence of Pod Squad Travel, the Next Generation of Event Goers Is Redefining the Future of Meetings and Events MCLEAN, Va., January 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From the rise of a work-from-anywhere culture to an increased demand for incentive and group travel, the last few years have transformed how we conduct business, giving rise to a new generation settling into the workforce – a generation that is redefining the future of work and in-person connections. To spotlight that transformation and offer solutions for event goers and planners alike, today Hilton is launching a multi-faceted initiative, coined "World's Most Welcoming Events." Leading the charge is the release of a first-of-its-kind special section of the 2025 Trends Report – The Meetings Maximizer: The Next Generation of Meetings & Events – paired with the new World's Most Welcoming Events Playbook. "At Hilton, we strive to meet the evolving needs of both event planners and attendees to provide a truly innovative event experience," said Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton. "World's Most Welcoming Events is intended to set a new standard of hospitality by supporting our customers with the right insights and tools to encourage meaningful moments of connection." From the Gen Z employee taking on their first full-time job to the Gen X senior leader who has attended meetings and events for their entire career, report findings from a U.S. survey of more than 1,000 adults planning to attend an in-person work meeting or event over the next two years uncovered key trends at the heart of a welcoming meetings and events experience: Event Prep 2.0: The Surge of Extreme Meeting Preparedness Communication is Key: Attendees feel more welcomed at in-person meetings and events when they receive an agenda in advance (71%), receive a greeting as they enter the event (61%) and have the ability to text a number to have their questions answered (59%). Promote the Power of Personal Branding: With 47% feeling anxious about joining a group of people already in conversation, and 45% fearing that they will end up in a controversial conversation, simple preparations can help ease anxieties and promote positive personal branding and the confidence of event goers. For instance, 54% of event goers report feeling more comfortable having icebreaker questions to help start conversations. Attendees Seek Steps for a Stress-Free Start Will Travel for Food: Having food menus sent in advance (60%), non-alcoholic drink options (52%) and food options for people with allergies (52%) can reduce meal-time anxieties. Meeting the Occasion: 79% of Gen Z report feeling at least a little anxious about not having the right attire when attending a work event. Sharing suggested attire guidelines allows meeting goers (67%) to feel more prepared at in-person events. Sound Shhhift: The Rise of Silent Meeting Time Pausing with Intention: 78% of respondents agree that sometimes when they are at a work event, they need a break or time to themselves. Having dedicated quiet areas to work or check work emails allows attendees (65%) to feel more comfortable at in-person events. The Power of Saying More with Less: Having smaller meetings instead of large ones enables attendees (62%) to feel more at ease speaking at in-person events. The Emergence of Pod Squad Travel Career Advancement: 71% agree that they have met someone at a work event who has helped them further their career. Frolleagues: Attendees prefer to go to meetings or events if they are with somebody they know (82%), sticking to their "pod squad," or small group that attendees spend time with at an event. According to Hilton's 2025 Trends Report, nearly 30% of global travelers (29%) often travel with "Frolleagues" – friends who are also colleagues – on leisure trips. "The power of in-person gatherings and face-to-face interactions is endless from strengthening workplace culture and building greater team trust to ultimately driving business results," said Frank Passanante, senior vice president, global head of sales and HRCC, Hilton. "Understanding the changing needs of customers and attendees and acting quickly to evolve and innovate is pivotal to propelling our industry forward." Hilton continues to innovate to meet the needs of planners and attendees globally, bringing solutions to life to make meetings and events more welcoming for all – from offering dedicated quiet zones to work, eat or relax to creating menus that avoid traditionally messy foods for seamless networking. The solutions can be found in the World's Most Welcoming Events Playbook, found as a resource within Hilton's EventReady Playbook, with more information on offerings for planners such as Hilton Meeting Packages to expand booking capabilities, the Hilton Incentive Collaborative to provide curated offers and experiences, the Hilton Honors Event Planner Program to earn bonus points on qualifying events, and the Meet with Purpose program to create meaningful impact in both the attendee experience and within the communities they visit. For more information on how Hilton is staying ahead of meetings and events trends and to view the findings, read the full report at To start planning your next meeting or event with Hilton, visit Methodology These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between September 30 – October 16, 2024. For this survey, a sample of 1,050 U.S. adults ages 18-65 were interviewed online in English. To qualify for the survey, respondents have to be planning to attend an in-person work event in the next 24 months. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points for all respondents. The sample contains a higher concentration of male, younger, and college educated adults. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,050, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-5.2 percentage points). About Hilton Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 24 world-class brands comprising more than 8,300 properties and over 1.25 million rooms, in 138 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World's Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 200 million Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: Cindy Sign in to access your portfolio
