Launching with last week’s highly successful Executive Vendor Summit, the long-time partners will coordinate the annual Hospitality Upgrade CIO Summit and Executive Vendor Summit, powered by HFTP

AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (April 10, 2023) – Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has finalized an event management agreement with longtime partner Hospitality Upgrade to help coordinate the annual Executive Vendor Summit and CIO Summit, founded by Hospitality Upgrade in 2002This agreement kicked off with the 2023 Executive Vendor Summit, which was held last week at The Loews Hotel in New Orleans, La. from March 29–31. HFTP has been a sponsor of the Summits from their beginning and recently the association has contributed its event planning expertise to both events. This recent agreement extends this collaboration through 2026.  

“The Executive Vendor Summit and the CIO Summit have built reputations as essential C-Level industry networking events where Hospitality Upgrade has done a phenomenal job supplying stellar education and out-of-the-box networking activities,” said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. “It is such a unique experience for the attendees, and now by combining our organizations’ reputations and skill sets, our goal is to deliver a memorable experience.”

The 2023 Executive Vendor Summit was an invitation-only, two-day conference that offered a rare combination of networking, educational programming and immersive social events for C-level executives from the world’s finest hospitality technology suppliers. The Summit presents a relaxed atmosphere, with no customers and no selling. Session topics covered digital disruption, mitigating risk, acquisitions, legal Q&A, technology risks and rumors, and more. Outside of the educational programming, attendees were treated to fun social events, including a swamp tour and Mississippi River cruise.

The management agreement also includes coordination of the CIO Summit held in early September each year. The CIO Summit is a two-day conference that offers a unique combination of networking, program and immersive social events for C-level technology executives. Participation is limited to the “who’s who” of technology leaders at major hotels, casinos, cruise lines, management and timeshare companies, allowing the industry’s best, small peer networking experience.

“We’re grateful for the success we’ve seen over the last three decades, especially with our events, and we anticipate even greater things to come,” said Rich Siegel, founder and publisher of Hospitality Upgrade. “HFTP is a great partner and we appreciate the expertise and resources their team brings to our highly focused events.”

HFTP and Hospitality Upgrade are long-time allied partners working together to develop hospitality technology information and resources. Hospitality Upgrade is the exclusive technology magazine for HFTP and sponsor of HFTP events such as HITEC and the HFTP Annual Convention. HFTP has been a sponsor of Hospitality Upgrade events such as the CIO Summit and the Executive Vendor Summit since their launch.

For more information about the Executive Vendor Summit and CIO Summit, visit the events’ websites.