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TYSONS, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cvent, a leading meeting, event and hospitality technology provider, has expanded the roster of keynote speakers for its annual Cvent CONNECT event technology conference. Michael J. Deitemeyer, Chairman and CEO of Aimbridge Hospitality; Casandra Matej, President and CEO of Visit Orlando; and John Murray, President and CEO of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, will participate in a panel discussion on the main stage to share their views on the state of the hospitality industry, what destinations and hotels need to offer. to win the business of event professionals in a post-pandemic environment, the new demands for leadership in a changing industry, and more.
This year’s hybrid event will take place April 11-14 and will offer both in-person and virtual experiences. The in-person conference will be hosted at CAESARS FORUM in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Cvent is also offering a free, premium virtual option for those who choose to attend remotely. Some conference sessions will also be available on demand.
“We are thrilled to welcome these hospitality industry leaders to the main stage at Cvent CONNECT,” said Patrick Smith, Cvent’s Chief Marketing Officer. “The past two years have been particularly challenging for the travel and hospitality industries, but now, as demand for in-person experiences continues to grow, it’s time for hospitality professionals to take advantage of the lessons from the pandemic and capitalize on this positive momentum. With decades of experience, Michael, Casandra and John bring deep industry expertise and a proven track record of business recovery and growth both in times of economic downturns and in times of prosperity. They have managed to deliver incredible experiences and partner with planners to bring their visions to life – something that is more important than ever in this new event landscape – and we ‘I am delighted to hear their ideas and share them with all our Cvent CONNECT participants.
Learn more about the featured Cvent CONNECT speakers:
- Michael J. Deitemeyer, President and CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality: Michael Deitemeyer leads Aimbridge Hospitality’s growth, operations and corporate disciplines worldwide with a current hotel portfolio of over 1,500 properties in 23 countries. Deitemeyer served as global president of Aimbridge following a merger with Interstate Hotels & Resorts in October 2019. Previously, he served as president and CEO of Interstate Hotels & Resorts for nearly three years. Deitemeyer had a very successful tenure with Omni Hotels & Resorts, including 13 years as Chairman, helping grow Omni’s organization through management roles in operations, development, sales and finance. Deitemeyer is a member of the AHLA Board and Executive Committee (since 2014), AHLEF (since 2018), the US Travel Association CEO Roundtable and MINA, representing society as an At-Large Board Member of Marriott International’s Franchise Advisory Board (2018-gift). Deitimeyer was a founding board member and served as chairman of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands. In December 2018, Lodging Magazine named him Person of the Year.
- Casandra Matej, President and CEO, Visit Orlando: Orlando is the most visited destination in the United States and the theme park capital of the world®; and as President and CEO of Visit Orlando, The Official Tourism Association® for Orlando, Casandra Matej is responsible for leading the branding, marketing and sales of the Orlando destination globally. to boost Central Florida’s $76 billion tourism industry. Matej has over two decades of experience in the tourism industry, including serving as President and CEO of Visit San Antonio, as well as senior leadership positions at VisitDallas, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, and Hyatt Hotels. . She was recognized as one of the Top 25 Women in the Meetings Industry by Meetings & Conventions magazine and listed as one of the 500 Most Influential Event Professionals by BizBash. She is a board member of the US Travel Association. Its immediate goal is to spur the revival of Orlando’s powerful tourism industry, which in traditional years draws more than 75 million visitors to the area.
- John Murray, President and CEO, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation: John Murray is the President and CEO of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation. As one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the United States, Sonesta’s portfolio of managed hotels has grown 350% since August 2020. Murray is also Executive Vice President of RMR Group and a member of the RMR’s executive operating committee. In addition, he is a managing director of Service Properties Trust (Nasdaq: SVC) and Industrial Logistics Properties Trust (Nasdaq: ILPT). Murray previously served as President of SVC from 1996 to 2022 and its CEO from 2018 to 2022. He also served as President and CEO of ILPT from 2018 to 2022. Murray currently serves on the Hotel Development Board of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the American Hotel & Lodging. Hotel Investment Roundtable (AHLA). From 2014 to 2017, he served as a member of the AHLA Board of Directors representing the association’s homeowner segment. Prior to joining RMR, Murray worked at Fidelity Investments and Ernst & Young LLP.
Click HERE for more information and to sign up for Cvent CONNECT.
About Cvent
Cvent Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: CVT) is a leading provider of meetings, events and hospitality technology with more than 4,300 employees and nearly 21,000 customers worldwide. Founded in 1999, the company offers a comprehensive event marketing and management platform and provides a global marketplace where event professionals collaborate with venues to create engaging and impactful experiences. Cvent is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, just outside of Washington DC, and has additional offices around the world to support its growing global customer base. Cvent’s comprehensive event marketing and management platform provides software solutions for event planners and marketers for online event registration, venue selection, event marketing and management. events, virtual and on-site solutions and attendee engagement. Cvent’s suite of products automates and simplifies the entire event management process and maximizes the impact of in-person, virtual and hybrid events. Hotels and venues use Cvent’s supplier and venue solutions to win more group and corporate travel business through Cvent’s sourcing platforms. Cvent solutions optimize the entire event management value chain and have enabled clients around the world to manage millions of meetings and events. For more information, please visit Cvent.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.