2026 AGENDA
Tuesday 10th February
Morning Session
10:30
STANDALONE SPEAKER:
Launching HEX26
A few words to officially kick off procedings at this year’s Hospitality Expo.
Dee Laffan
Host
Hospitality & Tourism
11:00
STANDALONE SPEAKER:
Dublin Food & Drink Tourism in 2026
An update on the key factors playing a part in shaping Dublin’s food and drink tourism landscape for the year ahead.
Fáilte Ireland
Finance & Business Development
11:30
Panel:
Dynamic Pricing in Hotels and Venues
How real-time demand and seasonality are shaping price points for rooms, events, and meeting spaces in 2026 and how to navigate this for the best in your business.
Dee Laffan
Host
Real Business: Real Stories
12:00
IN CONVERSATION WITH:
Sean & Elaine Lally, Hotel Woodstock
Hear the real story behind building a hospitality business: the successes, setbacks, and lessons learned, offering insight and inspiration for anyone in the industry.
Afternoon Session
Technology & Innovation
14:00
STANDALONE SPEAKER:
Career Design
Real Business: Real Stories
14:30
IN CONVERSATION WITH:
Hear the real story behind building a hospitality business: the successes, setbacks, and lessons learned, offering insight and inspiration for anyone in the industry.
Finance & Business Development
15:00
Diversifying Your Revenue
Finding new income streams beyond the bedroom or table and strategied for managing inflation and rising operational costs.
Wednesday 11th February
Morning Session
Hospitality & Tourism
10:30
Panel:
Restaurants Role in Irish Tourism
Food tourism is now plays a vital role in driving more visitors to Ireland and in platforming Ireland’s food culture on a global scale. Yet operating restaurants is as challenging as ever, including operating costs and staffing issues. How do we move forward? Our panel will higlight the incredible restaurant scene in Ireland and discuss what needs to change to keep it flourishing.
Manuela Spinelli
EuroToques Ireland
Dan Hannigan
Executive Chef, Angelina's Dublin
Sean Collender
Restaurant Association of Ireland
11:30
STANDALONE SPEAKER:
360-Degree Sustainability
12:00
Panel:
Circular Hospitality
Innovations in waste reduction and resource management
Gerard Whelan
Sustainable Workwear Ireland
Afternoon Session
Workplace Wellbeing & Performance
14:00
STANDALONE SPEAKER:
From Stress to Strength: Supporting Your People
Creating a supportive and healthy work environment
360-Degree Sustainability
14:30
STANDALONE SPEAKER:
Slavery, Then and Now: Cotton, Fast Fashion, and Ireland
We like to think that slavery was abolished in the 19th Century – but was it? Ireland wasn’t directly involved in the Atlantic slave trade in the way other European countries were, but some Irish people were. Are we unknown to ourselves now involved in modern slavery? The cotton in our T shirts and work wear can be tainted by the past, or grown in more humane conditions, and we can all help ensure those better conditions in the cotton industry.
Gerard Whelan
Sustainable Workwear Ireland
Hospitality & Tourism
15:00
Panel:
Influencer Marketing
When and how to leverage authentic voices to amplify your brand story