McLEAN, Virginia—The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) concluded the 2026 Commercial Strategy Conference on June 17 in San Antonio, Texas. Over 1,000 hospitality professionals registered for two days of education, networking, and cross-functional collaboration.
Held June 16-17 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in conjunction with the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC), HSMAI’s conference brought together leaders across marketing, revenue optimization, sales, and distribution to explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of hospitality commercial strategy.
Through keynote presentations, breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, and partner showcases, attendees explored how commercial disciplines are increasingly converging to drive more unified and profitable decision-making.
Statement From Leadership
“This year’s Commercial Strategy Conference highlighted the power of bringing hospitality’s commercial disciplines together around a shared strategy,” said Brian Hicks, president and chief executive officer of HSMAI. “From advances in AI to shifting consumer behaviors and guest expectations, the decisions being made today will shape the future of hospitality. The insights, collaboration, and conversation that took place over these two days reinforced the importance of aligning people, technology, and data to drive performance and growth across our industry.”
Conference Highlights
The conference included a programming lineup with several keynote presentations, including:
- Change Mindset: Change. Simply. Do It.
- From Occupancy to Obsession: What Hotels Can Learn from Fan Culture
- New Realities Ahead: Navigating North America’s Economic and Geopolitical Crosswinds
- Enhanced Hospitality: Shaping the Future of Commercial Strategy
Across sessions, several key themes emerged, underscoring how quickly the hospitality commercial landscape is evolving. Industry leaders highlighted the rise of the unified commercial organization, where sales, marketing, revenue management, distribution, and technology are increasingly operating as one integrated function. Conversations also explored AI’s shift from experimentation to execution, with growing emphasis on real-world applications delivering measurable commercial impact.
Additional discussions centered on the evolution of commercial talent and the new skill sets required in a more data- and technology-driven environment. Leaders also pointed to the industry’s ongoing shift toward total commercial profitability, alongside the continued convergence of global hospitality markets, as organizations navigate shared structural challenges and opportunities.
The conference also featured a robust Partner Showcase, providing attendees with opportunities to connect directly with leading hospitality technology and service providers while exploring solutions designed to drive growth and profitability.
