Omar Herrera leads Meetings & Events sales for Hyatt across Australia and New Zealand — representing 30+ brands and 1,400+ hotels globally.

In this episode, Omar and Carla cover:

▪️ Hyatt’s expansion in the upscale and lifestyle market

▪️ New openings like Hyatt House South Melbourne & Caption by Hyatt Sydney

▪️ What sets Hyatt apart when it comes to global event planning

▪️ Emerging trends for 2025 — and why planners are leaning local in APAC

🎧 The Conference Shop and All the Goss is brought to you by The Conference Shop — a free venue finding service helping busy EAs and planners find the right venue, fast.📩 Got an event brief? Let us do the legwork: enquiry@theconferenceshop.com.au

Cristina Guevara is a dynamic sales leader with 20+ years in hospitality — and in this episode, she shares what it’s really like leading business event partnerships across TFE Hotels’ 70+ properties in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.

You’ll hear:

✔️ Cristina’s take on 2025 trends (from sustainability to smarter budgets)

✔️ New openings like The Eve Hotel Sydney and Adina Town Hall

✔️ What planners often overlook when sourcing multi-city roadshows

✔️ And a name tag fail that required serious team heroics (and a lot of pens)

🎧 The Conference Shop and All the Goss is brought to you by The Conference Shop — a free venue finding service that helps you shortlist, compare, and book the right space, fast.

📩 Got an event brief? Let us do the legwork: enquiry@theconferenceshop.com.au

Carla is joined by Ben Greenwood, Director of MICE for Minor Hotels Australia & New Zealand — leading strategy and sales across a portfolio of 13+ meetings and events properties across the region.

From 600-person gala dinners to a new five-star NH Collection hotel coming to Sydney, Ben shares:

✔️ What’s new across Minor’s portfolio (including Cypress Lakes and Elysia)

✔️ Why regional venues are winning in 2025

✔️ And what really happens behind the scenes of a multi-week corporate event

If you’re planning a conference, offsite or incentive program — and want the inside edge on which venues are actually worth your time — this one’s for you.

🎧 The Conference Shop and All the Goss is brought to you by The Conference Shop — a free venue finding service that helps you shortlist, compare, and book the right space, fast.

📩 Got an event brief? Let us do the legwork: hello@theconferenceshop.com.au

Morag Ritchie knows a thing or two about premium event spaces — she heads up Sales for Salter Brothers Hospitality, overseeing 20 luxury resorts and retreats across Australia and New Zealand.

In this episode, she joins Carla to talk:

• What sets a luxury venue apart (hint: it's not just the decor)
• Behind-the-scenes access to exciting refurbishments at Milton Park and Lilianfels
• How her team curates standout conference experiences with serious attention to detail
• And that nightmare famil moment she somehow pulled off like a pro

It’s a conversation packed with practical insights, destination intel, and a few stories planners won’t forget.

🎧 Listen now or explore the portfolio: salterbrothershospitality.com