Congress
Congress focused on sustainability
From our own experience, we know that many hospitality conferences in the Netherlands only touch on sustainability superficially. Often, there are people in the audience who are interested, but they are not the ones who can really make a difference in terms of sustainability within their organization. As a result, the organizations that really make an impact and deserve to be in the spotlight too often remain under the radar. We want to change that!
That is why, on March 20, 2026, we are organizing the conference at the DoubleTree By Hilton Amsterdam CS that is entirely focused on sustainability for decision-makers who see sustainability not as a side tasks, but as a strategy: general managers, financial managers, and sustainability managers who not only want to talk about change, but also want to accelerate it.
- What can you expect?
Meet partners and colleagues as we join forces with Niek van den Adel and Maartje Nelissen take a closer look at:
9:00 a.m. Welcome
09:15 Keynote: The Hospitality Reality Check – Food trend watcher Gijsbregt Brouwer and food entrepreneur Maartje Nelissen take you beyond the familiar symbols of sustainability. They show where the greatest opportunities lie for hotels that want to remain relevant and attractive in a rapidly changing world. Inspiring, sharp, and above all hopeful!
09:45 Panel session: Real Stories – frontrunners in dialogue with the audience, featuring Inan Sahin, Sustainability Strategist at Efteling, Hans Meyer, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Zoku, and Frank Tuhusula, General Manager at Hotel Jakarta.
10:30 Brew & Connect
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Workshops:
- Business Benefits
In this workshop, Amber Westerborg (The Social Hub) and Floris Licht (DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam CS) provide insight into their organizations' CSR/ESG policies and demonstrate the positive impact these have had on results. - Trends in F&B for hotels
Gijsbregt Brouwer is a food trend watcher, sought-after speaker, and consultant for leading brands in food, drinks, and hospitality. As founder of De Buik, he has been following developments in food and drink culture for years and enjoys sharing his findings. - Effectively Influencing Behavior – How do I get my guest on board? with Bas Erlings, Founder of SUE & The Alchemists and Crowdrock. Author of the book "The Game of the Populist."
Scroll down for the rest of the program.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Workshops:
- Make Your Impact Visible
Jacoline Plomp Partner at Impact House Grant Thornton, will engage with the audience on how hoteliers can translate their strategy into concrete actions and how they can successfully implement this strategy with all stakeholders. - Circularity in Practice
Together with Chrissy van Meersbergen owner of Green Label Service, specialized companies and partners of the platform share practical tips for hotels – less waste and more reuse. - Effectively Influencing Behavior – How do I get my guest on board? As described above.
1:00 p.m. Lunch & Connect at the Impact Market
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Workshops:
- I see, I see what you (perhaps) don't see
In this workshop, Elena Cavagnaro (UAS Professor at NHL Stenden and Associate Professor at University of Groningen) takes you on a journey of discovery through hotels and restaurants, where you will learn to recognize and reduce the often invisible plastic. - Tech for Impact
In these workshops, specialized companies and partners of the platform provide insight into where hotels unnecessarily lose money
. They demonstrate which technology has proven to be profitable and will provide the
audience with concrete actions to take. - Business Benefits
As described above.
Scroll down for the rest of the program.
Impact Market: Meet certified partners and proven solutions in person and find out immediately who can help your hotel become more sustainable.
3:00 p.m. Panel session: Interview with Paul Sprakel, publisher of Hospitality Management, and Mews CEO Matthijs Welle.
3:30 p.m. Closing reflection: Breaking free.
In this keynote, Niek van den Adel takes us on a journey of how to free yourself from ingrained patterns and learn to choose what is truly right, especially when things get exciting. Just as Hotels for Trees shows that small choices can have a big impact, this lecture is about putting meaning into action: how you can make a difference today for yourself, your organization, and the world around you.
4:00 p.m. Drinks & Bites at the Impact Market
Date:March 20, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Location:DoubleTree by Hilton, Amsterdam Central Station
