HOSPA Buys the National Hotel Marketing Conference
HOSPA, the Hospitality Professionals Association, has acquired the National Hotel Marketing Conference from Martin Evans of The Tourism Business. The association announced the deal on 16 September 2026, and the transfer took effect immediately.
The conference has run for more than 20 years and gathers hotel marketers and commercial professionals for one day a year.
The Next Edition Goes to St George's Park
The 2027 conference takes place on 27 May at Hilton at St George's Park in Burton upon Trent. The venue is the National Football Centre, which the conference describes as a GBP 100 million facility and the site of previous editions.
The most recent edition ran on Thursday 30 April 2026 at the same venue, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the conference reporting more than 250 marketing and sales managers, general managers and owners in the room.
Pendlebury Calls It a Natural Fit
Jane Pendlebury, chief executive of HOSPA, called the conference a natural fit for the association and said it gives marketing professionals another platform. She said Evans spent more than 20 years building the event and that HOSPA is conscious of the legacy that carries.
The acquisition sits alongside HOSPA's existing work with the Hotel Marketing Association, which runs its own annual awards.
What Happens Next
Martin Evans, founder and former owner, said the handover comes at the right moment. HOSPA and the HMA will consult members and previous delegates on how the event develops. Programme, ticket and venue details for May 2027 are not yet published.