HSMAI staff recently had the opportunity to interview Greg Duff, Principal at Foster Garvey PC, HSMAI Global Distribution Advisory Board Member, and a speaker at the Commercial Strategy Conference, June 24-27 in Charlotte. Duff has a nearly 30 year career working exclusively in the hospitality industry. He has dedicated himself to helping clients solve a wide range of “back of house” legal issues associated with operating a modern hospitality operation – from advising on the myriad of issues associated with distribution and online travel to navigating the complex relationships among owners, operators, regulators, and vendors/suppliers.

Read on for our Q&A with Greg Duff.

Could you give us a brief overview of your session at Commercial Strategy Week?

I am going to be reviewing the “legal headwinds” that attendees and their companies are experiencing (or will soon experience). Topics include junk fees and service charges, Artificial Intelligence (AI), anti-trust (both in the U.S. and UK/EU) and tax. The session will be filled with “real world” examples as to how these issues are arising today.

What unique perspective do you bring to this topic, and why is it important for today’s hospitality commercial professionals?

As outside counsel to many of the largest hotel companies, we see first-hand the challenges that they face. If the topics I cover are not yet affecting attendees, they will soon.

What are the practical takeaways attendees will be able to implement after attending your session?

My goal is to provide every attendee a list of five to six topics to take back to their companies and ask whether the company is effectively handling these topics today or prepared to handle them in the future.

How does your session tie into the broader theme of Commercial Strategy?

Unfortunately, the best commercial strategy will only go so far if it runs into legal limits or exposes a company to unreasonable legal risks. Any effective commercial strategy must take into consideration some or all of the legal headwinds we plan to discuss.

Could you hint at any future trends or predictions you’ll be discussing in your session?

I hope to be able to provide some insight as to how the commercial landscape may be changing in the future based on anticipated or forthcoming changes in the legal frameworks around junk fees / service fees, AI, anti-trust, etc.

For those looking to deepen their understanding or application of your session’s insights, what resources or next steps would you recommend?

First and foremost, the list of topics or issues that I provide attendees with should be taken back to their companies and presented or discussed. Existing legal resources (whether internal or external) should also be consulted. Our firm would also be willing to assist if needed.

About HSMAI

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, Sales Leader Forum, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org.

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