Akina Ho has 20 years of experience in change management, innovative technology, consulting, finance, hospitality and global sales management. Akina is leading a new department at Great Eagle to execute digital transformation and innovation at the group level for all subsidiaries globally. She is also part of the Investment Committee that evaluates start-ups in cutting-edge technology across different industries. Akina was one of the executives who helped a startup become a unicorn in Hong Kong in 2017 with investors from FoxConn & Softbank. She is a respected guest speaker, panel specialist and guest professor with a number of notable media appearances. Akina holds a GEMBA from USC and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.
Hospitality Marketing
Event Overview
There’s no doubt that industry professionals will have to adapt their communications when speaking to a public that is both wary of travel and weary of staying home. Regional differences in both the status of the outbreak and existing travel restrictions are also having a major impact on how the hospitality industry communicates with its audience.
In this panel discussion, three hospitality marketing professionals from the U.S., Europe, and Asia will discuss their marketing efforts and how they are adjusting to the new realities in their regions. During the Q&A, ask these industry leaders your own questions directly on how best to optimize marketing and communications.
The panel was organized by Translations.com, a Center for Hospitality Research Corporate Advisory Board Member company.
What You'll Learn
- What travel looks like in different regions of the world and what restrictions remain in place
- How global hospitality companies have tailored their marketing and communication messages to different regional realities of the COVID-19 situation
- Why messages resonate differently by region due to cultural, linguistic, and sociopolitical factors
- How hospitality marketing professionals can best optimize their short- and long-term strategies to attract guests
Speakers
Helen Chun is an associate professor of services marketing and a consumer psychologist who creates behavioral insights into managing and enhancing consumer experiences. She is particularly passionate about studying the role of emotions, customer experience design, branding, and prosocial and sustainable behaviors. Professor Chun’s ongoing work examines consumer experiences in the context of emerging media and digital technology. Her research papers have been published in leading marketing and services journals, such as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Service Research, and Service Science.
Professor Chun teaches Consumer Behavior and Marketing Management for Services. She has been honored with the Nolan School of Hotel Administration’s Teacher of the Year Award multiple times as well as the Ted Teng ’79 Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award. Professor Chun is also a Merrill Presidential Scholar Outstanding Educator Honoree at Cornell University.
Professor Chun previously taught at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications and at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. She earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration (Marketing) from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.
As the director of strategic communications for Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Michelle Irwin is responsible for the development and deployment of all strategic communications and education programs for over 625,00 customers across seven brands. She has proven experiences leading government relations, media relations, integrated marketing and advertising, community engagement, publications, digital media and expertise managing sensitive crisis communications incidents. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Central Michigan University, a Master’s of Science in Education Administration from Capella University, and an Education Specialist’s degree in leadership from Saginaw Valley State University. She is also the Assistant Superintendent of Government & Community Relations for Brevard Public Schools.
Remy Merckx is the Senior Vice-President of Global Digital for Radisson Hotel Group. He is in charge of leading, developing and delivering the global digital transformation strategy and operations by optimising all hotel sales and revenues through the group digital and online channels, driving incremental business and demand to the branded hotels by increasing significantly the traffic and the conversion of the branded digital platforms. In 2019, Rémy and his team re-built from scratch the entire RHG digital infrastructure by launching the new mobile-first driven Radissonhotels.com website and the new Radisson Hotels App. Since then he has led the digital transformation transversally for the group.

Akina Ho has 20 years of experience in change management, innovative technology, consulting, finance, hospitality and global sales management. Akina is leading a new department at Great Eagle to execute digital transformation and innovation at the group level for all subsidiaries globally. She is also part of the Investment Committee that evaluates start-ups in cutting-edge technology across different industries. Akina was one of the executives who helped a startup become a unicorn in Hong Kong in 2017 with investors from FoxConn & Softbank. She is a respected guest speaker, panel specialist and guest professor with a number of notable media appearances. Akina holds a GEMBA from USC and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.

Helen Chun is an associate professor of services marketing and a consumer psychologist who creates behavioral insights into managing and enhancing consumer experiences. She is particularly passionate about studying the role of emotions, customer experience design, branding, and prosocial and sustainable behaviors. Professor Chun’s ongoing work examines consumer experiences in the context of emerging media and digital technology. Her research papers have been published in leading marketing and services journals, such as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Service Research, and Service Science.
Professor Chun teaches Consumer Behavior and Marketing Management for Services. She has been honored with the Nolan School of Hotel Administration’s Teacher of the Year Award multiple times as well as the Ted Teng ’79 Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award. Professor Chun is also a Merrill Presidential Scholar Outstanding Educator Honoree at Cornell University.
Professor Chun previously taught at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications and at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. She earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration (Marketing) from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.

As the director of strategic communications for Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Michelle Irwin is responsible for the development and deployment of all strategic communications and education programs for over 625,00 customers across seven brands. She has proven experiences leading government relations, media relations, integrated marketing and advertising, community engagement, publications, digital media and expertise managing sensitive crisis communications incidents. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Central Michigan University, a Master’s of Science in Education Administration from Capella University, and an Education Specialist’s degree in leadership from Saginaw Valley State University. She is also the Assistant Superintendent of Government & Community Relations for Brevard Public Schools.

Remy Merckx is the Senior Vice-President of Global Digital for Radisson Hotel Group. He is in charge of leading, developing and delivering the global digital transformation strategy and operations by optimising all hotel sales and revenues through the group digital and online channels, driving incremental business and demand to the branded hotels by increasing significantly the traffic and the conversion of the branded digital platforms. In 2019, Rémy and his team re-built from scratch the entire RHG digital infrastructure by launching the new mobile-first driven Radissonhotels.com website and the new Radisson Hotels App. Since then he has led the digital transformation transversally for the group.
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