Sustainability in hospitality has evolved far beyond energy-efficient lighting and recycled materials. Today, environmental responsibility intersects with brand strategy, asset value, capital investment, design, operations, staff retention and guest experience. This panel brings together perspectives from key stakeholders from the hospitality community to explore how sustainability influences the way hotels are conceived, financed, renovated, operated, and ultimately valued. From adaptive reuse and resilient design to energy performance, material selection, water conservation, and measurable ESG goals, the discussion will examine what is truly moving the industry forward and how stakeholders can be influenced to do more.  Most importantly, the panel will explore: How do we make sustainable hospitality both achievable and financially compelling?

The economics of hospitality development today demand faster-than-ever project delivery to offset rising construction costs, expensive borrowed capital, and deferred operating revenue. Traditional sequential project delivery methods are increasingly unable to meet the speed and flexibility required in today’s market. Featuring perspectives from ownership, procurement, design, and manufacturing, this panel explores accelerated project delivery strategies that challenge the conventional procurement and execution model to compress timelines by months rather than weeks. Panelists will discuss how overlapping procurement, design, fabrication, and decision-making workflows can accelerate delivery while maintaining design intent, operational alignment, and guest experience objectives. Through real-world case studies, including recently completed hospitality projects, the conversation will examine when these strategies are most effective, the measurable impacts they can create, and the operational and financial risks they may introduce. Attendees will leave with practical insights into how collaborative, fast-track delivery methodologies are reshaping hospitality development — and how teams can implement them successfully in their own projects.

In today’s hospitality landscape, the most successful projects aren’t simply the result of brilliant design or deep pockets. They emerge from the often complicated relationship between owner, designer, and procurement. Join moderators from top ISHP procurement firms and owner panelists from leading brands across the globe for a candid discussion on what really happens behind the scenes, shared openly and in their own words. Stay for the open forum and meet-and-greet, where the conversation continues and your questions take the floor.

As project budgets tighten across the hospitality industry, designers are being challenged to rethink how impactful spaces are created. This panel brings together creative leaders to discuss how thoughtful design strategy, material ingenuity, and focused investment can produce memorable guest experiences without excessive spending. From identifying high impact moments to balancing aesthetics with operational realities, the conversation will explore how limitations can sharpen creativity and lead to smarter, more meaningful design outcomes.

For decades, luxury hospitality was defined by visible expressions of wealth and status. Today, guest expectations are evolving, with personalization, wellbeing, privacy, authenticity, and meaningful connection emerging as the new markers of "luxury." As service and experience become the true differentiators, this session will explore how interior designers can help brands and owners deliver on these changing expectations and why the role of design has expanded far beyond aesthetics. Drawing on examples from hotels, restaurants, branded residences, and experiential travel, panelists will discuss how thoughtful planning, sensory design, storytelling, art, and a deeper understanding of operations and the guest journey can support exceptional service and create experiences that feel deeply personal and memorable. Attendees will gain practical insights into how designers, operators, and owners can work together to redefine luxury for a new generation of travelers and create environments that foster emotional connection, support operational excellence, and deliver lasting value. 

What makes a hospitality space welcoming when every guest experiences it differently? Explore neurodiversity through the perspectives of an inclusive design consultant, an architect, and an interior designer, with interactive moments that bring the ideas to life. Walk in curious. Walk out with practical strategies for acoustics, lighting, seating, and circulation that you can start incorporating into your next project.

Sponsored by Polywood

Wellness is redefining what luxury feels like. Join designer and TV personality Galey Alix, entrepreneur and wellness advocate Dale Moss, and hospitality innovator Kane Sarhan for a conversation on how thoughtful design, sensory experiences and human connection are reshaping hospitality. Moderated by POLYWOOD EVP Megan Pierson, the panel will explore how spaces can do more than look beautiful. They can change how people feel, connect and experience a destination.

Designed for designers, investors, hospitality brands, and operators, this session journeys around the world through recently completed projects that challenge and redefine the future of hospitality—from a treehouse north of the Arctic Circle surrounded by 350 birdhouses, to handcrafted hospitality rooted in 1,000-year-old Japanese traditions with Not A Hotel; from a ski-in/ski-out hotel in the Valley of Watchmaking outside Geneva, to the New Nordic Cuisine and foraging philosophy of Noma 2.0, and the transformation of a 1930s bank along the Champs-Élysées into a new model for retail and culinary experience. Along the way, we’ll taste, test, and explore how design, culture, nature, food, retail, and innovation are converging to create the hospitality experiences and business models of tomorrow

Join industry-leading women for a powerful discussion on challenges and opportunities in hospitality. This ticket includes a seated breakfast.

Adaptive reuse has evolved from a niche preservation strategy into one of the most powerful tools in hospitality development. This session explores how guest demand for authentic experiences are driving a new generation of hotel projects in existing buildings. Through real-world case studies, attendees will learn how financial incentives influence design decisions, how brands can successfully adapt to existing structures, and why renovation projects can create value that extends beyond the balance sheet. Participants will leave with practical insights into evaluating adaptive reuse opportunities and balancing preservation, performance, and profitability.

As consumers increasingly dine in groups, seek casual experiences, and embrace everything from street food to high-quality grab-and-go, the traditional restaurant model is evolving. This discussion will explore whether fine dining is truly disappearing, or simply being repackaged into more accessible, experience-driven formats. Panelists will discuss the rise of destination restaurants, the staying power and adaptability of long-standing establishments versus pop-ups, generational influences on dining habits and viral menu trends, and the growing hybridization of high-quality food with counter service. Against the backdrop of labor shortages and rising labor costs, inconsistent dining patterns, and shifting alcohol consumption, the conversation will examine how operators are balancing quality, hospitality, efficiency, and profitability.  This session will dive deeply into what the next generation of dining really looks like and whether the future of fine dining may be less about formality and more about delivering exceptional experiences.