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.

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. 

Sponsored by Polywood

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.