Events

📈 Riyadh, 2 June 2026: The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia's Startup Den features entrepreneurs pitching in Riyadh for exposure, mentorship, and funding. Finalists include Abdulrahman Joud, Rakan Alrasheed, Nourah Alsadoon, Micaela Johnston, Sabrine Chennaoui, and Fayaz Ali. The winner receives a pass to FHS World in Dubai, September. Eligibility: Middle Eastern-based, 2-50 employees, up to $3M revenue, $2M funding. Judges: Rema Alyahya, Yasser Faisal AlSharif, Saad Shabbir. Last year's winner, Asif Alidina's Inntelo AI, expanded after winning.

🏨 Hotels can enter the 2026 GuestRevu GREAT Awards from June 1-30. This third edition includes all lodging types worldwide, judged by online reviews from Tripadvisor, Booking.com, and Google. Data is analyzed by Stenden University South Africa. Winners will be announced in October 2026 for Europe, America, and APAC, and in November for Africa. The awards emphasize guest satisfaction and exceptional hospitality, with partners like Cendyn and Stayntouch enhancing this global celebration.

📅 Shonali Devereaux, CEO of the Meetings Industry Association since November 2024, will join the Hotel Owner Conference on 3rd November 2026 at Prince Philip House, London. With 30 years of experience, including leadership roles in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, she also volunteers, lectures, and champions inclusivity. The conference gathers major industry figures to discuss operational and investment trends. Tickets and details are on the event's official website.

Melbourne, 19 May 2026 – RV park supply near U.S. host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has more than tripled year-on-year for the June 10–20 tournament window, according…

📚 ICFF 2026 will be held at New York's Javits Center from May 17-19, featuring the theme "Common Ground" to highlight design's cross-disciplinary role. The event will host over 90 speakers, including designers and business leaders. Notable talks include "The Art of Making" by Jessica Gersten and "The Hospitality Effect" by Andrew Franz. The fair will transition to November dates in 2027, coinciding with BDNY, while still maintaining independent curation and identity.

⚽ 2026, in the United States, the administration has waived visa bond requirements for confirmed World Cup ticket holders. This change aims to facilitate international fans' attendance at the event. Geoff Freeman, CEO of U.S. Travel, highlights that such measures, including accelerated visa processing and efforts by the White House Task Force, enhance the U.S. as a top travel destination and ensure a successful World Cup experience.

🏨 Indonesia's luxury hotel occupancy hit pre-pandemic levels by March 2026, surpassing other classes by 5.5 percentage points. Hotel rates jumped over 40% since 2019. Bali's branded residences grew 30.3% year-on-year, reaching IDR 707 trillion (USD 40 billion) across 50,025 units. Indonesia's share is IDR 24.7 trillion (USD 1.4 billion) with 1,145 units. Bali hosts 70+ hospitality-managed developments, with Canggu/Berawa leading. ITX 2026, held at The Langham, Jakarta, drew 400+ leaders, focusing on tourism growth.

🏆 On 8 January 2026, FIFA named Marriott Bonvoy as the 'Official Hotel Supporter in North America' for the World Cup held from 11 June to 19 July across the US, Canada, and Mexico. With 3.5 billion football fans globally, the event includes 48 teams, 104 matches, and 16 host cities. Bonvoy members with a Visa card can secure final match tickets for just 1 loyalty point, offering 12 packages per match and a suite in the final's stadium.

🏨 Raffles Paris is spearheading Accor's ambitious Roland-Garros activation, running from May 18 to June 7. Notable transformations are occurring at landmark hotels in Tokyo, São Paulo, and Shanghai. The event includes immersive hotel experiences, a curated courtside lounge, and exclusive member auctions for final seats.

📅 June 16-17, 2026, San Antonio, Texas hosts HSMAI's Commercial Strategy Conference at Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, focusing on marketing, revenue optimization, sales, and distribution in hospitality. Events include keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and networking, with pre- and post-event workshops. The conference features 14 breakout sessions each day, exploring current challenges and strategies. This event runs alongside HFTP's HITEC. Sponsorship tiers include Premiere to Bronze partners, and registration savings apply for groups of five or more.