In Brief: The International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) has announced that its INSPIRE 2026 conference will feature dedicated sessions on investment and development, signaling an increased focus on financial and project planning topics for luxury hospitality professionals.
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ILHA Adds Investment and Development Sessions to INSPIRE 2026 – Image Credit International Luxury Hotel Association
The International Luxury Hotel Association has added investment, development, operations and branded-residences sessions to its INSPIRE 2026 conference, scheduled for Dec. 15-16 at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa.
The conference program will include discussions involving owners, investors, developers and brand representatives on capital, development and margin decisions in luxury hospitality in 2027.
Barry Bloom, president and chief operating officer of Xenia Hotels & Resorts, and Keith Space, president of Fort Hospitality, will participate in a Dec. 16 fireside chat titled “Owning Luxury in 2027: Value, Risk and What Comes Next.” Jonathan Falik, CEO of JF Capital, will moderate the session, which is scheduled to close the Encore Summit Stage program.
The discussion is set to address what guests will pay for, costs affecting margins, how owners are underwriting new investment, and owner expectations of operators and brands.
A session titled “Value Creation Roadmap: Where Smart Capital Is Moving in Luxury Hotels” will include Lily Hu, executive vice president of business strategy at Crescent Hotels & Resorts; Sonia Egyhazy, vice president of luxury hotel and mixed-use development at Accor; and Kristina D’Amico, vice president of hotels asset management at JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group. Carolina Lacerda, executive director of transactions and corporate finance at EY-Parthenon, will moderate.
“Building the Brand: Luxury Development in 2027” will feature Shafi Syed, global head of hotel development and acquisitions at Equinox Hotels; FeiFei Wang of feasibility and development at Mandarin Oriental; and Rika Lisslo, vice president of lifestyle and residential development for the United States and Canada at Hilton. Dr. Clay B. Dickinson, managing director of Horwath HTL and professor at FIU, will moderate.
The “Quiet Margins: Protecting Profit Without Touching Guest Experience” session will include John C. Tolbert, senior vice president at BRE Hotels & Resorts; Zach Demuth, head of strategic growth and asset management at Eight Form; Matthew Boettcher, senior vice president at Evolution Hospitality; and Susie Park, executive vice president of global hotel asset management at CBRE. Darrin Phillips, CEO and founder of Top Shelf Project Management, will moderate.
“Luxury Branded Residences & The Future of Design Identity” will examine branded residences and design. Participants will include Anna Masello, marketing and real estate branding director at The One Atelier; Anne Billaz, CEO of Lagardere Active Enterprises; and Fernando De Nunez, CEO and founder of Vertical Developments. John Lancet, senior managing director and practice leader for the Southeast and Caribbean regions at HVS, will moderate.
The program also includes a fireside chat with Tina Edmundson, president of luxury at Marriott International; a conversation with Carolyne Doyon, president and CEO of Club Med North America and Caribbean; and sessions on AI, wellness, culture and guest experience. Registration is open.