Orlando, Fla. – September 17, 2026 -- The International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) has confirmed new sessions for INSPIRE 2026, its flagship luxury hospitality conference set for December 15-17 at the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa in Orlando.
Executives from Nobu, Microsoft and Honeywell will address AI's actual return on investment
Rodney Linville, Global Head of Information Technology at Nobu Hospitality, will join Shane O'Flaherty, Global Director of Travel, Transportation and Hospitality at Microsoft, and Neha Jaitpal, Global General Manager of Honeywell's Hospitality Vertical, for a session titled "AI at Scale: Building the Business Case for Hospitality." The panel, moderated by ILHA President Barak Hirschowitz, will examine where AI deployments are delivering measurable returns versus where adoption has stalled, and what operators need to move projects from pilot programs to full-scale rollout across teams.
Evermore Hospitality and IHG leaders will link social disconnection to luxury travel demand
Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Hospitality, will hold a conversation with Phil Keb, Senior Advisor of Global Capital Investments and Transactions at IHG Hotels & Resorts, on culture, purpose and relational wellness in luxury hospitality. The session will explore how rising social disconnection, described by the pair as an age of loneliness, could create new commercial opportunity for the travel sector even as AI reshapes daily consumer behavior. "Guests today aren't just booking a room, they're searching for a sense of belonging," Keb said, arguing that brands embedding human connection into every guest touchpoint will define the industry's next phase.
Wellness, guest experience and connectivity round out the confirmed agenda
Additional sessions include "The Science of Prevention, Performance and Longevity in Luxury Wellness," featuring Patrick Huey of Hyatt, Alena Stavnjak of Starwood Hotels and Karlie Intlekofer, Global Research Scientist at Matrix, moderated by Kelleye Martin of Trellis Spa, The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa and ISPA. Robert Grosz, President and Chief Operating Officer of WorldVue, will lead "Measure What Matters: Why Human Connection Is Your Greatest Amenity." A separate panel on guest experience strategy will bring together Gamal Elfakih of Marriott International, Rémi Delpech of Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts and Daniel Hostettler of The Boca Raton, moderated by Rebecca Ward of Agua Caliente.
Encore will brief operators on connectivity risk for high-stakes luxury events
Alex Wedesky, Vice President of Internet Services at Encore, ILHA's exclusive audiovisual partner for INSPIRE 2026, will present "AI Raises the Stakes on Luxury Event Connectivity, Here's How to Plan for It," addressing infrastructure demands as AI tools become embedded in live event production. Encore is providing AV production across all three conference stages at the December event.
Marriott's luxury president and Club Med's North America CEO headline the opening lineup
The conference's previously announced opening sessions include a fireside chat between Tina Edmundson, President of Luxury at Marriott International, and Carolyne Doyon, President and CEO of Club Med North America and Caribbean. Registration for INSPIRE 2026 is open through ILHA's conference portal.