FHS World Unveils Stellar Speaker Line Up and Action-Packed Agenda for its Biggest Event to Date

Dubai, UAE, 29 August 2024. FHS World today unveiled its stellar line up of speakers, an action-packed agenda and a wealth of new features at its biggest event to date, which will see more than 1,500 hospitality and tourism leaders descend on Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah, 30 September to 2 October.

Under the theme ‘Invest in our Future’, the FHS World programme will present three days of strong debate, insight and groundbreaking news, covering everything from investment opportunities to innovation and ESG to exclusive announcements.

Among more than 110 confirmed top-flight speakers and presenters at FHS World is His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy for the UAE who, having played a crucial role in developing some of country’s most important hospitality and tourism policies, will share his insights on the world of hospitality investment in a welcome address moderated by Stephen Sackur, Presenter of HARDTalk, on 1 October.  

Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of FHS World organiser, The Bench, said: “FHS World is all about bringing together the best in the industry and connecting decision-makers, investors, hotel owners, operators and innovators across the global hospitality investment sector. As the hospitality and tourism industry reaches new heights in terms of investment, innovation and sustainability, our bursting agenda will push boundaries and challenge the norms to set the tone for the immediate, short-term and long-term future and success of the ever-growing and evolving sector.  We look forward to three days of strong discussion, hot debate and industry-changing decision making it our biggest, boldest event yet.”

Who is speaking at FHS World?

The growing list of speakers at FHS World features renowned names in hospitality, investment and tourism. Among them: His Excellency Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing; Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Airports; Pier Paolo Righi, CEO & President, Karl Lagerfeld; George Azar, Chairman & CEO, Sotheby's International Realty - Dubai, Saudi, UK, and Pat Thaker, Editorial Director MEA, The Economist Group.

Representatives from some of the industry’s leading hotel and tourism operators include Sébastien Bazin, Group Chairman & CEO, Accor; Thomas B. Meier, Chief Operating Officer and interim Chief Executive Officer, Jumeirah; John Pagano, Group Chief Executive Officer, Red Sea Global; Gregory Lanter, CEO Global Development Construction Property, ClubMed - All-Inclusive Beach and Mountain Resorts; Guy Hutchinson, President, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Hilton; Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability & Security Officer, Radisson Hotel Group; Satya Anand, President - Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Marriott International.; Haitham Mattar, Special Advisor UN Tourism, Managing Director MEA & South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts; Javier Águila, Group President -  EAME , Hyatt; Philip Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, Rotana; Kevin Goh, Chief Executive Officer, The Ascott Limited; and Duncan O’Rourke, Chief Executive officer MEA & Asia Pacific, Accor.

Leaders from ARC International Design Consultants, Booking.com, CBRE, Colliers, Dubai Real Estate Corporation, Elaf Group, Enterprise Greece, Group Barrierre, HAMA MEA, Hotelschool The Hague, Hyatt, HVS, JLL, JT+Partners, Kearney, Knight Frank, Leva Hotels, QUO, Rove Hotels, Savills, STR, TUI BLUE Hotels & Resorts, The Ascott Limited; van Marken Consulting, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Union Investment Real Estate; Savills; STR; and United Hospitality Management also feature.

What’s on the FHS World agenda?

With more than 40 sessions, covering nearly 20 conference tracks across four stages (Summit, Future, Exhibition and Innovation), the FHS World agenda is bursting with information and insight to address the biggest, most pressing issues facing the hospitality and tourism industry. Key tracks include ESG and Human Capital; Technology and Innovation;  People, Planet, Profit; Real Estate Hotelisation; Investment and Development; Branding and Culture; and Wellness, as well as several sessions dedicated to industry awards and competitions.

Tanja Millner, Production Director at The Bench, said: “As FHS World continues to expand and evolve, so do its agenda, attractions and features. This year’s programme promises to be the largest, most diverse and most immersive to date, with more topics and themes to inform, educate and inspire than ever before. We’ve also packed a host of new attractions into FHS 2024, including a mini expo spotlighting various countries’ investment opportunities, a forum dedicated to all things branded residences, and showstopping contests that will highlight our industry’s talent and creativity.”

Among the ‘must-attends’ across the three days are:

• Panel debates and presentations on all things People, Profit, Planet, including Scaling Tourism Destinations with Sustainable Footprints – An ESG Approach; Where to start with Decarbonisation, Achieving Net Positive Hospitality; and Justifying Sustainability.  Plus, there are several sessions covering sustainable design and construction, including what hotels of the future will look like, and decoding sustainability certifications

• The BIG Project Pitch – given the high demand from investors for new opportunities, FHS World has invited innovative hospitality projects from across the globe to take the stage and present their ideas in an interactive, live- judging format. Countries represented include Greece, Italy, the Maldives, Morrocco, Sri Lanka and more to be announced.

• Technology-focussed sessions exploring issues such as addressing bottlenecks in innovation, the future of design and customer experience; and practical insights and implementations for advancement

• In depth discussions on the hotelisation of real estate assets, including Commercially-driven Asset Management in Hospitality; Capitialising on the Alternative Accommodation Boom; The Rise of Blended Accommodation; and Global Trends in Co-Living.

• TenX Leadership Talks: Building Tomorrow’s Foundation for the Future of Travel; Insights of a CEO’s Journey.

• Special focuses on Europe and Africa examining the Europe’s hospitality revival and investment opportunities, and the booming hospitality market, dynamic investment landscape and approach to authentic leisure in Africa.

A deep dive into wellness, including sessions that explore the future of wellness travel, inhouse wellness brands versus outsourcing, and harmonising environmental responsibility with high end hospitality crafting inhouse strategies.

New and unique to FHS World 2024

From country showcases to curated competitions, FHS World is launching several new events and features this year.

The Branded Residences Forum, presented by Accor One Living, will deep dive into the history, current trends and future of all things branded residences in the Middle East and across the globe, with industry experts, developers, designers and branding experts among the speaker line-up.

Also new for 2024 is the Country Pavilions exhibition, showcasing new and unique hospitality projects and destinations – and the plethora of investment opportunities they bring – in international markets. Greece, Italy, Morocco, the Maldives and Sri Lanka are all confirmed for the event.

Plus, new competitions and industry awards will make their debut this year, as part of The Bench’s continued commitment to encouraging innovation and creativity in the hospitality sector. Contests include the semi-finals of the UN Tourism Women in Tech Start Up Competition; and the Sustainable Cook Off. As in previous years, the finals of the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, now firmly established as a key element of the industry’s events calendar, will also be held at FHS.

Awards and announcements

FHS World 2024 is the platform to showcase and celebrate top flight performers in the region’s hospitality industry, with the FHS Future Leaders and Leadership Awards, set to recognise the best contributors, creators and new talent. Nominations for both awards are open and can be submitted here.

The Leadership Award, in partnership with Hospitality News Middle East, celebrates exceptional leaders and innovators who have significantly impacted the global hospitality industry over their careers. This award aims to honour those who have shaped the industry through their dedication, leadership, and innovation, setting benchmarks for excellence and inspiring future generations of hospitality professionals.

The Future Leader Award, in partnership with EHL, is dedicated to individuals, 35 years old and younger, who exemplify the next generation of hospitality leaders on a global scale. This award aims to spotlight those who embody the spirit of hospitality and possess the vision to shape the future of our industry.

Visit https://www.futurehospitality.com/world for full information on the region’s leading hospitality investment summit.

About The Bench

The Bench has established a legacy for delivering world-leading investment forums and conferences in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The key principle behind these platforms has remained ‘dealmaking’. Transforming the way business connect, Bench has developed a reputation for creating innovative and high-impact meeting spaces for the industry. 

For over two decades - government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel & tourism associations, the world’s most influential hospitality brands, hotel owners & investors, renowned restaurant groups, airlines & aviation authorities, destination developers, asset managers, financial groups and consultants – have been participating in The Bench’s events for their respective objectives. These include AHIC, AHIF, FHS, AHF, IDEEA, AviaDev and RENEW –where industry players showcase their brands, position themselves as thought leaders or innovators, and connect with the right opportunities and knowledge. 

Learn more on thebench.com

About FHS World

Dates:                           30 September – 2 October 2024

Location:                       Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

Sponsors: 

Jumeirah as Host Sponsor; Italia Hospitality, Maldives Fund Management Corporation, Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development-SMIT and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority as Country Pavilion Sponsors; Aseer Development Authority, Hilton, NEOM, New Murabba, Radisson Hotel Group and Taiba Investments as Platinum sponsors; Accor, Club Med, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Minor Hotels, Red Sea Global and Rotana Hotels and Resorts as Emerald Sponsors; Action Hotels, Adyen, Aleph Hospitality, ARC International Design Consultants, Ark People Solutions, AtkinsRealis, Barriere Group, CBRE, Colliers, Compass Project Consulting, Dusit International, Elaf Group, Emaar Hospitality Group, Enterprise Greece, HVS, Hyatt, IHCL, JLL, JT+Partners, Kearney, Knight Frank, LEVA Hotels, Livit Consulting & Design, Louvre Hotels Group, Prologic First, PwC, Quo, Rikas Hospitality Group, roboSculptor, Rove Hotels, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Sommet Education, The Ascott Limited, TUI Hotels & Resorts, United Hospitality Management, Unox and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as Gold Sponsors; Aldar, Conran Business Group, COREcruitment, EHL, H World International, Shaza Hotels, STR, and Time Hotels as Silver Sponsors; SOHO Hospitality as Gold Sponsor - Restaurant Invest; Forsite Creative as Data Partner - Restaurant Invest; Lokalee as Start-up Exhibitor; Lock Stock & Barrel as After Party Host; BE WTR as Water Station Sponsor; Considerate Group, HAMA, Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, The Emirates Culinary Guild, UAE Restaurants Group, UN Tourism and World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance as Supporters.