Connection Is the New Luxury: INSPIRE 2026 Adds Culture, Wellness and AI to Its Agenda

The International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) has confirmed a new round of sessions for INSPIRE, its flagship luxury hospitality conference, taking place Dec 15-16, 2026 at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa.

The Case for Connection

Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Hospitality, will sit down with Phil Keb, Senior Advisor of Global Capital Investments and Transactions at IHG Hotels & Resorts, to discuss culture, purpose and relational wellness in luxury hospitality. Their conversation centers on a widening sense of social disconnection and what it could mean for travel demand as AI reshapes daily life.

"The greatest luxury may simply be time together. In a world that has never been more connected, people are craving real connection. Our opportunity in hospitality is to create the places, experiences and culture that make that connection possible." — Elizabeth Mullins, President, Evermore Hospitality

"Guests today aren't just booking a room, they're searching for a sense of belonging. The brands that understand this, that build genuine human connection into every touchpoint, are the ones that will define luxury hospitality's next chapter." — Phil Keb, Senior Advisor, Global Capital Investments and Transactions, IHG Hotels & Resorts

What AI Is Actually Delivering

INSPIRE will confront one of the industry's most pressing questions directly. In "AI at Scale: Building the Business Case for Hospitality," Rodney Linville, Global Head of Information Technology at Nobu Hospitality, and Shane O'Flaherty, Global Director of Travel, Transportation and Hospitality at Microsoft, join Neha Jaitpal, Global General Manager of Honeywell's Hospitality Vertical, for a look at where AI is proving its return, where adoption is falling short, and what it takes to move from pilot to scale. Barak Hirschowitz, President of ILHA, moderates.

Longevity, Performance and the Science of Luxury Wellness

Patrick Huey (Hyatt), Alena Stavnjak (Starwood Hotels) and Karlie Intlekofer, Global Research Scientist at Matrix, join a session on prevention, performance and longevity in luxury wellness, moderated by Kelleye Martin of Trellis Spa, The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa and ISPA.

Human Connection as the Ultimate Amenity

Robert Grosz, President and Chief Operating Officer of WorldVue, leads a session making the case that human connection, not any single product or feature, is a property's greatest amenity.

Designing Guest Experience Around the Guest

Gamal Elfakih (Marriott International), Rémi Delpech (Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts) and Daniel Hostettler (The Boca Raton) discuss how luxury hotels are placing guest experience at the center of strategy, moderated by Rebecca Ward of Agua Caliente.

Connectivity at Scale

Encore, ILHA's exclusive audiovisual partner for INSPIRE 2026, takes the stage as well. In "AI Raises the Stakes on Luxury Event Connectivity, Here's How to Plan for It," Alex Wedesky, Encore's Vice President of Internet Services, unpacks what smarter connectivity means for high-stakes luxury events.

A Fireside on Leading Luxury

The agenda also includes a fireside chat with Tina Edmundson, President of Luxury at Marriott International, and Carolyne Doyon, President and CEO of Club Med North America and Caribbean, both part of the conference's opening lineup.

Secure your place at ilha.org/inspire.