Following Hotel & Resort Design South 2024’s successful start, delegates returned to the Miami Beach Convention Center bright and early for another day of catching leading insights, sourcing products, and growing their network.
Wellness wake-ups
After a spectacular and exciting first day at Hotel & Resort Design South, many greeted the sun this morning in a scenic Rooftop Yoga session held atop the Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach. At the same time, other delegates took to Miami Beach for a Rise ‘n’ Run session to get blood pumping ready for another invigorating day of making new connections and knowledge sharing at Hotel & Resort Design South.
Later, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, sustainably-minded professionals from across hospitality travel interiors met for a hosted Sustainable Design Summit working group themed around adopting a circular state of mind across the entire supply chain and design process.
Captivating displays and cutting-edge solutions
At 10:30am, doors opened for day two of Hotel & Resort Design South. Once again, delegates took to the show floor to walk the aisles and meet with forward-thinking suppliers. Over at the product showcase, suppliers returned eager to share their most cutting-edge products and innovations with decision-makers. From hand-crafted art pieces from Colombia by ELEM.NTS, to wood samples from Eterea, the products on display were certainly impressive!
Attendees also took advantage of the unique opportunity to explore the flourishing cruise interiors industry at the co-located Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas (CSI). Across the expo hall, there were plenty of innovations and product demonstrations in action. From leading fitness equipment on Matrix Fitness’ booth to demonstrations of TuffSkin’s revolutionary new solution for protecting marble countertops, there was plenty to see and do! Among the most vibrant booth designs was Dauerflora’s captivating on-booth floral displays. Visitors also flocked to Secto Design’s stand to check out their Scandinavian lighting.
Generational travel trends and insider insights
Insightful discussions continued into the second day of HRDS, kicking off with Lifestyle goes corporate – is it an oxymoron? This exploration into the boutique and lifestyle hotel boom saw speakers weighing in on lifestyle hotels’ growth into the mainstream and asking whether this has been chiefly organic or aided by acquisitions.
Following this, both HRDS and CSI Design Expo Americas delegates gathered to learn about the next generation of travellers in Next-gen hospitality: Trends reshaping guest lifestyles. Here, speakers from OSK Design, Choice Hotels International, and Holland America Line & Seabourn explored the way Gen-Z is shaking up the hospitality industry, from solo travel to remote working. In addition to understanding this younger generation, delegates also left tapped into the travel trends, lifestyles, and expectations across multiple generations, ready to help them tackle their next big design project.
Following a fruitful morning, the HRDS Lounge hosted a high-energy lunch & learn session. Led by NEWH, this panel discussion-cross-networking event saw industry leaders from Universal Creative, Design Poole Inc and NEWH share insider knowledge on the challenges and successes of designing within a budget, the decision-making processes within ultra-luxurious and lifestyle brands, and more. After gaining insider knowledge, the local and regional hospitality design community mingled over a delicious networking lunch.
Finishing with a flourish
After two days of networking, product sourcing, and staying up to date with the latest industry trends, the energy stayed high as delegates took to the Cruise & Ferry Interiors VIP Lounge to end this year’s show with a bang at the first-ever Showstoppers Drinks Reception. The regional hotel and resort design community rubbed shoulders one last time while raising a glass to send off a successful event!
And that’s a wrap! Thank you to all who attended Hotel & Resort Design South 2024 and made it a great success! We look forward to seeing you again next year. Find out more about HRDS 2025 here.
