Hotel & Resort Design South (HRDS) is a product sourcing and networking platform for the Southern States and LATAM-based hotel interiors design industry. This specialised trade show connects designers, architects, and the global supply chain with hotel & resort brands. HRDS was first launched in November 2022 by Elite Exhibitions, a Brighton-based event organiser. It has since grown into a key event for the industry, connecting professionals across the whole supply chain.
HRDS provides a meeting space and a much-needed avenue to highlight emerging design trends in the flourishing Southern States and LATAM markets. Through a tailored conference program, exhibition, product showcase featuring new and established interior brands and a full schedule of networking events, visitors will forge new connections and lasting partnerships within the hotel and resort design industry. To find out more, read our HRDS show information and FAQ page.
Hotel & Resort Design South is guided by industry leaders who make up the HRDS Advisory Board. Not only does the Advisory Board help shape the focus of the event and HRDS conference program, but they are also huge advocates of the show. HRDS is also supported by its sponsors and partners, who contribute to its success.
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Understanding the market
Hotel & Resort Design South is attended by professionals involved in the design of hotels and resorts across the Southern States, Caribbean, and Latin America regions. These include design firms, architects, suppliers, and the world’s major hotel and resort brands. The largest hotel industry chains are referred to as the “Big Six”. These major players consist of Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Accor, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Hyatt Hotel Corporation. These brands have significantly expanded into the lucrative markets across the Southern States and Latin America in recent years. Growth in the Southern States and across Mexico has also been fuelled by hotel development to host visitors for the upcoming 2026 world cup tournament.
Exhibiting at Hotel & Resort Design South
Hotel & Resort Design South and the co-located Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas (CSI) host hundreds of exhibitors under one roof at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This places them in front of key decision-makers in the hotel, resort, and cruise design industries.
HRDS also hosts a product showcase in a dedicated space within the hall. This gallery-style podium display features hand-selected luxury and innovative products for hotel, resort and private island destinations. The location of the product showcase space provides unrivalled access to industry buyers.
In addition to many networking opportunities at Hotel & Resort Design South, our marketing team also offers dedicated exhibitor support. This includes an exhibitor manual, a unique visitor registration link, discounted rates through booking at our partnered hotel, as well as pre-written social posts and digital banners.
Visiting Hotel & Resort Design South
Hotel & Resort Design South is the only trade show dedicated to the hospitality design sectors in the Southern States, Caribbean, and LATAM regions. The event connects designers, architects, and the global supply chain with hotel and resort brands. To encourage connectivity, HRDS provides many opportunities to expand your network, with quickfire Speed Networking sessions, brand Q&A sessions, a glittering opening party, rooftop yoga, and beachside runs. In addition to attending HRDS, visitors can also network with key members of the community at our official partnered hotels.
To complete the HRDS experience, the industry’s biggest players deliver a leading schedule of content consisting of thought-provoking keynotes and inspiring talks. These sessions highlight the distinct design styles emerging from the Southern States and LATAM region. Attendees will leave feeling inspired and up to date on the latest trends.
Visitors can also meet forward-thinking exhibitors at the co-located Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas (CSI). At CSI, hundreds of relevant exhibitors supply both the cruise and hotel & resort design industries.
Key industry buyers can apply to attend Hotel & Resort Design South as a VIP. The HRDS VIP Program supports our industry buyers and ensures they have the most valuable time whilst attending HRDS. If you work for a hotel, resort, private island destination, design studio and/or influence purchasing decisions at the company you work for, it is highly likely you qualify for this incredible program.
Hotel & Resort Design South 2025
The next Hotel & Resort Design South will take place on 3 – 4 June 2025 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Many of the event’s popular features will be returning, such as the inspirational conference program, innovative product showcase, dynamic Speed Networking sessions, and stimulating networking opportunities.
Previous shows
Hotel & Resort Design South 2024
For its second year, Hotel & Resort Design South returned to the Miami Beach Convention Center on 6 – 7 June 2024. This year’s edition of the event took place at the end of the week, allowing attendees to extend their stay in Miami and enjoy the city over the weekend.
Networking took centre stage at HRDS 2024, with the event specially curating an itinerary that facilitated a space to create long-lasting partnerships across the supply chain. Kicking off with a buzzing opening party, the networking opportunities at HRDS included a wellness program, networking lunches, Speed Networking, and a happy hour drinks reception.
The 2024 conference program offered a comprehensive insight into the current state of the industry, with topics ranging from developments in eco-tourism to private island destinations and upscale products. As a trade show specially curated for hospitality design professionals across the Southern States and LATAM regions, this year’s program also included a session that shined a spotlight on Caribbean hotel and resort projects. Across both days, design leaders from IHG Hotels & Resorts, GMBHA, Marriott International, NEWH, Six Senses and more weighed in on these topical trends and challenges.
You can learn more about the 2024 edition of Hotel & Resort Design South in the following blogs:
Hotel & Resort Design South 2023
Hotel & Resort Design South launched in 2023. The first edition of this niche trade show took place on 6 – 7 June 2023 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The show debuted many exciting features including a product showcase displaying products and samples from 40 innovative suppliers, an array of networking opportunities, from lunches to Speed Networking meetings, access to Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas, and an insightful conference program.
The 2023 conference program included discussions on storytelling through design, design trends, and regional design influences from leading industry voices. The 2023 speaker line-up included Kristen Cullen from Dash Design, Emilio Perez from Marriott International, Kavitha Iyer from IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Trisha Poole from Design Poole Inc, to name a few.
Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas
Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas is the world’s only exhibition and conference exclusively dedicated to connecting the buyers and suppliers of the cruise design industry. This niche event brings together leading cruise lines and shipyards to meet with exhibiting designers, architects, outfitters, and interior suppliers from across cruise design.
HRDS is co-located with Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas (CSI). This allows the hospitality design community in the South and LATAM to connect with over 250 industry leading suppliers on display and explore supplying to or branching out to the cruise industry.