T+L’s World’s Best Summit Was a Love Letter to Travel — Here’s What I Learned from Industry Leaders, Hospitality Experts, and More

While walking through Travel + Leisure’s inaugural World’s Best Summit in New York, one immediately gets the sense that these are my people. 

Hundreds of professionals in the travel industry convened in New York City for the two-day summit where executives and leaders from airlines, hotels, and other parts of the travel industry shared insights and trends with the audience.

The speakers and attendees represented a who’s who in travel and hospitality including Aman Resorts, Bermuda Tourism, Frieze, Hilton, Hyatt, JSX, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, P/S, Sandals, Singapore Airlines, Six Senses, Smart Flyer, The Maker Hotel, Yelp, and more.

Coming away from the summit, audience members were left with invaluable insight and information — with themes of personalization, family-friendly travel, and sustainability — from an industry that’s always on the move. 

Future Of Travel: What Travelers Can Expect 

Travel brands are looking to give travelers more of what they want: authentic experiences, creative environments, and privacy. 

Within the Blackberry Farm & Blackberry Mountain properties, which were recently voted as the number one resort in the South, in T+L’s World’s Best Awards, relaxation and calm are woven into the property. 

“Life is so busy, being able to take the time and breathe, whether it is a meditation or just walking in the woods provides a connection to nature,” Blackberry Farm & Blackberry Mountain Proprietor Mary Celeste Beall said during a panel. 

For other hoteliers, a focus on wellness is a key ingredient to success, as The Maker Hotel’s co-founder Alina Roytberg shared how, “when we travel, the mind is more awake.”

Within airports, train stations, and other travel infrastructure, passengers expect to look forward to light, airy spaces that are packed with amenities. Airports are becoming destinations to themselves, with travelers arriving early to enjoy the amenities. 

“People are going to the lounge in the morning, and if you have the option to work remotely during the day, why wouldn’t you choose a better experience?” architecture firm Gensler’s Design Director, Principal Siobhan Barry shared. 

The firm designed the new Delta One Lounge inside of New York’s JFK Airport which features everything from an outdoor garden to spa services. 

İGA Istanbul Airport’s Deputy CEO Mehmet Buyukkaytan shared how the airport has become a cultural extension, with the Istanbul Airport Museum inside of the terminal open daily for travelers to visit and see over 300 different pieces from 29 Turkish museums. 

While there are plenty of changes happening in the physical world, leaders are also anticipating major changes technologically thanks to artificial intelligence. 

“AI has been quietly working in the background at Hyatt for some time now,” Hyatt’s Vice President and Global Brand Leader for Lifestyle and Luxury Brands Crystal Vinisse Thomas shared. “We’ve always been able to personalize experiences, but in the last year we learned from guests who want more customization. 

Thomas says this means guests might see special customizations for guests who have specific dietary requirements for traveling with pets.

Destination Canada’s CMO Gloria Loree shared how the tourism department has begun using AI in a panel moderated by T+L’s Senior Editorial Director Nina Ruggiero.

The tourism board recently made news with a new data collective which helps promote economic development.

A Focus On Sustainability

The travel industry continues to advance and become more sustainable, and brands are pushing forward with new ways to be green at all steps of a traveler’s journey. 

“Seven years ago, we decided to remove single-use plastics from everything,” Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas CEO Neil Jacobs shared during a panel. “We went through the entire supply chain, and even provided metal cases to local fishermen to help them.”

Jacobs, who shared news that he is writing a book on the success of the sustainability goals, to spread the word and blueprint for other organizations to implement. 

The Sandals Foundation, which recently celebrated its 15th anniversary of philanthropy throughout the Caribbean, has doubled down on sustainability in the region. The foundation’s Executive Director, Heidi Clarke, shared that “the time is now” to make sustainability a priority for the travel industry. 

While there is a significant amount of work that can be done to be a sustainable traveler within a hotel, panelists also shared travel tips that can help make for a greener, and cheaper, journey – including one New York-specific tip that even left other panelists surprised. 

“Many people don’t realize that LaGuardia has a single bus route between the Jackson Avenue subway stop and the airport’s terminals,” Port Authority of New York/New Jersey’s Derek Utter shared.

Utter added that taking public transportation to New York’s airports is cheaper, greener, and often faster as it avoids traffic congestion and construction happening at JFK. 

The Family Travel Boom

As family travel, and multi-generational continues to grow in popularity, travel brands are recognizing the trend and stepping up to make changes to make things run smoothly. 

During the “Next Generation of The Family Traveler” panel, Amanda Kloots, host of CBS daytime show The Talk, shared how traveling with her son to Paris has helped both of them build a stronger bond, as well as her favorite family travel tip to navigate busy airports overseas. 

“Find the family airport lines,” Kloots shared. “You’re in line with other families, who are willing to help and lend a hand. The flow of the line is better, so you don’t feel embarrassed.”

In addition to the family airport lines, the physical infrastructure of hotels and airports is being adjusted with special amenities to make travel easier for families. 

“We’ve created a lending library for children within a new terminal, plus special areas for mothers, and quiet spaces for people on the Autistic spectrum,” the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Chief Development Officer Derek Utter shared. The agency manages New York’s LaGuardia and JFK Airports, as well as New Jersey’s Newark International Airport.

Keynote speaker Bobbi Brown, in conversation with T+L Editor-in-Chief Jacqui Gifford, captivated the audience about her own travel experiences and shared insights about opening her hotel, The George Montclair.

“The hospitality industry has a lot going for it, because people are less concerned with how they look and more concerned with enjoying things in life,” Brown shared. 

The business mogul also shared her earliest hospitality and travel memories such as visiting Miami’s famed Fontainebleau with her family, says she now loves going to London and Paris time and time again. 

Whether you are a frequent traveler, in the business of travel, or just have wanderlust, subscribe to T+L’s free, daily newsletter to get notified of future events such as the World’s Best Summit in 2025. Also, make sure to check out the upcoming Food & Wine Classic in Charleston from Sept. 27-29, 2024.