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What #50Besttalks: Unpacked Revealed About the Future of Hospitality
- Emily Goldfischer
- Oct 29
- 6 min read
At Four Seasons London at Park Lane, the team behind The World’s 50 Best Hotels gathered global industry leaders to explore what’s next for luxury travel. Across five conversations spanning design, wellness, digital storytelling, wealth, and connection, one theme came through loud and clear: the future of hospitality isn’t about having more, it’s about feeling more.
Beautifully moderated by Emma Sleight, Head of Content for 50 Best, the day moved from ideas to action, revealing how hotels can evolve with purpose while keeping humanity at the heart of it all.
Alejandro Reynal, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts: Building a Luxury Ecosystem
Alejandro Reynal, who became President and CEO of Four Seasons in late 2022, opened with a story from his second day on the job, presenting long-service awards at the company’s Toronto headquarters. “Some of these employees had been with the company for 30, 40, even 45 years,” he said. “It was humbling. You can see the sense of pride people have in being part of the company. It becomes their family.”
That sense of belonging defines Four Seasons’ culture and Reynal’s vision for its future. “Luxury lives in the quiet moments of care — the authentic gestures that make guests feel seen,” he said, recalling a story from Las Vegas where a team learned a couple had just adopted a baby and quietly stocked their suite with supplies. “You can’t script that. That’s luxury.”
Looking ahead, Reynal described how Four Seasons is evolving into a “luxury ecosystem” that connects guests across its hotels, residences, the Four Seasons Jet, and the soon-to-launch Four Seasons Yacht, debuting next year. “Our guests already have loyalty,” he said. “It’s about continuing to serve their needs, wherever they are.”
He also spoke about new country collections designed to help guests explore destinations more deeply — like the Greek circuit linking Athens, Mykonos, and Porto Heli. “It’s about connection, helping our guests discover a region with Four Seasons as their guide.”
The brand’s 65th anniversary next year will celebrate that heritage, with founder Isadore Sharp, who Reynal said “remains the soul of the brand.” Even as Four Seasons expands through surprising partnerships — from The White Lotus and Emily in Paris to Art Basel Paris — Reynal said the focus remains on purpose, not promotion. “We ask, does this add meaning? Does it make the experience better?”
Hannah Bennett, TikTok: Storytelling for the Next Generation of Travelers
Though few in the audience raised their hands when asked if they were on TikTok, Hannah Bennett, Head of Travel for TikTok UK, made one thing clear: luxury hotels can no longer afford to sit this one out.
TikTok isn’t just for Gen Z anymore. It’s where a billion users go to dream, research, and increasingly book their next trip. “Three-quarters of TikTok users in the UK are using the platform as a search engine for travel,” Bennett said. “It’s become the journey before the journey.”
42% of TikTok planners have made a travel purchase or visited a destination based directly on content they saw on the platform.
She explained that 42% of TikTok planners have made a travel purchase or visited a destination based directly on content they saw on the platform. The secret? Short-form video that feels real, sensory, and shareable.
Bennett broke down the formulas that work: text-to-speech followed by music to draw viewers in; green-screen storytelling for creators without footage; trending audio paired with destination clips; and behind-the-scenes content, like The Ritz London’s ASMR-style housekeeping videos showing “the art of precision and polish.”
TikTok’s travel audience is aging up and spending big. Thirty percent plan luxury trips, and TikTok-inspired travelers spend more per booking than any other group. “Short-form video isn’t just inspiring travel,” Bennett said. “It’s driving conversions.”
The Changing Face of Wellness
The wellness conversation, led by Six Senses wellness pioneer and advisor Anna Bjurstam, Desa Potato Head founder Ronald Akili, and Sonal Uberoi, wellness business coach and founder of Spa Balance Consulting, revealed how the industry is evolving from spa menus to full-scale life strategies.
“Wellness has moved from a quick fix to long-term value,” said Uberoi. “It’s not just about massages or detoxes. It’s about commercial strategy. Hotels need in-house wellness intelligence to make it a reason for guests to stay.”
Properties with strong wellness programs outperform peers on RevPAR, repeat business, and even valuation — increasing asset value by as much as 25% when wellness is integral to the property.
Bjurstam noted that “86% of the U.S. population say being healthy is their number one goal,” while Akili pointed out that “Gen Z and millennials are leading the wellness movement. They want meaning, not just mindfulness.”
Looking ahead, the trio highlighted new frontiers for luxury wellness: AI-driven personalisation, cryotherapy, infrared saunas, and music-led wellness journeys. “Music is such an underused tool in hospitality,” Bjurstam said. “It can guide guests through different emotions and spaces.”
Design with Soul and Substance
The design panel which included Ulisses Marreiros of Belmond’s Copacabana Palace, Marco Ginex of David Collins Studio, and Sophie Harper, editor of Hotel Designs — explored how modern hotels balance heritage with innovation.
“Inspiration can come from anywhere,” said Ginex. “But it has to resonate emotionally with the guest, otherwise it’s meaningless.” At the Beverly Hilton, his team drew from California’s golden light and local artistry, while at The Wolseley, traces of its past as a Chinese restaurant still live in the cabinetry.
For Marreiros, overseeing Copacabana Palace’s historic renovation meant walking a fine line between modernization and preservation. “We’re automating what we can, but humanizing what we must,” he said. “Design for us is multisensory — light, scent, music — it’s all part of how a guest feels.”
Harper, who sees hundreds of hotel press releases, said what captures her attention is a design story with real purpose. “Everything should serve the narrative, not just look good,” she said. Her team recently launched a talk series on accessibility in design, after finding hospitality still falls short. “We don’t want accessibility to be a tick-box exercise. These spaces should be beautiful and empowering for everyone. You might not be disabled for life, but design should make you feel welcome at every stage of it.”
Mapping the New Luxury Landscape
Henley & Partners Managing Partner Stuart Wakeling took the audience on a global tour of wealth — and where it’s headed next. “Wealth is becoming more globally mobile,” he said. “It’s not just people moving, it’s people and their assets.”
A record 142,000 millionaires are set to relocate this year, climbing to 165,000 by 2026. While the UK will lose 16,500 millionaires, other destinations are rolling out the welcome mat. “The UAE has got it right,” Wakeling said. “They’re welcoming the global elite and making it easy for them to come, invest, and stay.”
the UK will lose 16,500 millionaires this year
Favorable tax regimes are a major draw, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi expected to more than double their centi-millionaire populations over the next decade. In the US, demand for secondary residences and citizenship abroad is surging as wealthy Americans hedge against instability. Meanwhile, India’s tech boom is creating a new class of digital millionaires, with Bengaluru on track for 100% growth in the next ten years.
“The world’s centi-millionaires are designing their lives the same way they design their portfolios — diversifying across jurisdictions to mitigate risk,” Wakeling said. His closing thought: “If I were investing in hotels, I’d be doing it in the US and Dubai.”
Scott Dunn’s Simon Lynch: The Power of “Momentship”
Closing the day, Simon Lynch, Global Product Director at Scott Dunn, brought the conversation full circle, from service to storytelling and from luxury to legacy.
“Luxury travel has become the new status symbol,” he said, citing McKinsey’s forecast that the sector will grow from $239 billion to $390 billion by 2028. But modern luxury isn’t about handbags or high heels, it’s about experiences that are “exclusive, experiential, and infinitely shareable.”
Lynch described a fast-changing landscape where the brands standing out are those with personality and purpose. “True luxury today isn’t about polish,” he said. “It’s about personality.” Technology is reshaping travel, but he warned against losing the human touch. “Use AI to remove friction, but keep people at the heart of the experience.”
He noted that sustainability has become part of brand storytelling, climate change is shifting travel calendars, and overtourism is creating new opportunities for hotels to help guests explore with purpose. But the moment that made the room sit up came when Lynch turned to families.
85% of parents say their teenager’s happiness determines where they travel
“Eighty-five percent of parents say their teenager’s happiness determines where they travel,” he said. “Yet most luxury brands don’t even show teens in their marketing. Meanwhile, dogs are everywhere. They’re celebrated by almost every property you can think of. And yes, dogs are wonderful, but they’re never going to become your future guests. Teenagers will.”
His message was simple: families don’t want childcare, they want connection. “They want shared, authentic experiences—the memories that last.” It’s what Lynch calls momentship—the art of creating and cherishing meaningful moments that turn families into lifelong guests.
The Future of Luxury Travel
If one thread connected the day, it was that luxury is becoming more human, more intentional, and more inclusive. As Emma Sleight summed up from the stage, “It’s about connection...with guests, with culture, and with purpose.”
