International Luxury Hotel Association Conference

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an age in which stylish accommodations – mixing leisure and wellness with corporate travel -- might not be enough to service the world's wealthiest and most demanding clientele, elite hoteliers from around the world and those who desire a place among them will commence competition to attract the next generation of guests at "Fast Forward 2020" Sept. 22-23, 2014, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, near Washington, D.C., the International Luxury Hotel Association, the conference's coordinator announced today.

"As each hotel tries to outdo the other, designers want to know what makes millennials -- 80 million born between 1980 and 1995 – tick," said Barak Hirschowitz, president of the International Luxury Hotel Association, "The stakes are huge and the new generation of guests will be different and harder to please than their baby boomer grandparents."

Hirschowitz says ILHA reaches more than 200,000 professionals in hospitality and travel at online sites including LinkedIn, making ILHA the largest social media influencer in the industry.

After years of global recession, the luxury hospitality sector is now worth an estimated €127 billion, or $164.4 billion, a year, up from €91 billion in 2009, according to Bain & Co., a Boston-based consulting firm.

Diane McDavitt, president of Luxury Link Travel Group and a speaker at the "Fast Forward 2020," said strategic alliances with niche industries that impact profits, penetrate new and expanded markets and inspire technological innovation will continue to shape the evolving luxury hospitality industry. For a preliminary list of speakers, go to: http://www.luxuryhotelconference.com/speakers_year/2014-speakers/

Of growing interest to hospitality entrepreneurs and investors has been the number of guests who continue to explore international medical tourism and wellness options. Delegates attending "Fast Forward 2020" will have access to the adjoining 7^th Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress, Sept. 20-24, 2014, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. For a preliminary list of speakers, go to: http://www.medicaltourismcongress.com/speakers_year/2014-speakers/

About the International Luxury Hotel Association
The International Luxury Hotel Association is a member-based nonprofit organization chartered to provide education and resources designed to assist the hospitality and travel industries to meet consumer needs and expectations.  www.luxuryhotelassociation.org

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SOURCE International Luxury Hotel Association