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Dubai, UAE, 29 September 2026: Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World 2026 has officially opened in Dubai today, with an esteemed line up of speakers addressing 1,000 delegates from 50 countries across the globe on the first day of the Middle East’s most influential hospitality investment forum.

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The 2026 edition of FHS World kicked off with a welcome by Jonathan Worsley, Chairman, and Ali Shahid, CEO of FHS World organisers, The Bench, followed by more than 30 seminars, experiences, presentations and events on day one of the summit, taking place until 1 October at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

FHS World features more than 170 speakers, including government representatives, tourism experts and hospitality sector leaders, with an action-packed agenda covering everything from investment to innovation, sustainability to staffing, and technology to tourism trends, all in line with this year’s event theme, Reinvest in our Future. 

The 2026 edition of FHS World welcomes more than 200 investors representing over USD$ 6 trillion in assets under management. Some 25 percent of investors are attending for the first time, and 40 percent are travelling from outside the GCC.

Delegates will experience three days of keynote speeches, panel discussions, presentations, and roundtable debates, as well as a plethora of events, networking sessions and receptions.

Part one of the much-anticipated FHS Awards ceremony – which celebrates unparalleled leadership, achievement, excellence and innovation –  was held today, with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Chairman, Dubai Airports; Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and patron of FHS, presenting the FHS Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.  

Two signing ceremonies – both by Accor – also took place, along with a wealth of networking events and receptions, including a private breakfast hosted by Marjan. 

Ali Shahid, CEO of The Bench, said: “FHS World opens at a time when hospitality investment is reaching beyond traditional hotels into new destinations, experiences and ways of living. Bringing more than 200 investors together with government leaders, owners and operators gives us an opportunity to move those conversations towards partnerships and projects. That is what Reinvest in our Future means in practice: making decisions today that will shape the industry for years to come.”

As well as a host of discussions and insight on the hospitality sector outlook, resilience in the industry and development opportunities, FHS World day one featured country and continent-specific sessions examining hospitality investment and travel trends among the China, Egypt and Africa markets. 

For full details of FHS World 2026, visit the website.