Hotel executives, industry researchers, and students and teachers from universities in China and abroad, gathered in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday for the 14th Future Hoteliers Summit.
Hosted by the Beijing Hospitality Institute and guided by the Human Resources Branch of the China Tourist Hotel Association, the annual summit brings current and future hospitality professionals together to exchange views on industry developments and pressing issues.
The 2026 summit, themed "Blend Boundaries; Reshape Hotels", highlights crossover partnerships as an increasingly vital strategy in the hotel sector.
This year, organizers expanded the event from two days to three and added a broader range of activities, including visits to luxury hotels in Beijing, panel discussions, keynote speeches, group brainstorming sessions, and a competition.
New opportunities
According to the conference, hotels are increasingly partnering with brands and businesses in other industries to create distinctive guest experiences, reach new customer segments, strengthen their brand identities, and generate additional revenue, rather than competing solely on room rates, location, and traditional hospitality services.
Industry insiders said hotel partners now span a wide range of sectors, from fashion houses and beauty brands to fitness and wellness providers, sporting events, technology companies, and local businesses.
Liu Jia, principal of a Beijing-based vocational training school specializing in pet services, said China's thriving pet economy has fueled demand among pet owners who want to travel with their animals. However, high-quality pet-friendly hotels remain in short supply. She encouraged future hoteliers to tap into this growing niche market.
Participants noted that successful crossover partnerships ultimately depend on understanding customer needs through compelling customer insights.
Sun Liqiang, assistant to the chairman of Hangzhou Dongfang Wangsheng Technology Co Ltd, a digital solutions provider for the tourism service industry, cited the booming retail business of Atour Group, a mid- to high-end hotel chain, as an example.
Atour's revenue from pillows and bedding reached 3.67 billion yuan ($550.133 million) in 2025, accounting for 37.5 percent of its annual revenue. Sun explained that Atour turned bedding into a lucrative venture by addressing the universal need for deep, restful sleep and utilizing its roughly 2,000 nationwide hotels as immersive product showrooms.
Core principles
Participants observed that cross-sector collaborations are unlikely to succeed unless they create mutual value through brand alignment, enhanced customer experiences, and shared commercial opportunities.
Chen Jiexi, a student at EHL Hospitality Business School, cited partnerships between world-class luxury hotels and premium skincare brands as a striking example. By incorporating prestigious skincare products into exclusive spa treatments and high-end in-room amenities, hotels can elevate their services, while skincare brands gain access to affluent consumers in a premium hospitality setting.
Sander Van Delden, general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Beijing North and Beijing Marriott Marquis Hotel, stressed that the guest experience is central to the hotel industry. He said all cross-industry collaborations and innovations must remain true to the brand's promises to guests.
The veteran hotelier said guests welcome innovative, enriching experiences that go beyond the original purpose of their trips. However, they will not forgive actions that undermine the reasons they chose a particular brand. Any arrangement that falls short of guests' core brand expectations can be seen as a breach of trust — one that may be difficult to repair.
For example, he warned that large, prominent retail installations in hotel lobbies can disrupt the intimate atmosphere guests expect. Digital innovations, such as AI-powered cameras and intelligent translation tools, must also protect guest privacy; compromising it would violate guests' basic expectations of a hotel stay.
Alongside improving the guest experience and creating mutual benefits, legal compliance must remain a priority in crossover collaborations.
Because these partnerships often involve trademarks, logos, designs, celebrity images, and proprietary products, infringement can occur when intellectual property is used beyond the scope — whether in location or method — specified in the contract, Tai Yang, a lawyer at Beijing KangSheng Law Firm, said.
Drawing on his experience reviewing IP-based partnerships, Tai emphasized that cross-industry collaborations must be supported by proper, compliant authorization to mitigate legal risks.
Summit participants also cautioned hoteliers against pursuing cross-industry ventures solely for short-term brand exposure or profit while overlooking long-term operating costs.
