Netherlands and More Nations Unite at Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 from 14–15 September at Manchester Central Convention Complex, UK

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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August 28, 2026 8:11 PM

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Netherlands and more nations unite at Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 on 14–15 September at Manchester Central Convention Complex, UK, as hospitality, travel and tourism leaders converge.

Netherlands and more nations will unite at the Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 from 14–15 September at Manchester Central Convention Complex, UK, putting hospitality investment firmly in the spotlight. As the event opens, international delegates, investors, hotel groups and industry specialists will converge in Manchester to discuss the forces reshaping travel and tourism. Moreover, the conference will connect businesses across borders, creating opportunities for partnerships, investment and new hospitality projects. With more than 1,100 delegates and 60+ sponsors expected, the Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 could become a crucial meeting point for the UK’s hospitality sector and its growing international network.

AHC 2026 will bring more than 1,100 hospitality delegates to Manchester on 14–15 September, creating a major meeting point for travel, tourism, hotel investment, development, technology and regeneration. The Annual Hospitality Conference (AHC) will take place at Manchester Central Convention Complex, with the organiser reporting 200+ investors and owners, $111bn in represented assets under management, 100+ speakers and more than 60 sponsors.

The event is designed less as a conventional tourism exhibition and more as a senior B2B forum where the people financing, developing, operating and advising hospitality businesses can meet. Its 2026 theme, “All In: Mastering Risk for Reward”, puts investment decisions, asset performance, regeneration, new hospitality concepts and AI-driven technology at the heart of the two-day programme.

AHC 2026: The key facts for travel and tourism

AHC 2026 takes place at a significant moment for UK hospitality, as owners, investors and operators continue to assess financing costs, changing consumer behaviour, development opportunities and operating margins. The conference is expected to attract 1,100+ delegates, including 200+ investors and owners, while more than 60 sponsors will occupy the exhibition floor.

The organiser, Questex, positions AHC as the UK’s largest gathering of senior decision-makers focused on hospitality investment. Its audience extends beyond hotel companies, covering investors, owners, developers, operators, lenders, advisers, hotel brands, construction businesses, technology companies and local authorities involved in tourism-led regeneration.

For the wider travel and tourism economy, that mix matters because hotel investment influences accommodation capacity, destination development, employment, visitor spending and the quality of the guest experience. Decisions made at events such as AHC can therefore affect tourism markets well beyond the conference room.

More than 1,100 delegates expected in Manchester

The clearest attendance figure for AHC 2026 is 1,100+ delegates, rather than a conventional visitor total, because AHC is structured as a professional conference and networking event. The official website also reports 200+ investors and owners, 100+ speakers, 60+ sponsors and $111bn in AUM represented across its community.

The attendance scale is supported by the previous edition, with Questex reporting that AHC 2025 brought together more than 1,100 delegates and included 17% investors and owners. The 2025 event also featured more than 60 companies on its exhibition floor, giving AHC 2026 a strong established base rather than positioning it as a new market entrant.

The audience is notably senior, with the organiser describing more than 1,100 senior decision-makers in the room. That makes the event relevant to travel businesses seeking investment, hotel development partners, technology providers, advisers and destinations looking to attract new hospitality projects.

More than 60 sponsors will meet the hospitality market

The AHC 2026 exhibition floor is expected to feature more than 60 sponsors, covering finance, technology, design, construction, hotel brands and other specialist services used by the hospitality industry. The organiser says the floor is intended to connect delegates with suppliers, solution providers and advisers who are active across UK hospitality.

Publicly listed 2026 sponsors include major names such as Accor, Blackstone, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Pandox, Splendid Hospitality Group, Arora Group, Aroundtown, Axiom Hospitality, KSL Capital Partners, Legal & General, Lowy Group, OKKO Hotels, Eurostars, IDeaS, L+R Hotels and Mollie’s. The current public database lists 41 sponsors, but the organiser’s own figure is more than 60, so the third-party list should not be treated as the complete final exhibitor directory.

The 2025 exhibition also included Booking.com, Marriott International, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, STR, Barclays, Colliers, Choice Hotels, Christie & Co, Agilysys, HotStats, RAW Charging, Alkimii, CREE Buildings and Aimbridge EMEA, alongside other companies. This provides a useful indication of the breadth of suppliers and hotel businesses that AHC attracts.

Publicly identified AHC 2026 sponsor names

• Accor
• Blackstone
• IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Pandox
• Splendid Hospitality Group
• Arora Group
• Aroundtown
• Axiom Hospitality
• KSL
• Legal & General
• Lowy Group
• L+R Hotels
• OKKO Hotels
• Eurostars
• IDeaS
• Fragrance Group
• Supercity
• Starboard Hotels
• Trident Hotels
• NFU Mutual

The full organiser company list is available through AHC’s registration and event systems, and the sponsor roster can continue to change as the September event approaches.

Which countries are represented at AHC 2026?

AHC is fundamentally a UK-focused hospitality event, and the organiser does not currently publish an official country-by-country count of exhibitors. It would therefore be inaccurate to claim that a fixed number of exhibitors from specific countries has been confirmed.

However, the public sponsor and speaker information demonstrates an international business footprint. Companies and senior executives connected with the event have links to the United Kingdom, France, United States, Sweden, Germany, Singapore, Australia, Spain and other European and international markets, while the wider participant network includes global hotel groups and investment firms.

The public company database also identifies business connections in London, New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Berlin, Dubai, Amsterdam, Singapore, Munich, Chicago, Paris and Stockholm. These locations should be viewed as evidence of the event’s international corporate reach, not as an official AHC statistic showing that exhibitors from each location will have a stand.

That distinction is important for travel and tourism reporting because an international corporate audience does not necessarily mean an equivalent number of international tourism boards or destination exhibitors. AHC’s core purpose remains investment and business development within UK hospitality, although global capital, hotel brands and technology companies are clearly part of the conversation.

Five major themes will shape the 2026 programme

Hospitality investment and finance

Investment remains the central pillar of AHC 2026, with sessions examining capital flows, deal structures, funding strategies and exit planning. For travel and tourism businesses, access to capital can determine whether hotels expand, renovate, convert existing properties or enter new destinations.

Asset management and operational performance

AHC will also focus on how hospitality assets can perform more effectively through repositioning, conversion, space optimisation and improved profitability. These issues directly influence the competitiveness of hotels and accommodation businesses serving tourism demand.

Regeneration and placemaking

The conference will examine public-private partnerships, mixed-use development and the challenge of making hospitality projects financially viable. This is particularly relevant to UK destinations seeking new hotels, visitor infrastructure and tourism-led regeneration.

Hospitality concept innovation

Extended-stay accommodation, branded residential, wellness and hybrid living models are among the growth areas being discussed. These formats matter to travel because visitors are increasingly choosing accommodation according to length of stay, purpose of travel, flexibility and experience.

AI and technology transformation

AI will have a prominent role, with discussions covering distribution economics, guest experience, asset performance and business processes. The technology conversation is increasingly important for tourism because hotel operators are using data and automation to improve pricing, personalisation, staffing and customer engagement.

Networking is a major reason delegates attend

AHC has built a significant part of its proposition around structured networking rather than relying solely on stage sessions. The programme includes AI-supported matchmaking, curated one-to-one meetings, roundtables, coffee breaks, speed networking and an evening reception.

The organiser says its Power Hour uses AI-driven matchmaking to connect delegates according to their objectives. That approach is particularly relevant to travel and tourism companies because a single introduction can potentially lead to financing, a management agreement, a technology partnership, a development project or a new supplier relationship.

The 2026 event will also introduce the Invest Local Pavilion, designed to connect local councils and authorities with hospitality investors and operators seeking regional opportunities. The initiative gives destinations a direct route into conversations around tourism development, regeneration and new hospitality supply.

Audience profile shows a strong investment focus

AHC’s current audience breakdown gives a clear picture of the people the event is designed to attract. Advisory businesses account for 28%, investors and owners 19%, design, building and construction 16%, hotel brands and companies 14%, operators 5%, and other categories 18%.

That composition makes AHC particularly relevant to travel industry professionals who need to understand how tourism demand translates into property investment and operational decisions. It also explains why the event has a different profile from large consumer travel fairs, where tourism boards, airlines and leisure travellers may dominate.

For hotel groups and investors, Manchester offers a useful setting because the city itself has become a major UK business, leisure and events destination. Hosting AHC there puts a major hospitality investment gathering inside one of the country’s most active urban tourism markets.

Anup Kumar Keshan’s view

“AHC 2026 arrives at an important time for travel, tourism and hospitality, because investment decisions are increasingly linked to technology, destination regeneration, changing traveller behaviour and operational performance. Bringing more than 1,100 senior delegates together in Manchester creates a valuable forum for hotel owners, investors, operators, advisers and technology companies to exchange practical ideas and build relationships. The presence of more than 60 sponsors also shows how broad the hospitality ecosystem has become. For the travel industry, AHC is significant because hotel investment ultimately shapes accommodation supply, visitor experiences, employment and destination growth. Its strong UK focus, combined with international hotel and investment participation, makes the September gathering particularly relevant to tourism professionals watching where capital and innovation are moving next.”

The Netherlands and more nations will unite at the Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 from 14–15 September at Manchester Central Convention Complex, UK, strengthening the event’s international profile. The cause is clear: hospitality, travel and tourism markets increasingly depend on international investment, partnerships, technology and destination development. The answer comes through a major business gathering where investors, owners, hotel brands, operators and advisers can exchange ideas and pursue opportunities. Therefore, Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 offers a valuable platform for cross-border collaboration. With Manchester hosting the event, the conference could generate fresh attention around UK hospitality growth and international tourism investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is AHC 2026?

The Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 will take place on 14–15 September 2026 at Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, UK.

How many delegates are expected?

AHC is promoting more than 1,100 delegates, including more than 200 investors and owners.

How many sponsors or exhibitors will attend?

The organiser currently states that 60+ sponsors will be present on the exhibition floor.

Which countries are exhibiting?

AHC has not published a definitive official country-by-country exhibitor count. Its public participant information shows international corporate representation alongside its core UK hospitality audience.

What companies are participating?

Publicly identified companies include Accor, Blackstone, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Pandox, Splendid Hospitality Group, Arora Group, Aroundtown, KSL, Legal & General, OKKO, Eurostars and IDeaS, among others.

Why is AHC important for travel and tourism?

The conference connects capital, hotel development, operations, technology and destination regeneration, all of which influence accommodation supply and the wider tourism economy.