Women in Design Awards Breakfast and HD Awards ceremony to honor the achievements of prominent designers and hoteliers
(Las Vegas – March 21, 2024) HD Expo + Conference returns to Las Vegas from April 30th – May 2nd, 2024. Located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the hospitality industry’s leading experts during 30+ sessions covering topics ranging from what’s top of mind for hotel brand leaders and owners and the evolving restaurant and nightlife landscape to how to achieve sustainability in design. The conference will open by honoring five prominent honorees during the second annual Women in Design Awards Breakfast on April 30th, and on May 1, HD Expo + Conference’s signature event, the HD | ISHP Owners Roundtable, will bring together more than 30 hotel owners, management companies, and brand leaders for one-on-one rotating conversations with groups of attendees.
“We bring the pages of Hospitality Design magazine to life at HD Expo + Conference. It’s three days of inspiration and education from the innovators and leaders who are defining the industry today and evolving it for the future,” says Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, editor in chief of Hospitality Design (HD) magazine, and SVP, Design Group, Emerald.
“I’m very excited for this year’s lineup of speakers, designed spaces, and exhibitors spanning 25+ product categories. Coming together with our partners and sponsors, we have developed a program which encompasses the entirety of the hospitality design industry,” says Kevin Gaffney, Group Show Director and Vice President, Emerald, HD Expo + Conference’s parent company.
2024 PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
Women in Design Awards Breakfast
The Women in Design Awards Breakfast on April 30, 2024 will return for its second year to celebrate a handful of inspiring women leading the hospitality industry. In partnership with the prominent hospitality industry networking, scholarship, and education organization, NEWH, HD will recognize Sarah Bonsall, Gulla Jónsdóttir, My Nguyen, Staci Patton, and Meridith Zimmerman for their innovation, leadership, and achievement. Additionally, NEWH will award a series of scholarships as well as announce this year’s ICON of Industry.
HD Awards Ceremony
Moving to Las Vegas for the first time in 2024, the 20th annual HD Awards ceremony will honor the individuals and teams behind the best of the best in hotel and restaurant design and the newly launched products intended for use in hospitality spaces. Presented by the Hospitality Design editorial team, the jury-selected winners from more than 1,300 entries and some 150 finalists will be announced on April 30th during the ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. Among the night’s honorees are Nicole Hollis and Standard International, who will be receiving the 2024 Designer and Hotel Company of the Year Awards respectively. At the helm of her eponymous San Francisco-based firm since 2002, Hollis is the visionary behind notable hospitality properties including the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay and Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort. Standard International, led by CEO Amber Asher, has evolved over the past 13 years from a sexy, provocative U.S. brand to a global powerhouse. The night will begin with a 7pm cocktail reception before the award show at 7:30pm.
CONFERENCE SESSIONS
Ranging from authentic design and fresh new concepts in wellness spaces to the Interiors Big Ideas 2025 report from Worth Global Style Network (WGSN), the 2024 HD Expo + Conference sessions tackle the leading challenges and top of mind topics in the hospitality design industry with leaders and rising stars spanning the three-day lineup. CEU-accredited sessions at HD Park will be available for attendees with a Full Conference or Experience pass. Sessions at the DesignWell Pavilion and Social Hub are free to attend for all registration types. The full conference agenda is available here.
CEU-Accredited Sessions at HD Park
Big Ideas: WGSN’s 2025 Trends Forecast
Trendspotting: Innovators to Watch
Business Sense: What Owners Want
Hybrids Happening: Building Experience and ROI
I Love the Nightlife: Shifts in Cocktailing and Afterhours
Brand Identity: Hotel Execs Take on The Future
Project Breakdown: Lessons Learned from an Iconic Project
Leaders Talk: CEOs on the State of the Industry
Meaningful Collaboration: A Decade with Tony Hsieh
Other Sessions
Evolving F+B: Designing for Local, Diverse, Authentic Dining
Designing Well: Cool New Concepts
Generative AI Meets Hospitality: What To Do Now to Stay Ahead
The Next Wave: Rising Stars on Building Community and Placemaking
Predictions and Growth: Global Hotel Development Outlook with LE
Radical Candor 2.0: Can Project Teams Please Talk?
The New New: Hoteliers Making Their Mark
The Special Sauce: What Does Authentic Design Mean Today?
From Accolades to Action: A Diversity Dialogue
HD| ISHP Owners Roundtable: An HD Expo Signature Event
HD Idea Exchange: Conversations on Carbon x Design x the Future
HD | IIDA Product Design Awards: Meet the Winners
Leaning Luxury: The Intersection of Retail and Hospitality
Wellness-Minded Travelers: What They Need Now
Get Outside: Inside the Growing Outdoor Hospitality Industry
Debut Book Signing of Resort Style: Spaces of Celebration by Roger Thomas
Business Sense: Real Talk
HD Idea Exchange: Wellness and Beyond
Ask the Purchasers: Stories from the Trenches | Presented by ISHP
HD Masterclass: Hospitality’s Sustainability Playbook
Experience and Awe: Immersive Experiences
HD EXPO + CONFERENCE REGISTRATION DETAILS
All convention and conference tickets, inclusive of all programming highlights, are available here. Registration for industry professionals currently starts at $179 for an Expo Only pass.
HD EXPO + CONFERENCE PRESS REGISTRATION DETAILS
Registration for media can be accessed here. For the full agenda and conference lineup, visit www.hdexpo.com.
Sponsors
3Z Brands, Aceray, Akdo, Akula, American Leather, Astro, Bromic Heating, Bryan Ashly, BSF, Buzz, County Draperies, Crossville, Dedon, Dynamic Terrazzo Environments, Ege Carpets, Emser Tile, Emu, Encore, Fairmont Designs, Fil Doux Textiles, Floor & Decor, Formology, Hilton, Hubbardton Forge, Inpro, Janus et Cie, Justin David, Kevin Barry Art Advisory, Kimball Hospitality, Kravet, Lacquer Craft Hospitality, Ledge, Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering, MoveLine Hospitality, Nook, RPM Expedite, Samelson-Chatelane, Shaw Contract, Supplied, Tarkett, Ultrafabrics, Ultra Suede, Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc., and William-Sonoma, Inc. Business to Business, Wood Chic.
About HD Expo + Conference
As the industry leader, the annual HD Expo + Conference in Las Vegas brings together the entire hospitality design community—interior designers, architects, hoteliers, owners, operators, developers, and purchasers—for strategic networking events, exclusive product premieres, inspiring education, and bespoke experiences. Over three days, it’s where these hospitality professionals come face-to-face with the most captivating products and resources to consider for global projects, as well as stay on top of industry news and trends through thought-provoking conference programming featuring more than 150 design visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders, curated by Hospitality Design magazine. HD Expo + Conference is owned by Emerald. For more information, please visit www.hdexpo.com.
About Emerald
Emerald is a leader in building dynamic, market-driven business-to-business platforms that integrate live events with a broad array of industry insights, digital tools, and data-focused solutions to create uniquely rich experiences. As true partners, we at Emerald strive to build our customers’ businesses by creating opportunities that inspire, amaze, and deliver breakthrough results. With over 140 events each year, our teams are creators and connectors who are thoroughly immersed in the industries we serve and committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. For more information, please visit www.emeraldx.com.
###
Media Contact
Fog & Apple
T: + 1 212 897 4015