The Principality of Monaco once again became the epicentre of global luxury, as the Forbes Travel Guide Summit, widely regarded as one of the most influential gatherings in high-end hospitality returned with unprecedented scale, ambition and cultural resonance. Over four meticulously curated days, the event transformed Monaco into a living showcase of elite travel, gastronomy, innovation and experiential excellence.
2026 Monaco Luxury Summit By Forbes Travel Guide, held on 24th—27th February, 2026 at the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco is the premier annual luxury travel conference by special invitation with an elite attendee roster featuring global top names in luxury travel and hospitality. Hosted by Forbes Travel Guide, the creator of the prestigious Five-Star hospitality awards, this exclusive event brings together the best in travel and luxury, offering unparalleled networking opportunities, expert-led masterclasses, and world-class entertainment.
The Summit in February 2026 is a four-day, by-invitation-only event that brings together the global personalities of travel and luxury for the most glamorous and thought-provoking luxury travel conference in the world. The Summit attracts decision-makers from the best brands in hospitality, influential travel professionals and exceptional luxury brands. The four-day program offers an itinerary filled with destination immersion, elevated access to powerful networking opportunities with travel buyers and travel media, insightful Discovery Sessions, thought-provoking keynotes at The Symposium, world-class entertainment and dining experiences.
The 2026 edition of the Summit confirmed its status as a “must-attend” event on the international luxury calendar, drawing close to 1,000 elite participants from more than 65 countries, including senior executives from approximately 150 leading luxury brands.
From boutique hotel owners to CEOs of multinational hospitality groups, attendees represented the uppermost tier of decision-makers that are responsible for shaping billions of dollars in global travel flows. According to organizers, the invited travel advisors alone collectively influence over €140 million in annual bookings at five-star properties.
The Summit’s exclusivity remains one of its defining features. Unlike traditional trade shows, participation is curated, ensuring that every conversation carries weight. As a result, the event fosters not just networking, but strategic alignment among the industry’s most powerful actors.
Few locations could match Monaco’s symbolic and practical alignment with the Summit’s ethos. The Principality, synonymous with wealth, prestige and discretion, provided both a glamorous backdrop and a fully integrated luxury ecosystem.
The Grimaldi Forum served as the central hub for conferences and exhibitions, while the surrounding Monte Carlo district hosted a constellation of high-profile events from private receptions to late-night celebrations.
Delegates were accommodated in some of Europe’s most prestigious hotels, including the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo and Hôtel Hermitage, ensuring that the Summit was not merely discussed but lived as an immersive luxury experience.
This integration of destination and event is intentional. Forbes Travel Guide has long emphasized that luxury is not just a product but an ecosystem, a reality that Monaco embodies with rare coherence.
At its core, the Summit is designed as a hybrid between intellectual forum and experiential showcase. The 2026 program reflected this philosophy through a carefully balanced agenda of keynote sessions, collaborative workshops and immersive social events.
The intellectual centerpiece of the Summit, known as The Symposium, brought together industry leaders to address emerging trends, from AI-driven personalization to sustainability in ultra-luxury travel.
These sessions were not abstract discussions but highly practical exchanges, often shaped by real-time audience input featuring the topics as follows:
• The evolution of guest expectations in a post-pandemic world.
• The integration of technology into high-touch service models.
• The future of luxury cruise and experiential travel.
The emphasis was clear: luxury must evolve without losing its defining human touch.
Complementing the Symposium were the Discovery Sessions, smaller, more interactive forums designed for peer-to-peer learning and ideation. Unlike traditional panels, these sessions encouraged open dialogue and brainstorming, often organized around themes selected by participants themselves. This format allowed executives to exchange insights candidly; an increasingly rare opportunity in a competitive industry. According to organizers, this collaborative structure is a deliberate departure from conventional conferences, prioritizing depth over scale and authenticity over spectacle.
A dedicated space for elite travel advisors and buyers, the Pavilion facilitated targeted networking between suppliers and those who directly influence high-value bookings. This component underscores a key reality of the luxury travel economy: relationships remain paramount. Even in an era of digital transformation, trust and personal connections continue to drive high-end travel decisions.
While the Summit is often associated with glamour, its primary function is economic. Behind closed doors, deals are negotiated, partnerships are formed, and strategies are refined. For many attendees, the event serves as a launchpad for new initiatives or a venue for major announcements.
As one industry executive noted during the event, the Summit is not just about visibility but about “making meaningful connections in an environment designed for depth rather than distraction”.
This emphasis on relationship-building is reflected in the event’s design:
• Braindate networking lounges enable curated one-on-one meetings.
• Sponsor activations showcase cutting-edge luxury offerings.
• Media studios facilitate storytelling and brand amplification.
The result is a highly efficient ecosystem where influence, capital and creativity intersect.
A defining highlight of the Summit is the celebration of Forbes Travel Guide’s Star Awards, widely considered the gold standard in luxury hospitality. Founded in 1958, Forbes Travel Guide remains the only independent global rating system for hotels, restaurants, spas and cruise ships, operating across more than 100 countries.
During the 2026 Summit, award recipients were recognized not only for operational excellence but also for innovation and impact. Categories ranged from traditional star ratings to special honors such as:
• Employee Of The Year
• Best Luxury Hotel Collaboration
• Edge List Innovators
These awards reinforce the Summit’s dual role as both a forum for the future and a celebration of current excellence.
If the Symposium represents the intellectual heart of the Summit, the Gala at Salle des Étoiles is its emotional crescendo. The 2026 Gala exemplified the art of experiential luxury, combining haute cuisine, world-class entertainment and meticulous staging.
The evening featured a collaborative menu crafted by four of the world’s most celebrated chefs: Alain Ducasse, Yannick Alléno, Marcel Ravin, and Cédric Grolet. Each contributed signature elements, creating a unified gastronomic narrative that celebrated contemporary French cuisine at its highest level.
The Gala’s entertainment lineup included performances by acclaimed artists such as Kristin Chenoweth and Erich Bergen, adding theatrical flair to an already extraordinary evening. The setting itself—Salle des Étoiles, one of Monaco’s most prestigious venues—reinforced the sense of occasion. The evening concluded with an after-party at Jimmy’z Monte-Carlo, extending the experience into the early hours.
Beyond celebration, the Summit serves as a testing ground for new ideas and technologies. In 2026, several key themes emerged ⬇️
(1) Hyper-Personalization: Luxury is increasingly defined by personalization at scale. From AI-driven concierge services to predictive guest preferences, technology is enabling unprecedented levels of customization.
(2) Sustainability As A Core Value: Environmental responsibility is no longer optional in luxury travel. Discussions emphasized on carbon-neutral operations, sustainable sourcing in gastronomy, and regenerative tourism models.
(3) The Experience Economy: The industry is moving beyond accommodation toward holistic experiences. This includes cultural immersion, wellness and longevity travel, adventure and expedition offerings.
(4) Human Capital: Despite technological advances, the human element remains central. Training, retention and empowerment of staff were recurring themes, reflecting the industry’s reliance on exceptional service.
The Summit is orchestrated by Forbes Travel Guide, under the leadership of CEO Hermann Elger, and President of Standards & Ratings — Amanda Frasier. Their vision is to create an event that is not only informative but transformative for the elevation of the entire industry. As Elger has emphasized, the goal is to “entertain those who entertain”, ensuring that attendees experience the same level of excellence they are expected to deliver in their own businesses.
In an industry worth trillions globally, the Summit plays a unique role as both a barometer and a catalyst. The discussions and announcements at the Summit often signal broader shifts in the industry. From technology adoption to changing consumer expectations, the event provides a real-time snapshot of where luxury travel is headed. By bringing together the industry’s most influential figures, the Summit accelerates innovation and collaboration. Ideas that might take years to develop elsewhere can be refined and implemented within months. Beyond business, the Summit has become a cultural phenomenon, blending elements of conference, festival and social gathering. Its ability to combine intellectual rigor with sensory experience sets it apart from other industry events.
The Summit also delivers significant economic benefits to Monaco. With hundreds of high-net-worth attendees and global media coverage, the event reinforces the Principality’s position as a premier destination for luxury tourism and business events. Local businesses from hotels and restaurants to event production companies benefit directly from the influx of visitors and the global exposure generated by the Summit.
As the 2026 edition concluded, attention quickly turned to the future. Forbes Travel Guide has already confirmed that the Summit will return to Monaco in 2027, building on the success of this year’s event. The challenge will be to maintain momentum while continuing to innovate. As the luxury travel industry evolves, so too must the Summit; ensuring that it remains not just relevant but indispensable.
The 2026 Monaco Luxury Summit By Forbes Travel Guide was more than an event: it was a statement. It demonstrated that luxury travel is entering a new era, one defined by deeper personalization, greater sustainability, enhanced experiential value, and stronger human connections.
In a world where luxury is increasingly democratized and digitized, the Summit reaffirmed the importance of authenticity, craftsmanship and human touch. As the final champagne glasses were raised in Monaco and the last deals quietly concluded, one thing became clear: The Forbes Travel Guide Summit is “the Oscars” of the luxury travel and hospitality industry.
MAGNIFICENZA 