I had the pleasure of taking part in the HEC Paris Luxury Summit 2026 on the theme: From Comfort to Connection: how hospitality is shaping tomorrow’s luxury.
I was invited to join Thibaut Drege, General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, on a panel discussion. Together, we explored the future of hospitality: its new forms, its challenges and the emotional levers that are redefining contemporary luxury.
Understanding luxury trends and prospects
These are exciting times for the luxury sector. After the years of the health crisis, travel and the high-end hotel sector are enjoying remarkable growth. This upturn is not just based on the pleasure of traveling; it reflects a more profound change in customer expectations.
I explained that the real driving force behind luxury today is people.
It’s possible to build the most beautiful hotels in the world, using the finest materials and the most advanced technologies. And yet, the value of a place comes first and foremost from the men and women who work there, their energy and the quality of the relationship they maintain with their customers.
Luxury is no longer measured by the rarity of an object or the splendor of a setting, but by the intensity of the experience. Customers are looking for sincerity, recognition and emotional connection. They want to feel listened to, understood and genuinely welcomed.
I shared my deep conviction: “It’s not possible to welcome others if we don’t welcome ourselves.” Offering an authentic experience means knowing yourself, understanding your energy and knowing how to welcome it. Each employee influences the customer experience through his or her posture, attitude and presence. This self-awareness, when cultivated, transforms the atmosphere of a hotel and the quality of its service.
Thibaut Drisch expressed his vision: after a period of intense material consumption, customers are looking to experience real emotions. “People don’t just want to buy a product anymore, they want to experience something,” he explained.
He also stressed that, in a palace like the George V, this emotion relies on the cohesion and motivation of the teams. The beauty of the place isn’t enough; it’s the quality of the human connection that creates the magic.
Hotels as a cultural reflection
The second part of the debate was devoted to the convergence between gastronomy, travel and the art of living. Luxury hotels have become veritable cultural curators: they embody a lifestyle, an art of living, an openness to creation.
I mentioned the richness of this approach: a large hotel brings together a wide range of talents and sensibilities. Chefs, designers, craftsmen, artists, perfumers… they all contribute to a global experience where every detail tells a story.
I like the idea of a living place, at the crossroads of disciplines, where the customer discovers not only accommodation, but also culture, emotion and soul.
Thibaut Drisch spoke of gastronomy as a vector of meaning and identity. At the Four Seasons George V, the collaboration between chefs and craftsmen brings to life a coherent and inspiring experience. The table becomes a narrative: it links the hotel to its era and its city.
This vision is in line with a broader trend: that of a luxury that is rooted in the region, that values local know-how and human encounters.
Digital innovation at the service of emotion
The third part of the discussion focused on the role of digital and innovation in personalizing experiences. I’ve stressed that technology must not replace human relationships, but rather support them. Artificial intelligence and data enable us to refine our knowledge of customers, anticipate their expectations and offer a more fluid experience; but true emotion remains linked to presence, the voice, the look, the gesture.
I explained that digital makes sense when it reinforces human warmth.
The challenge is to create “high-touch” digital experiences, as attentive as face-to-face service. It requires thought, creativity and a corporate culture based on listening and caring.
I firmly believe that tomorrow’s successful establishments will be those that are able to reconcile operational excellence with sensitive innovation. Technology must be a means of amplifying personalization and emotion, never a substitute for relationship.
Thibaut Drisch spoke of the importance of leadership in this transformation: running a hotel today means balancing performance and inspiration. The role of the manager is to give meaning, to encourage innovation, to value the uniqueness of each individual.
I share this conviction: internal culture determines the quality of the customer experience.
Hospitality, laboratory of the future
Through this dialogue, one idea became clear: hospitality anticipates tomorrow’s lifestyles. It reveals how people want to travel, work, meet and recharge. The relationship with time, beauty, attention and the quality of the bond finds a privileged expression here.
Luxury hotels play a key role in this evolution. They embody an ideal balance between excellence, humanity and innovation.
This vision goes beyond the hotel industry. It also inspires other fields: healthcare, education and service companies. Hospitality isn’t just an economic sector, it’s a philosophy of living together, a way of creating value through the quality of care given to others.
I often speak ofgenerous hospitality: hospitality that puts people at the center, expressed through kindness, listening and gratitude. I believe this approach is essential to building sustainable and inspiring organizations.
In conclusion, if I had to describe the future of hospitality in a single word, I’d choose “Connection.”
This word sums up my vision of luxury and hospitality. Connecting with ourselves first: understanding who we are, what values we embody, and how we wish to welcome the world. Then there’s the connection to others: creating a bond, offering a genuine listening ear, arousing emotion. And finally, the connection to meaning: acting in accordance with a mission, a vision, a way of living in the world.
The luxury of the future no longer lies in material comfort, but in the ability to connect. It’s this invisible connection that transforms a stay into an experience, a welcome into a memory, a hotel into a place to live.
Conclusion
I have very strong memories of my time at HEC Paris. The MBA students, curious and passionate, are part of a new generation ready to reinvent the codes of luxury with more humanity, meaning and emotion.
My warmest thanks to the HEC Paris Luxury Club for its invitation, and to Thibaut Drisch for the richness of our exchange. This meeting confirmed my mission: to transmit a vision of hospitality based on awareness, care and generosity.
Hospitality is not a profession, it’s a way of being in the world. And in this changing world, I believe that the most beautiful form of luxury remains presence.
Linkedin post
The future of luxury will be written from the heart, not from marble or gilding.
I had the pleasure of taking part in the HEC Paris Luxury Summit, organized by the HEC Paris Luxury Club, on the theme: “From comfort to connection: how hospitality is shaping tomorrow’s luxury.”
Alongside Thibaut Drisch, General Manager of the Four Seasons Hôtel George V, I spoke to MBA students about the profound transformations taking place in hospitality and luxury.
Thibaut shared an inspiring vision of the role of the palace in this evolution. He reminded us that today‘ s luxury is no longer limited to the beauty of the surroundings, but is built above all through the quality of human relationships and team cohesion.
He believes that customers are now looking for real emotions and meaningful experiences, far beyond mere comfort.
For my part, I insisted on a conviction that has guided me for years: “It’s not possible to welcome others if we don’t welcome ourselves.”
We also discussed the convergence between gastronomy, culture and the art of living, as well as the role of digital technology in personalizing experiences.
For Thibaut, as for me, technology can only be a tool at the service of people, never a substitute for relationships.
Tomorrow’s luxury is born of this alliance between high standards, emotion and sincerity. It is expressed in connection: to oneself, to others and to the mission that each of us chooses to embody.
My warmest thanks to HEC Paris Luxury Club for its invitation and to Thibaut Drisch for the depth of his insight and the richness of our exchanges.
#Hospitality #Luxury #Leadership #Training #HECParis #DelporteHospitality
