LSN : Daily Signals : ITB Berlin 2026: Regenerative hospitality takes centre stage

ITB Berlin 2026: Regenerative hospitality takes centre stage

ITB Berlin 2026, Messe Berlin, Germany

Germany – On the final day of ITB Berlin 2026, speakers highlighted regenerative hospitality as the next frontier for luxury travel, calling for a shift from efficiency-driven operations to long-term value creation for communities and ecosystems.

During two sessions – The Luxury We Are Leaving Behind: Why Regenerative Hospitality is the Future, and Inside Regenerative Hospitality: Real Stories Shaping the Future – panellists described the future of hospitality as ‘flourishing’, ‘richness’ and ‘transformation’.

Leaders emphasised that becoming regenerative requires a fundamental mindset change across the industry. Jean-Yves Minet, global brand president at Accor, highlighted that regenerative hospitality acts as a ‘north star’ for the company, moving the business beyond transactional relationships with guests toward models that contribute positively to destinations.

Speakers contrasted current sustainability initiatives with regenerative practices that restore natural and cultural systems. They stressed the importance of collaboration with hosts, visitors, places and communities, alongside strategic partnerships with governments, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

Education and awareness were described as critical for visitors and operators, with regenerative practices now ‘a must, not a nice to have’. Examples included partnerships with organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature. Through brands such as Novotel, Accor supports ocean restoration initiatives, including sustainable seafood guidelines in more than 600 hotels, banning more than 350 endangered species from menus and introducing targets to increase the amount of plant-based food served as part of a broader ocean protection strategy.

LS:N Global has been tracking regenerative travel since 2024. For more insights into how brands can operate towards a more sustainable future, explore our Rebranding Sustainability macrotrend report.

Strategic opportunity

Most brands still focus on reducing harm. The next competitive advantage lies in restoring ecosystems and communities. Businesses should begin piloting regenerative initiatives, from rewilding projects to circular food systems, that leave destinations better than they found them

Foresight Friday, Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Bottega Veneta autumn/winter 2026 show, Milan

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, senior foresight analyst Rose Coffey muses on the democratisation of fashion shows and the future of the runway.

: Growing up as a working-class teen in inner-city Birmingham, runway shows felt worlds away from my lived reality – existing purely for fashion insiders. But the role of the runway has been evolving for years, from ‘shop the catwalk’ experiments to phygital fashion shows.

In September 2025, content creator and fashion narrator Elias Medini, known as Lyas, evolved his livestream fashion show concept from a small gathering in a Paris bar into La Watch Party, backed by sponsors including the British Fashion Council, MAC Cosmetics, Meta, Whoopsee and Vestiaire Collective (source: CR Fashion Book).

This week, Lyas criticised Vogue after the publication announced an invite-only screening of Balmain’s autumn/winter 26 show in Paris – sparking debate about ownership, access and the commercialisation of communal viewing. Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta took the opposite approach, projecting a livestream of its runway show onto the exterior of Milan’s Palazzo San Fedele, turning the city into a viewing venue.

: In our Future Forecast 2026: Culture & Media report, we examine the rise of pop culture watch parties, where collective viewing democratises access to traditionally exclusive cultural moments. In an era of hyper-personalised feeds and fragmented streaming, audiences are increasingly seeking synchronised cultural experiences – moments that feel live, shared and socially meaningful. For fashion, this signals a shift in the role of the runway from a private industry ritual to a participatory media event designed for audiences far beyond the room.

: In Manchester, Topshop and THG Studios staged what is described as ‘the world’s first AI-driven, fully shoppable catwalk’. The Runway of the Future blended physical and digital elements, allowing audiences to purchase looks in real time via a Front Row AI app and try on outfits virtually after the show. Explore our Phygital Fittings report to see how virtual fashion try-ons are evolving into intelligent styling engines.

Together, these moments point to a structural shift in the role of the runway. Shared viewing is re-emerging and participation is central, transforming fashion shows into synchronised and communal experiences to be interacted with by anyone, in real time.

Quote of the week

‘We have provided tangible proof for how to thrive in an era where content is the new storefront. This is a new operating model for brand experience, designed and delivered right here in Manchester’

Hannah Pym, chief brand and marketing officer, THG Ingenuity (source: THG)

Stat: Luxury consumers set to boost wellness spending

Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som

UK, US, France – According to The New Wellness Ecosystem report by Karla Otto and Phronesis Partners, 60% of luxury consumers in the UK, US and France plan to increase their wellness spending over the next year.

The study of 300 luxury consumers also found that Gen Z are 84% more likely than other demographics to increase their wellness spend. Meanwhile men are emerging as a key growth segment, with male consumers 36% more likely to prioritise wellness in their lifestyle decisions.

Accreditation remains key: one in three people seek scientific validation for wellness claims, while only 16% trust celebrity endorsements. The majority (59%) rely on medical professionals for recommendations, and the same percentage turn to friends and family. The findings signal a continued recalibration of authority in the wellness economy, where credibility and expertise are becoming key drivers of brand value, a topic we’ve been tracking since our Accredited Beauty macrotrend in 2022.

The report identifies how credibility, expertise and community are key markers of luxury wellbeing for 2026 and beyond. For more insights into how luxury consumers are engaging with health and wellness, download The Future Laboratory and Together Group’s New Codes of Luxury: Longevity & Wellbeing Strategies report.

Strategic opportunity

Consider where your brand can embed wellness touchpoints into luxury experiences to engage high-net-worth consumers. Can you offer personalised longevity treatments in-suite, for example, or curated expert-led wellness rituals within your flagship spaces?