Global travel market research firm Phocuswright is gearing up for its flagship annual conference Nov. 18-20, serving as a convener for the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.
For the first time, the Phocuswright Conference is landing in San Diego, at the waterfront Manchester Grand Hyatt. The venue brings a step change in scale: 100,000 square feet of dedicated event space within the 1,628-key hotel, part of its 320,000-plus square feet of indoor-outdoor meeting facilities.
It’s a leap from 2024’s Phoenix setting, reflecting Phocuswright’s push to host even more than last year’s record 1,200 attendees.
Eugene Ko, Phocuswright’s director of marketing and communications, told Vendelux that the firm is expecting as much as 15% growth in attendees based on early registration trends. Sponsorship is on the rise too, with Ko predicting an uptick from 2024’s 80 partners.
The growth, he said, comes from a sharper focus on leadership-driven networking and executive-level engagement, all aligned with the 2025 theme: “Game On.” The theme “signals a shift toward action and experimentation,” Ko said.
Expect mentorship opportunities, interest-based lounges and roundtable discussions alongside new offerings like rooftop receptions, a sunset mixer, segment-specific masterclasses and even morning runs and group yoga sessions “to deepen engagement and connections,” Ko said.
At the heart of the event, Phocuswright’s “Center Stage” will once again host a speaker lineup that’s set to include execs from Accor, American Express Global Business Travel, Marriott International and TikTok, just to name a few.
Ko expects “generative AI, autonomous agents and digital identity will be front and center” to emerge as hot topics among live sessions and attendee discussions. “Sustainability and traveler experience remain key, but the real momentum is around how tech is reshaping distribution, loyalty and personalization.”
Sponsors and exhibitors already locked in include Booking.com, Snowflake, Kayak, and a slate of other “established travel brands, tech disruptors and emerging startups,” per Ko, noting that there’s been an increase in participation from fintech companies and “several new AI-led visionaries who are eager to meet with decision makers.”
A lineup of first-time exhibitors will be spotlighted on day two at Phocuswright’s “Innovation: Launch” program. Breakthrough brands part of the program pay $25,000 for a nine-minute pitch, kiosk package and a shot at the Travel Innovator and People’s Choice Award.
Ko teased that several exhibitors are planning headline-worthy announcements. “Expect partnerships that bridge fintech, travel distribution and guest experience.”
