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The Bench, organiser of the Future Hospitality Summit, announced on September 9 that His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri will officially open FHS World 2026 and deliver a keynote titled ‘The UAE Growth Engine: Tourism, Investment and the New Economy.’ Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri’s participation underscores the UAE government’s emphasis on tourism as a pillar of economic diversification, coming at a time when the sector continues to recover momentum following global disruptions. The three-day event will convene government officials, investors and hotel operators to explore capital deployment opportunities in hospitality projects across the Middle East.
FHS World 2026 is set to run from September 29 to October 1 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, building on the success of the 2025 edition that also took place in the emirate. The programme will feature more than 100 speakers and maintain a sharp focus on investment trends, technological innovation in guest experiences and actionable deal-making sessions. A Hospitality Net report on the announcement positioned the summit as the Middle East’s largest and most influential hospitality investment gathering.
Additional confirmed speakers include Samer Alkharashi, director of the UN Tourism Regional Office for the Middle East, who will offer perspectives on regional tourism policy. Sameh Muhtadi, chief executive officer of RAK Properties, Arch. Abdulla Al Abdouli, group chief executive officer of Marjan, and Miltos Bossinis, chief executive officer of H&H Development, will join discussions on project development and market expansion. Marc Dardenne, chief executive officer of Modon Holding, Sonu Shivdasani, chief executive officer and founder of Soneva, Philippe Zuber, chief executive officer of Kerzner International, and David Xiaoou Chen, chairman and chief executive officer of Fields of Gold Capital and Asset Management Corp, complete the newly unveiled lineup of senior industry figures.
The UAE’s tourism sector has shown robust growth, with World Travel and Tourism Council data indicating the industry contributed 13.2 percent to the national economy in 2025 and supported more than 1.2 million jobs. Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism previously reported that the emirate welcomed nearly 18 million international visitors last year, surpassing pre-pandemic benchmarks and driving demand for new hotel inventory. This performance aligns with national targets to position the UAE as a global tourism hub capable of attracting 40 million annual visitors by 2031.
Organisers have framed the 2026 agenda as investment-led, responding to sustained investor appetite for hospitality assets amid rising visitor numbers and expanding regional connectivity. Sessions will examine financing models for new developments, the integration of sustainability standards in hotel operations and the role of technology in enhancing returns on investment. The event format encourages direct engagement between capital providers and operators seeking to scale across the GCC and broader Middle East markets.
The Bench has organised FHS World since its inception as a platform dedicated to bridging hospitality leaders with investment capital, a model that has facilitated multiple project announcements in prior years. Previous editions have drawn participation from ministers, sovereign wealth fund representatives and international hotel chains, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a convening point for sector deals. With the 2026 speaker roster now expanded, the summit is expected to generate further momentum for hospitality transactions in the final quarter of the year.
