Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Summit: A Gathering of Influential Minds in NYC
The travel industry’s most influential minds are gathering in New York City today as Travel + Leisure kicks off its third annual World’s Best Summit. This exciting event, running from July 14–15, 2026, is taking place at the People Inc. offices in Manhattan. Presented by Capital One Travel, the two-day event brings together leaders across travel, hospitality, media, and culture for high-level programming examining the ideas and experiences shaping the global travel industry.
Curated by Travel + Leisure Editor in Chief Jacqueline Gifford, the Summit covers a wide range of forward-looking topics. These include:
- The growing role of artificial intelligence in luxury travel
- Redefining what exceptional service means in 2026
Headline keynote conversations will feature Barry Diller, Chairman and Senior Executive of People Incorporated and Expedia Group, as well as Oscar-winning actress and director Regina King.
The Summit builds on buzz from Travel + Leisure’s recently announced 2026 World’s Best Awards. These awards drew insights from more than 207,000 readers worldwide and named:
- Koh Samui, Thailand as Best Island in the World
- Patina Osaka, Japan as Best Hotel in the World
Supporting sponsors for the Summit include AmaWaterways, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Princess Cruises, and Singapore Airlines. Following the New York event, Travel + Leisure will host the inaugural World’s Best Summit London on October 27–28, 2026.
Source: PRNewswire – Travel + Leisure World’s Best Summit