Spirit of Hospitality Summit

Join us November 4-5, 2026 at Purdue University for the Spirit of Hospitality Summit, a premier industry gathering designed for professionals and alumni shaping the future of hospitality, tourism, retail, sales, and financial planning.

Hosted at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, the Summit brings together forward-thinking leaders, innovators, and decision-makers for immersive conversations around experience, leadership, and people-first strategy. This year’s theme, Elevating Every Experience: People First, sets the tone for dynamic discussions and actionable insights that prioritize the human element across every industry touchpoint. This is where industry insight meets real-world application – where ideas turn into action and connections turn into collaboration.

The Summit begins on Wednesday, November 4 with a pre-conference professional development workshop and networking reception, offering early opportunities for meaningful engagement and connection. Main programming takes place on Thursday, November 5, featuring dynamic keynote sessions and expert-led discussions that explore critical topics in experience innovation, including digital transformation, experience design, applications of artificial intelligence, sustainability, entertainment, and technology.

While students are part of the experience, the Summit is intentionally designed around high-level industry engagement. Attendees can expect thoughtfully curated content that reflects today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities, alongside opportunities to celebrate the achievements, influence, and impact of Purdue HTM alumni and trusted industry partners.

Since its inception in 2022, the Spirit of Hospitality Summit has resonated with participants by augmenting academic programs and research with an engaging and impactful professional development experience.

More than a conference, the Spirit of Hospitality Summit is a moment to step back, think bigger, and recommit to elevating every experience – inside organizations, across industries, and within our communities.

Take your Next Giant Leap and join us at this hallmark gathering of industry leaders who believe the future of service begins with people.