At HD Expo 2018, more than 875 exhibitors and 12,500 attendees marked the hospitality design trade show’s largest turn out yet. From May 2–4, interior designers, architects, owners, suppliers and hoteliers tromped the 275,000 sq. ft. of show floor space at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas in search of design inspiration. They must have found it, as the expo continues to grow, with a five percent increase in attendees from 2017 and 80 percent of the show floor already sold for 2019.
Expo HD, hosted by Hospitality Design magazine, features new design products, an awards show and competition, a networking pool party, more than 30 conference sessions and engaging booth exhibitions, but it’s the excitement of getting inspired that keeps attendees coming back.
“There are opportunities to rethink everything in the hospitality world thanks to inspiring products,” says Will Meyers of luxury design firm Meyer Davis. “This is why we come to HD Expo.”
What’s New in Hospitality Design
With aesthetics at the forefront of hotel image and branding, the exposition provides a key service—putting decoration decision-makers face-to-face with the newest products in hospitality, so they can identify the industry trends that work for them.
Products include luxury design firm Kallista’s 3D-printed faucet and cube-shaped handles—winner of the Best in Competition category for the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and HD Product Design Awards—as well as creative love seats and couches by PolArt, which won Best in Show. Kevin Barry Fine Art won Best Insta Moment for its summer vacation-themed #KFBAonholiday booth with neon artwork, customizable signs and a surfboard seesaw.
Event Inspo from HD Expo 2018
New to this year’s HD Expo, the HD/Hilton Box Design Challenge tasked 12 design firms with creating the ideal luxury guest room in just 24 hours. Celebrity designer Bobby Berk, of Queer Eye fame, helped select the winning firm, Chapi Chapo Design, which debuted a 1920s inspired room in honor of Hilton’s 100-year anniversary.
“The buzz and excitement for this show have been amazing,” says Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, editor in chief of Hospitality Design magazine. “Attendees are saying this was some of the best content ever presented at HD Expo.”
Industry veterans and rising stars lead the curated conference sessions to talk about branding, F&B trends and luxury design. A highlight was the signature HD and International Society of Hospitality Purchaser (ISHP) Owners’ Roundtable, which brought more than 35 hoteliers and brand executives together.
Adding to the buzz was the opening night party at Top Golf MGM Grand and the following night’s popular Party by the Pool at Drai’s at The Cromwell Las Vegas.
Next year’s HD Expo runs May 15–17, 2019. Visit hdexpo.com for more information and this year’s highlights.
