PJ Barbour, hospitality market leader at Gensler, is set to attend Hotec Design, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 22-24 at the Omni Fort Lauderdale, Fla.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up-to-date on emerging trends.
Ahead of the conference, Barbour talked about new purchasing trends, AI in design and maintaining optimism in volatile times.
What are the most significant shifts you’ve seen in the industry over the past year—and do you see them lasting?
Hospitality has really shifted from being about convenience to being about experience and emotional connection. Guests want places that feel local, personal, and restorative - not cookie‑cutter or overly branded. We’re seeing a move toward wellness, culture, and “designing to feel” across room design, F&B spaces, amenities, and more and that’s not a short‑term thing. It’s fundamentally changing how hotels think about value.
What are the most pressing challenges facing the hospitality industry today, and how is your team navigating them?
Costs, labor challenges, and market uncertainty remain top of mind as guest expectations rise. At Gensler, we’re diversifying our project work with a greater focus on renovations, PIP repositioning, and adaptive reuse to unlock value from existing assets. Flexible, human‑centric design strategies support both guests and staff, improving operations and experience, an approach our clients are increasingly prioritizing to maximize asset performance.
How are you using AI, and what does that mean for hospitality’s future?
We’re using AI to better understand how people use spaces and what they value so we can design more personalized experiences. It helps us plan more intelligently and respond to guest needs throughout their stay, not just at check‑in. Over time, the goal is for AI to quietly enhance the experience, not replace human service. Hospitality should feel more personal, not more digital.
With so much market volatility, what makes you optimistic about where the industry is headed?
People still want to travel, connect, and feel good, and hospitality plays a huge role in that. We’re seeing strong momentum around destination‑driven spaces that serve both guests and local communities. When hotels act as places to gather, recharge, and belong - not just sleep - they stay relevant even in uncertain times.
What are the advantages of more intimate events like HOTEC versus large-scale conventions and trade shows?
Smaller events allow for real conversations and meaningful relationship building rather than surface‑level networking. You get more honesty, more insight, and more collaboration in a short amount of time. For me, that type of setting mirrors what we’re designing for now: curated, intentional experiences that feel personal and meaningful.