Thursday, June 26, 2025
On the opening day of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) 2025 in Riyadh, Catherine Edwards, Chief Growth Officer at QUO, a global branding consultancy, shared exclusive insights with Travel and Tour World about branding innovation, hospitality transformation, and the power of technology.
“Well, it’s only day one, so we’re in the early stages of the conference,” Edwards said. “QUO is a regular attendee at FHS, so it’s really exciting to be back here again this year, back in Riyadh.”
She emphasized the significance of reconnecting with clients in the Kingdom and making new industry connections at this influential summit. “We’re looking forward to listening to all the fabulous content that will be going on during the next three days,” she added.
QUO’s Mission in the Hospitality Industry
When asked about QUO’s role and mission in the hospitality space, Edwards explained:
“QUO is a branding consultancy. We do brand strategy, positioning, and concept development for hotels and hospitality organizations.”
Operating globally, QUO’s work in Saudi Arabia includes collaborations with giga-projects like NEOM and Public Investment Fund (PIF)-backed ventures, as well as supporting smaller enterprises entering the dynamic Saudi hospitality landscape.
“Saudi Arabia is such a dynamic market,” Edwards noted. “There’s so much going on in hospitality—so much innovation, and very innovative concepts focused on heritage tourism or completely new approaches.”
Whether the focus is the Red Sea or NEOM, she described Saudi Arabia as a “fascinating market” with a growing appetite for hospitality innovation.
Evolving Brand Expectations from Customers
What are customers expecting from hospitality brands today that’s different from just two years ago?
“The world is changing. People are much more aware of what a brand really stands for,” Edwards said. “Consumers—not just in Saudi Arabia, but globally—are looking for brands with purpose, a distinct story, and values that align with theirs.”
She stressed that customers seek authentic experiences, not just well-crafted marketing messages. For QUO, branding isn’t limited to visual identity—it’s about activating the brand across every guest touchpoint.
“We support clients to bring brands to life—to activate them across every dimension of the hospitality journey,” she said. “Your brand shouldn’t just live on paper—it should come to life daily in the guest experience.”
Integrating AI and Technology into Hospitality
The conversation then shifted toward technology—specifically how QUO uses AI and emerging tech like VR.
“We’re integrating AI into a lot of our work—as a research tool and to create efficiencies,” Edwards explained.
She discussed how QUO helps clients reimagine hotels of the future, building them with technology from the ground up. While the hospitality sector globally has been slower to adopt tech, she believes Saudi Arabia is ahead of the curve.
“There’s a real appetite to innovate here. And the investment to build hotels with technology from the early stages makes a huge difference,” she said.
This shift not only enhances the guest experience but also improves operational efficiencies and staffing models.
Why Saudi Arabia Stands Out
Edwards believes Saudi Arabia’s hospitality future is especially bright because of its willingness to invest in innovation, take risks, and launch ambitious projects.
Whether it’s heritage tourism or hyper-modern giga projects like NEOM, the Saudi market is a testbed for blending branding, culture, and digital transformation.
“It’s exciting times,” she concluded with a smile. “We’re really looking forward to what’s next.”
The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) 2025 unfolded in Riyadh from May 11 to 13, setting the stage for the next era of hospitality in the Kingdom and beyond. Hosted at the stunning Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, the event brought together top-tier executives, global hotel brands, policymakers, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs under one roof.
This year’s summit aligned closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, signaling a bold shift toward tourism-led economic growth. With over 1,200 delegates from across the globe, the event served as a hub for meaningful dialogue, cutting-edge insights, and billion-dollar investment potential.
FHS 2025 spotlighted emerging trends like branded residential developments, AI-driven guest experiences, ESG commitments, and the future of sustainable hospitality. One major highlight was the NextGen Investment Zone, where young startups and innovators pitched ideas with transformative potential, drawing real-time investor interest.
In a strong push for inclusion, the summit launched #FHSWomenPower, a program that celebrated Saudi women in hospitality by offering workshops, networking spaces, and reduced entry access—encouraging more local female participation than ever before.
Several strategic deals and partnerships were announced, with early estimates pointing to over $1.6 billion in new hospitality ventures. These spanned everything from resort developments to technology integrations for smarter guest journeys.
Beyond the business, curated experiences like rooftop wellness sessions and fine dining meetups created an immersive environment for networking.
FHS 2025 was more than a summit—it was a milestone moment, redefining the role of hospitality in Saudi Arabia’s evolving global identity.
