The Lodging Conference

What The Lodging Conference does

The Lodging Conference (TLC) is a privately held annual conference company that has operated for over 30 years (founded circa 1995 by Harry Javer, who continues as Conference Founder & Producer) as the hotel industry's premier development conference. The company produces a single annual three-day in-person event held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, bringing together hotel owners, developers, investors, franchise executives, lenders, and industry service providers for networking, deal-making, and educational programming. The 2025 event drew over 3,000 attendees and the company claims it is the largest hotel industry conference in the world.

The conference's core product is the event itself, structured around (1) general sessions and concurrent think tanks covering development, financing, franchising, construction, brand conversions, AI adoption, and owner-brand-operator dynamics; (2) networking and leisure activities including a golf tournament, pickleball, hiking, yoga, and evening social events; and (3) sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities for hospitality vendors. The offering is not technology-based — there is no proprietary platform, app, or software product described in the source material. Revenue is generated through two streams: paid attendee registrations and multi-tier sponsorship/exhibitor packages sold to hotel brands, franchise companies, financial institutions, and service providers. Major recurring sponsors include Marriott International, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Wyndham, Choice Hotels, BWH Hotels, MUFG, and HUB International, with industry associations AAHOA and AHLA contributing curatorial content.

The go-to-market is event-driven and heavily reliant on direct enterprise sales (sponsorships), the company website, email, LinkedIn, and industry word-of-mouth. The company markets itself as the "deal conference" in hospitality, with attendees citing the relaxed, intimate atmosphere and the density of hotel industry decision-makers as its primary differentiators. Operating geographies are global in reach but concentrated geographically at the single Phoenix venue, with the conference drawing attendees and sponsors from across the U.S. and internationally. There is no disclosed headcount, no public funding, and no revenue disclosure in the available sources.

Name

The Lodging Conference

Legal name

The Lodging Conference

Website

https://lodgingconference.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lodging Conference is a privately held annual conference company that has operated for 30+ years as the hotel industry's premier development event, drawing 3,000+ owners, developers, investors, and brand executives to a three-day in-person gathering at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge, generating revenue through attendee registrations and multi-tier sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Industry Conferences and Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hotel & Resort Convention Venues (Convention Hotels) (THAHAAAC)

Keywords

• Hotel industry conferences
• Hospitality networking events
• Hotel development conferences
• Hospitality trade shows
• Industry executive events

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Registrations: The conference generates revenue through paid attendee registrations. Registrations provide access to three days of sessions, networking events, meals, and leisure activities at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.
2. Sponsorships and Exhibitor Packages: Hotel brands, franchise companies, service providers, and industry vendors pay for sponsorship and exhibitor packages to gain visibility and access to thousands of hotel owners, developers, and executives in attendance. Multiple sponsorship tiers are evident from the extensive list of sponsor logos and named event sponsors throughout the conference agenda.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Lodging Conference produces an annual three-day in-person event for the hotel industry, combining paid attendee registrations with corporate sponsorship and exhibitor packages. The conference brings together hotel owners, developers, investors, franchise brand executives, lenders, and service providers for educational sessions, networking activities, and deal-making at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.

Product overview

The Lodging Conference is a single, unified product — an annual premier hotel industry conference held at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. The conference consists of three core components: the main conference sessions featuring executive briefings, general sessions, and concurrent think tanks; networking and leisure activities including golf, pickleball, and social events; and sponsorship/exhibition opportunities. Attendees include hotel owners, developers, investors, brand executives, and industry service providers who participate in educational programming and deal-making over the three-day event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Lodging Conference (Annual Conference) A three-day annual in-person event bringing together hotel owners, developers, investors, brand executives, and service providers for networking, education, and deal-making at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.
• Sponsorships and Exhibitor Booths Tiered sponsorship packages and exhibitor booth opportunities allowing hospitality industry vendors, suppliers, and service providers to showcase their offerings to hotel owners, developers, and brand executives. Includes named event sponsorships (dinners, cocktail parties, golf tournament, refreshment breaks) and branded signage/booth presence on the conference floor.

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & SpacoreOthersThe annual conference venue and host hotel. The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona hosts the event, providing conference facilities, accommodations, and leisure amenities (golf course, pickleball courts) for attendees.
• Amazon BusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the conference, specifically sponsoring the Cake Pop Stand during conference hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Avendra InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerA hospitality procurement company that sponsors conference activities and has speaker representation at the event.
• IHG Hotels & ResortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand and conference sponsor, with refreshment break sponsorship at the 2026 conference.
• Marriott InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand sponsor, specifically sponsoring refreshment breaks at the 2026 conference.
• Wyndham Hotels & ResortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand and long-term sponsor of the conference.
• HiltonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand sponsor of the conference.
• Hyatt Hotels CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand sponsor, specifically hosting Executive Briefing sessions at the 2026 conference.
• Choice Hotels InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand sponsor, specifically sponsoring dinner and cocktails at the 2026 conference along with Blank Rome LLP, Inn-Flow, and The PENTA Building Group.
• BWH HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hotel brand sponsor, specifically sponsoring the Casino Night dinner, drinks, gaming and rock n' roll event at the 2026 conference.
• MUFG Bank, Ltd.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial institution sponsor, specifically sponsoring refreshment breaks at the 2026 conference.
• HUB InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance and risk management firm sponsor, specifically sponsoring the session on Financial Engineering including taxes, insurance and risk analysis.
• AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe world's largest hotel owners association (20,000 members) has multiple representatives participating as speakers and leaders at the conference, with AAHOA Update sessions and chairman participation.
• AHLA (American Hotel & Lodging Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe leading hotel industry trade association participates with AHLA Update sessions and executive speaker participation.
• Women in Hospitality Leadership AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry organization focused on advancing women in hospitality leadership, with founder Rachel Humphrey participating as a speaker.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP): The leading Asia-Pacific hotel investment conference, organized by BHN. Comparable in audience and deal-making focus to TLC but serving a different geography, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS): ALIS is the largest hotel investment conference in the Americas, directly competing with TLC for hotel owner, brand, and developer attendance. Both events target the same deal-making audience with overlapping sponsor rosters and similar programming on hotel development and finance.
• NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference: An annual NYU-hosted conference focused on hotel investment and industry trends, directly comparable to TLC in targeting owners, investors, and brands for networking and deal-making in the lodging sector.
• Hunter Hotel Investment Conference: A long-running, invitation-style annual hotel investment conference held in Atlanta, directly comparable to TLC in format, audience (hotel owners, developers, lenders), and value proposition as a deal-making venue for the lodging industry.
• Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS): A regional hotel investment conference operated by BHN, targeting hotel investors and developers focused on the Caribbean. Directly comparable to TLC in business model and audience, with geographic specialization.
• HITEC (Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference): The leading technology-focused hospitality industry conference, organized by HFTP. It competes for the same hotel industry audience and sponsor base as TLC but emphasizes technology vendors and digital transformation over development and finance.

Broad incumbents

• Questex: A global events and media company operating hospitality industry conferences such as the Hotel & Resort Design South conference. Comparable to TLC as a competitor in the B2B hospitality events space with a broader portfolio.
• Informa: A global B2B events and information services company that operates numerous hospitality and travel events. As a broad incumbent, Informa has the scale and portfolio breadth to compete with TLC across multiple hotel industry event categories.

Emerging players

• Skift Forum: An annual travel industry conference hosted by Skift, a digital media company. It competes for executive-level attention and sponsorship from the broader travel and hospitality ecosystem, with growing relevance to hotel industry decision-makers.

Others

• Burba Hotel Network (BHN): A hospitality media and events company that produces multiple hotel investment conferences including ALIS, CHRIS, and HICAP. BHN is a direct competitive force to TLC across multiple geographies and is a co-producer of ALIS with AHLA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lodging-conference

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Lodging Conference