Jul

Racing, Research, & Results: #ICHRIE2025 in Indy Was Unforgettable!

The 2025 ICHRIE Global Conference in Indianapolis, held 18–20 June 2025 and co‑located with HITEC®, brought together hospitality and tourism educators, researchers, and industry leaders for three dynamic days of innovation, connection, and celebration at the JW Marriott IndyPlace.

We kicked off the week on 17 June 2025 with an interactive strategy session led by Andre Wiringa, Founder & Chief Reverse Engineer of StartReverse, who guided the ICHRIE Board of Directors through a bold visioning experience. On 18 June, Andre also met with nearly 100 Deans, Directors, and Programme Leads to explore future-facing strategies for hospitality and tourism education.

More than 350 attendees engaged in a vibrant and diverse programme featuring:

5 Keynote & General Sessions
190+ Paper Presentations across Education, Marketing, Technology, Tourism, and more
10+ Symposium Sessions tackling today’s challenges and tomorrow’s innovations
65+ Poster Presentations across 3 full sessions
15+ SIG and Special Interest Sessions
A hands‑on Creative Teaching Lab with over 20 innovative presentations and demos
Competitions including the Dissertation Proposal, JHTC, ICHRIE Research Reports, and Research Marathon
6 Federation Meetings, bringing together members by region to collaborate and plan
The official 2025 ICHRIE Annual Business Meeting, where the 2025–2026 Board of Directors was introduced

Attendees also enjoyed exclusive access to HITEC®, the world’s largest hospitality tech expo, at no additional cost—making this one of the most dynamic and comprehensive ICHRIE conferences to date.

Gala highlights included a stylish Reception at the Indiana State Museum and an unforgettable Closing Gala, where a dozen of the 80+ awards presented during the week celebrated outstanding educators, students, and industry leaders shaping the future of hospitality and tourism.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis buzzed with excitement during the week of 16–20 June 2025, hosting major sports and entertainment events:

The Circle City 150 ARCA race at Lucas Oil Raceway
Indy Eleven vs. Las Vegas Lights FC
Two NBA Finals Games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the Indiana Pacers vied for the championship
A WNBA matchup featuring the Indiana Fever
And all of it coming right after the legendary 109th Indianapolis 500, which drew over 350,000 fans

With academic excellence by day and a city alive with sports and culture by night, #ICHRIE2025 was a powerful showcase of how hospitality, education, and community create lasting impact. And we captured it all in this year’s conference photo album.

A heartfelt thank you to our attendees, presenters, sponsors, and partners.