- Sixth annual LendingCon held Aug. 4 and 5.
- Envoys from Mexico and other countries attended.
- Organizers announced plans for new hospitality insurance.
NEARLY 1,000 PEOPLE attended the sixth annual Hospitality Investment, Development & Lending Conference in Orlando, Florida. Along with the usual speakers and sessions covering the financial state of the hotel industry, this year’s LendingCon was visited by international envoys promoting investment in several other countries.
Jan Gautam, president and CEO of IHRMC Hotels & Resorts, founded LendingCon in 2021. The conference brings together hotel owners, investors, developers, operators, brand executives, lenders, government officials, technology innovators and service providers from across the U.S. and international markets.
“This year's theme is ‘Legacy in Motion: Reshaping the Future of Hospitality Investment,’” Gautam said in his welcoming address. “This is not just a theme. It represents our commitment to creating opportunities, building lasting partnerships, and helping to shape the future of hospitality.”
More than 40 banks, lenders and capital providers participated in LendingCon 2026. The private Deal Room and lender-networking lounge created focused environments where owners, developers, franchisors, brokers and financial institutions could discuss active projects, explore financing options and build relationships.
As in years past, LendingCon also featured a tradeshow.
New visitors from abroad
Government officials and representatives from several countries presented hospitality, tourism, real estate and economic-development opportunities available within their markets. The delegations came from Brazil, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico and several other countries.
Their participation introduced investors, developers, operators and lenders to new international projects, incentives and potential partnerships. Mara Lezama Espinosa, governor of Quintana Roo, Mexico, addressed the crowd during the opening session.
Quintana Roo, home state of tourist destination Cancun, is one of Mexico's fastest-growing economies. It sees more than 20 million visitors every year, connected through four international airports through which more than 31 million airline passengers pass through annually. The city has more than 140,000 hotel rooms.
“We are creating something unprecedented—a financial and technology district designed to become the headquarters for financial institutions, fintech, hospitality technology, proptech, artificial intelligence, and global corporate services,” Espinosa said. “More than real estate, an ecosystem where capital, innovation, and business come together, backed by the government of Mexico and the state of Quintana Roo, supported by strategic public infrastructure, and positioned at the gateway between North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.”
LendingCon kicks off hospitality Insurance Initiative
During the conference, held Aug. 4 and 5 at Renaissance Seaworld Orlando, organizers announced plans to launch a specialized hospitality insurance program with Lloyd’s of London in the coming months.
“The program will be designed to help qualifying hospitality owners and operators reduce insurance expenses, save administrative time and gain access to competitive insurance and risk-management solutions,” they said in a statement. “Depending on eligibility, property characteristics, coverage requirements and other factors, participants could potentially save thousands of dollars while simplifying the insurance process.”
Representatives from Lloyd’s delivered an educational session examining rising insurance costs, captive-insurance strategies and new approaches to protecting hospitality investments. Additional information about the new insurance program—including eligibility requirements, coverage options and potential savings—will be announced in the coming months.
Last year’s conference drew more than 900 attendees and more than 90 solution providers.
