IIHM joins industry leaders in Kolkata as Knowledge Partner for a landmark celebration of hospitality leadership, sustainability and future-ready skills
Kolkata witnessed an important milestone for the hospitality industry with the Hotelier India GM Summit & ESG Excellence Awards 2026 – Eastern Region, held on 28 September at JW Marriott Kolkata. Bringing together General Managers, hospitality leaders, industry experts and changemakers, the summit created a platform to discuss the future of hospitality, responsible growth, sustainability, technology and leadership.
The event marked the first edition of the Hotelier India GM Summit and ESG Excellence Awards in Eastern India, bringing the spotlight to West Bengal and the wider Eastern hospitality ecosystem. International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) joined the summit as the Knowledge Partner, reinforcing its longstanding role in connecting hospitality education with the evolving needs of the industry. Hotelier India also recognised Dr. Suborno Bose, Chairman & CEO, IIHM and Indismart Group, as a distinguished member of the Grand Jury.
Celebrating Kolkata and the Rise of Eastern Hospitality
Speaking at the summit, Dr. Suborno Bose described the occasion as a “dream come true” and highlighted the potential of West Bengal to emerge as a major force in Indian hospitality.
He emphasised that the state has many of the ingredients required to attract tourists and investors — from its rich food and culture to its hospitality ecosystem. However, he also emphasized a critical requirement for sustainable growth: skilled manpower.
“We need skilled manpower,” Dr Bose said, stressing the importance of looking beyond the major cities and developing more skilling centres across Bengal. For him, building hotels and restaurants is only one part of hospitality development; creating a skilled workforce capable of delivering quality experiences is equally important.
This focus closely reflects IIHM’s education philosophy, which combines business acumen, practical learning, international exposure, technology and professional development to prepare students for the changing hospitality workplace.
AI, Human Touch and the Future of Hospitality
Dr Bose also highlighted two defining forces shaping the sector — Artificial Intelligence and sustainability.
“A.I. will never replace human touch,” he said, while explaining that AI can make hospitality professionals more powerful and help deliver better guest experiences. He also stressed the need to use AI responsibly and ensure that hospitality professionals understand how to work with the technology.
This vision is already reflected in IIHM’s approach to hospitality education. Through initiatives such as NamAIste – IIHM HospitalityGPT and the Global AI Hospitality Education Council (GAIHEC), IIHM is working to integrate AI literacy, ethical technology and human-centric hospitality into education. GAIHEC brings together educators, industry leaders and institutions from more than 60 countries to develop future-ready hospitality learning.
Dr Bose also positioned sustainability as a key pillar for the industry’s future, stating that “growth is good, but we need to be sustainable.” This message resonated strongly with the purpose of the ESG Excellence Awards, which recognised hotels for responsible governance, social responsibility and environmental consciousness.
Recognising Excellence in ESG
The awards celebrated hotels across categories including socially responsible hospitality, sustainable and environment-conscious practices, and excellence in corporate governance. Among the recognised properties were Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata, JW Marriott Kolkata, Holiday Inn Express Kolkata Airport, Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences, ITC Royal Bengal, ITC Sonar, Taj Bengal, Tania’s Luxury Budget Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri and The Westin Kolkata.
The recognition highlighted how ESG is becoming an increasingly important part of hotel operations and leadership.
IIHM as a Knowledge Partner
As Knowledge Partner, IIHM’s presence at the summit reflects the growing importance of industry-academia collaboration in preparing hospitality professionals for tomorrow’s demands. The industry is evolving through AI, sustainability, changing guest expectations and new business models. Hospitality professionals therefore need continuous learning and opportunities to understand these changes.
IIHM’s role goes beyond conventional classroom education. Its focus on practical learning, technology, industry interaction, leadership development and future-ready skills creates opportunities for learners and professionals to stay connected with the realities of the hospitality business. Its AI-led initiatives further demonstrate the institute’s commitment to preparing hospitality talent for a technology-enabled yet deeply human industry.
The Hotelier India GM Summit & ESG Excellence Awards 2026 therefore represented more than a celebration of achievement. It brought together leadership, education, technology and sustainability — four forces that will play an important role in shaping the next chapter of Indian hospitality.
Media Coverage:
Zee 24 Ghanta – https://youtu.be/23JBdXjQizA?si=Wqhcs7p_s3tjJ-Yf
TV9 Bangla – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whQRE7qlPPk
