EHMA Italy spotlights neuroscience and leadership at Sanremo meeting

EHMA’s Italian Chapter gathered hospitality leaders in Sanremo, Italy, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, 2026, for its Autumn Meeting and an Extraordinary General Meeting. The event paired governance updates with awards, leadership programming and a keynote on how neuroscience is reshaping luxury dining experiences.

Why it matters: - EHMA’s Sanremo gathering put luxury hospitality’s future issues in one room: governance, leadership wellbeing, talent development and the guest dining experience. - The meeting also showed how European hotel executives are trying to balance tradition, innovation and stronger institutional alignment across the association.

What happened: - EHMA’s Italian Chapter held its Autumn Meeting in Sanremo, Italy, from 30 October to 1 November 2026. - The event took place at the Royal Hotel Sanremo and was hosted by EHMA member Marco Sarlo. - Italian hotel general managers met with colleagues from across Europe for dialogue, networking and association business. - EHMA also convened an Extraordinary General Meeting to review and approve amendments to the association’s Statutes. - Saturday’s program included a meeting of the EHMA Management Council with National Delegates from across Europe.

The details: - Ezio A. Indiani, EHMA National Delegate for Italy and general manager of Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, said the Autumn Meeting is one of the most important moments for the delegation. - Indiani said the presence of the Management Council and other European delegations added an international dimension to the gathering. - The meeting included two awards presented at the gala dinner at the Royal Hotel Sanremo. - Cristiano Cabutti, general manager of W Milan, received the Italian Hotel General Manager of the Year 2026 award. - Toni Martinciglio, executive assistant manager at Villa Igiea Palermo – Rocco Forte Hotels, won the Stefano Biscioni Scholarship Award 2026 as Best Mentee of the seventh cycle of the Italian Mentor Me program. - Both awards were presented by Indiani. - Marco Truffelli, an EHMA member and co-founder of RESILIRĒ - Psychological Growth, presented research on how Acceptance and Commitment Training and Coaching affects burnout among European luxury hotel general managers. - Truffelli used an interactive “What’s in Your Cup?” exercise to discuss leadership pressure and professional priorities. - Professor Vincenzo Russo delivered the keynote, “The Brain at the Table: How Neuroscience Is Redefining the Gastronomic Experience in Luxury Hospitality.” - Russo explored how cognitive and emotional processes shape guest perception, decision-making and memorable dining. - The keynote focused on how neuroscience could help luxury hotels strengthen emotional connections and improve the gastronomic journey. - Guests also joined a guided walk through La Pigna, Sanremo’s historic medieval quarter. - The event opened with a welcome cocktail and dinner on Friday, 30 October. - The gathering ended with a farewell brunch at the Royal Hotel Sanremo. - The Royal Hotel Sanremo, opened in 1872, overlooks the Mediterranean and sits in a subtropical park. - The Europa Palace in Sanremo, dating to 1874, also hosted participants after an extensive renovation. - EHMA said the meeting’s partners included Bellantoni, Blastness, Bonfante Interior Contractor, Casale del Giglio, Culti Milano, De Cecco, Dorelan, Dream&Charme, Edition Bougainville, Ferrarini, Gascón Group, Getpica, Hotelcube, Il Mondo di Scimpa, Ingenia Direct, Iniziative Venete Group, La Bottega Collective, Laurent-Perrier, Maurel, Mepra, Pedersoli Milano, Scent Company, Sound Solutions, Syeew, Teamwork Hospitality and Verdant by Copeland. - EHMA was founded in Rome in 1974 and says it has 523 members overseeing more than 400 hotels across 24 countries. - The association said it focuses on leadership, innovation, education and knowledge-sharing in European luxury hospitality.

Between the lines: - The emphasis on neuroscience and burnout research suggests luxury hospitality leaders are looking beyond operations into psychology, wellness and behavioral science. - The Extraordinary General Meeting signals an effort to keep EHMA’s governance structure current as the association expands its European reach. - The awards and mentoring recognition point to a pipeline strategy: celebrate senior leadership while investing in emerging talent.

What's next: - EHMA will continue implementing the Statutes amendments approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting. - The association is likely to keep using chapter meetings to combine institutional business with professional development and cross-border networking. - EHMA’s focus on mentorship and leadership wellbeing suggests more programming around talent retention and executive resilience.

The bottom line: - EHMA used its Sanremo meeting to pair association governance with a clear message: luxury hospitality’s next phase will depend as much on human insight and leadership development as on service standards and heritage.**