Nature, gastronomy and cultural heritage can attract visitors, but developing a luxury destination also requires consistent service, skilled people and good connectivity. How to turn the regional offering into an experience that meets demanding clients’ expectations was among the topics at the Adriatic Luxury Summit 2026, held from 1 to 3 October in Belgrade.
Under the theme The New Code of Luxury, the programme brought together representatives from hospitality, fashion, real estate, yachting, design and other sectors. The main conference day took place at the Hyatt Regency Belgrade hotel, with discussions covering changes in consumption, the development of new destinations and the relationship between brand heritage and the expectations of new generations of buyers.
Regional ambitions were given a more concrete framework through the results of Adriatic Luxury Pulse 2026, presented at the summit. According to these findings, 76 per cent of respondents believe that the Adriatic region can compete with the world’s leading luxury destinations. At the same time, areas identified as needing improvement included consistency of service and quality, cited by 61 per cent of respondents, professional discipline at 54 per cent, and education and expertise in the luxury sector at 49 per cent.
Ivana Laković, founder of the summit and CEO of The LXR Group, Danilo Kalezić, Lara Ham and Vesna Vlašić discussed the region’s development opportunities through to 2030. The closing discussion focused on how to connect existing natural and cultural resources with the quality of the offering and service.
For brands, another important question was how to remain distinctive as the market changes. Laudomia Pucci, daughter of designer Emilio Pucci, spoke with Laković about preserving creative heritage, elements of identity that should not be subject to trends, and the value of craftsmanship. The topic also raised the question of how much human work and authenticity can influence a product’s value in an increasingly technologically advanced environment.
Other discussions featured representatives of companies and brands including Feadship, Aman, Nammos Hotels & Resorts, Vacheron Constantin, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Quintessentially. They discussed personalised service, luxury real estate, the development of hotel offerings and the experiences through which brands seek to stand out to clients with a wide range of choices.
The programme also covered preventive health, longevity and personalised medicine, including the question of their accessibility. The discussion on philanthropy explored ways in which knowledge, time and contacts can be shared alongside capital.
This year’s edition also saw the first presentation of the Adriatic Luxury Awards. Recipients included Laudomia Pucci, Marko Desivojević, Dr Jasmina Lalošević, Dragan Marković, Marija Nikolić and Lara Ham, with awards recognising contributions to culture, craftsmanship, development and connecting people.
