Sponsor Marketing & Communication Guidelines 2026

Your sponsorship is more than a logo: it is a lever for visibility, networking, and long-term recognition across the European hospitality industry.
This guide explains how to make the most of your participation — before, during, and after the European Hotel Awards 2026, taking place on Monday 28 September 2026 at the Grand Hotel del Mare Resort & Spa in Bordighera, on the Italian Riviera.

Before the Event

• Visibility: Announce your participation on LinkedIn or your website using the official logos available in the Media Center. Add “Sponsor of the European Hotel Awards 2026” to your email signature.
• Media: Share the Organizer’s official press release, when available, and prepare 1–2 short social media posts.
• Prestige: Publish a short news article or client newsletter. Identify the laureates, guests and hospitality decision-makers you wish to meet.
• Official Sponsor / Premium Sponsor: Issue a corporate announcement and plan strategic VIP invitations in coordination with the Organizer.

During the Event — Step by Step

Step 1 — 15:00–18:00 Official Photos & Interviews

• Authorized sponsors only: Access is strictly limited to accredited sponsors and invited laureates.
• All sponsors: Official photos are taken exclusively by the Organizer or authorized photographers. Personal photography is not permitted during this session.
• Embargo: Official images may not be published before the official closing of the Awards Ceremony on 28 September 2026.
• Premium Sponsor / Official Sponsor: You may prepare your communication in advance, but use the official images only once they are released by the Organizer after the Event.

Step 2 — 18:00–20:00 Welcome Walking Cocktail & Networking

• All sponsors: Prepare a concise 20–30 second pitch and bring business cards or digital contact options, such as a QR code.
• Media / Prestige: Prepare a short “live from the Awards” post with a team photo, subject to the Organizer’s communication guidelines.
• Official Sponsor / Premium Sponsor: Focus on targeted networking with laureates, EHA Board members, host-hotel executives and selected hospitality decision-makers. The Organizer can assist with introductions where appropriate.

Step 3 — 20:00–21:15 Awards Ceremony

• Visibility: Benefit from sponsor visibility according to your confirmed sponsorship level.
• Media: Note any official ceremony mention for a highlight post to be published after the Event.
• Prestige: Share a LinkedIn carousel with selected official photos once the images are available and approved for publication.
• Official Sponsor / Premium Sponsor: Publish an official message such as “We proudly support European hospitality excellence.”

Step 4 — 21:15–Closing Gala Dinner

• All sponsors: Use the dinner for qualified networking and aim to create meaningful contacts with selected hospitality professionals.
• Media / Prestige: If relevant and available within your package, use the dinner to host selected clients, partners or media contacts.
• Official Sponsor / Premium Sponsor: Make full use of your VIP invitations and hospitality opportunities to strengthen relationships with high-value contacts.

After the Event

• Visibility: Publish a “Proud Sponsor” post with an official photo.
• Media: Send a client newsletter or short web article with selected official photos.
• Prestige: Publish a detailed article or case study using selected official photos and official post-event material.
• Official Sponsor / Premium Sponsor: Extend impact with ongoing communication through your corporate website, LinkedIn, newsletters, client relations and PR activity in the following months.

Per-Level Quick Wins — What “Good” Looks Like

• Visibility: 1 pre-event post + 1 post-event post, email signature update, and 5–10 qualified contacts during the evening.
• Media: Press-release relay, 1 short article or newsletter mention, selected live content, and 10–15 qualified contacts.
• Prestige: 3-post series — teaser, live moment, recap — client newsletter, selected official photos, and 15–20 qualified contacts.
• Official Sponsor / Premium Sponsor: Corporate announcement, editorial content, VIP invitations, reinforced visibility, and 20–30 qualified contacts.

ROI & Value Creation

• Approximately 120 VIP guests expected, including general managers, senior hoteliers, managing directors, institutional figures, partners and selected media.
• 20–25 official laureates expected, including award-winning hotels, hospitality leaders and European hoteliers.
• Presence of EHA Board members, selected partners and host-hotel executives, including management, F&B and event-related teams.

Even entry-level sponsorship provides targeted visibility comparable to niche trade advertising. Higher sponsorship levels deliver multiplied impact through consistent visibility before, during and after the Event, combined with direct access to selected hospitality decision-makers.

Media Center & Brand Safety

• Use only the official logos, press releases and photos provided in the Media Center.
• All communication must comply with the Sponsor Ethics Charter and remain within the limits of your confirmed sponsorship package.
• Any coordination with the host hotel, including products, gifts, placement or operational arrangements, must always include the Organizer in copy (CC) on emails.

Translations on the website, including automated translations, are provided for convenience only. The legally binding version is the official English text.