The 47th edition of the SETT trade show (European Trade Show for Tourism Trends), taking place from November 3 to 5, 2026, at the Montpellier Exhibition Center in France, will feature 58 innovations submitted by 57 pioneering companies across seven countries.
Competing for the 2026 Sett d’Or Innovation Awards, entries from France, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, China, and India highlight a rapidly internationalizing industry focused on tackling the operational, environmental, and guest experience challenges of tomorrow’s outdoor hospitality.
A Global Response to Industry Challenges
As Europe’s leading B2B trade hub for outdoor hospitality, catering (HORECA), and community leisure spaces, SETT has seen a 41.3% surge in international attendees, who now represent 13% of total visitors.
According to Gabrielle Quichaud, Director of the SETT exhibition, in a recent interview detailed with Modern Campground, this growing global participation is “the natural extension of the trade show’s trajectory.” She noted the event’s evolution from a regional meeting to a global hub: “We welcome media from North America like yours, Modern Campground, which visited us last year, and we are forging more and more contacts with international exhibitors, particularly from Asia.”
Quichaud emphasized that “This proves that equipment, ecological transition, and customer experience issues in the outdoor sector transcend borders and that SETT is firmly establishing itself today as a major innovation event.”
Spanning equipment, software, leisure amenities, and eco-friendly construction, the 58 competing innovations illustrate the sector’s current priorities. “These applications meet real needs for the hospitality sector, such as the necessity to invest in the ecological transition to save water and energy or to manage environmental risks,” Quichaud explained.
“Establishments must also cope with the accelerated integration of technological developments, such as AI—a topic we discussed extensively during the conferences last year—or advancements in home automation with drones and humanoids, which is the topic of the 2026 keynote conference.”
AI, Automation, and the Human Element
Connected LoRaWAN electronic locks, automated revenue management algorithms, AI virtual receptionists, and high-speed catering automation are heavily represented in this year’s submissions. However, the core of outdoor hospitality remains deeply human.
“Regarding artificial intelligence, we are starting to get some perspective: the conviction shared by many outdoor hospitality professionals—and more broadly in hospitality—is that it will never replace humans,” Quichaud observed.
“It primarily frees up time from repetitive or time-consuming tasks. By entrusting multilingual reception management, review processing, or reservation handling to intelligent solutions like those offered by Tess Consulting, Septeo, or Geek Tonic, teams regain time for direct customer relations. This is essential, as friendliness and welcoming remain the core business of tourism.”
While the concrete integration of humanoid robotics is still in its infancy, automated maintenance is emerging as a highly practical trend, with drones being utilized for mobile home cleaning and roof inspections to improve efficiency and staff safety.
Where Technology Meets Sustainability
Instead of viewing technology and sustainability as opposing forces, the industry is increasingly using technological tools to drive ecological stewardship. Innovations focusing on water management, off-grid utility modules, and standalone solar-powered infrastructure are at the forefront of the Sett d’Or competition.
“For us, technology and sustainability are not opposed; they work complementarily by first giving tourist site managers the tools to measure the impact of their activity accurately, which is the prerequisite for acting effectively,” stated Quichaud. She highlighted that “technical tools can be the very driver of an establishment’s ecological transition,” pointing to compact greywater treatment and recycling stations by Jetly or Akelion, and energy solutions like Solar Brother’s solar aerothermal heating and Ecoludik’s smart management of charging stations.
The New Public Vote
For its 19th edition, the Sett d’Or is introducing a fundamental evolution to its evaluation process. While a specialist jury of journalists and professional federation presidents will select ten finalists based on utility, sustainability, and technical ingenuity, 2026 introduces a public vote for managers and professional visitors via an online platform. This vote will count as a full voice in determining the five final winners.
“This evolution brings even more value and legitimacy to these awards,” Quichaud noted. “By involving field managers in the vote, we create an even better balance… This public vote therefore allows innovation to be confronted with the reality and diversity of uses and needs.”
When evaluating these solutions, operators look for immediate practical benefits. “Managers favor an extremely concrete and pragmatic approach,” Quichaud explained.
“A successful innovation must above all meet several requirements, such as simplicity of installation and use—like Blockto Pool’s modular pools, which are set up without concrete or heavy machinery. Quick return on investment is also a key criterion, whether financial or measurable in time and energy savings. Finally, ease of adoption by seasonal teams, with tools that can be easily mastered by personnel who may change from year to year.”
The Convergence of Campsites and HORECA
A major strategic shift for the 2026 event is the launch of the “Sett Hospitality” brand, addressing the convergence of the campsite and catering (HORECA) sectors. The show is expanding its scope to provide comprehensive support from interior design to outdoor specialization.
“This initiative stems from a dual observation on the ground. On the one hand, campsites have been continuously moving upmarket for several years, particularly in the catering and bar segment, becoming real establishments at the heart of campsites with a major profitability stake,” Quichaud detailed. “On the other hand, traditional catering is increasingly looking to arrange and enhance its outdoor and terrace spaces. Because of our “outdoor” DNA, SETT offers a range of unique solutions that HORECA professionals don’t necessarily find elsewhere.”
As the industry continues to evolve, Quichaud advises professionals to pay close attention to accommodation reversibility—a trend heavily featured among the candidates. “Reversibility refers to the ability to offer lightweight, modular structures without permanent foundations, such as MYPÜKA or autonomous technical modules like Biomespace, allowing installation without damaging the ground and adapting to regulatory or climatic constraints,” she noted.
The official Sett d’Or trophy ceremony will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, honoring the five exhibitors whose creativity and ingenuity are actively shaping the future of resort management and the guest experience.
