Purpose The purpose of this study is to uncover the essential conditions for establishing a successful collaboration between the Fairmont Hotel (Makkah) staff and the senior management team to prepare for cocreating a future shared corporate vision. Design/methodology/approach This study is an action research project involving senior managers of the Fairmont Hotel (Makkah) and EHL Hospitality Business School (Lausanne, Switzerland). Data were collected from 16 hotel staff members, covering functional/department managers, team leaders, operations supervisors and operational-level employees. Findings This study uncovered a series of generic proposals made by the hotel staff, which are prerequisites/conditions for successful collaboration with senior management, to prepare for cocreating a future shared vision. Practical implications In response to the staff’s generic proposals, the senior management team proposed practical measures to support continued collaboration between hotel staff and the senior management team. These measures aim to maintain a collaborative approach centered on achieving future common goals and a shared vision to promote sustainable innovation in the services of the Fairmont Hotel (Makkah). Originality/value This study is innovative in two respects. First, it demonstrates a strong willingness on the part of senior management and staff to collaborate less vertically, contrary to the cultural norm in Saudi Arabia, known for its strong hierarchical distance. Second, the mutual commitment to more horizontal collaboration is not typical of five-star hotels, which are traditionally vertical and hierarchical.