Australia’s missing link in the dedicated luxury event space made a triumphant return in Sydney today with doors opening for Luxperience 2023. This week’s event at the International Convention Centre Sydney is the first in-person gathering for Luxperience in three years, now also under new ownership.
“As we embark on a new journey this year we are so excited to connect with 73 new suppliers and 120 new travel advisors into the industry,” Lynn Ormiston, Event Director of Luxperience said at this morning’s opening.
Luxperience 2023 is the first under Flight Centre Travel Group which rolled the luxury event into its Luxury Travel Collection (LTC) portfolio earlier this year. Luxperience sits alongside Travel Associates, Scott Dunn and the Member Portfolio within the LTC.
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Travel advisors in attendance over the next two days were vetted to ensure quality, with 10 years or more years required, and be new to Luxperience. Suppliers range from hoteliers, regional, state and national tourism bureaus, experiences and cruise lines. Sixty percent of the suppliers here are new to the market and launching their product to Luxperience for the first time.
The one-on-one meetings, of which there are 60 per partner (up five more than the next most recent Luxperience event), run for 15 minutes with a 5-minute changeover period. Most advisors have 48 appointments.
“Our core focus has been to increase the number of quality buyers and suppliers to the event,” said Ormiston, who transitioned across to FCTG from Luxperience’s previous owner, Diversified.
“We love that there are so many new and changing faces in this space.
“Our strategy moving forward is to connect, reconnect and establish new relationships with the luxury travel market,” she said.
Anna Burgdorf, Global Brand & Marketing Director, Luxury/Leisure, FCTG enthused over the reboot of the bespoke travel event as “the only luxury event of its kind in Australia.”
“Luxperience is about the client and the client’s perception of luxury and what the client wants to experience as part of their travel.
“Finding interesting and new suppliers and businesses and the right people who are going to make the magic happen for their clients and travel experiences. It’s not only about six stars. It’s about what’s new, what’s different, what don’t we know about, what should we know about,” Burgdorf said.
“Finding the right connections for people, and that’s what Luxperience does so well.”
She said the integration of Luxperience into FCTG’s Luxury Travel Collection positions the entity to be taken to “new heights”.
Ormiston also confirmed next year’s Luxperience would be held from 19-22 November 2024, returning to the ICC Sydney. The platform in 2024 will span three days and include a conference element, bolstered by panel discussions around hot topics.
“We’re looking forward to the next five years. Lots of opportunities for growth and new relationships,” Ormiston said.
Burgdorf, with a promise of further things to come, added, “Watch this space. We haven’t finished yet. There’s so much more to do in the luxury travel industry in Australia.”
Meanwhile, around 140 of the suppliers and travel advisors united under one roof on Monday night at Kimpton Margot Sydney to celebrate the few days that lie ahead.
View more photos from Luxperience on LATTE‘s Facebook page here.