Connections gears up for first private luxury travel event in Barcelona
Press release: May 2023
Connections Luxury, the international private community for trusted decision-makers in luxury travel, will host its European community event for the first time in Barcelona, Catalunya from 4-7 June.
Connections Luxury Europe will run in partnership with Agència Catalana de Turisme, Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Girona and Turisme de Barcelona, and will welcome more than 200 decision-makers from Connections’ luxury travel community. The two-day showcase will feature an interactive agenda designed to connect high-end buyers with exceptional hotels, boutique properties, destinations, experience providers and destination management companies from around the world.
The event will be supported by leading brands including World Experience, El Palace Barcelona, Codorníu, Camiral Golf & Wellness, OCOA, Azul Rooftop Barceloneta and a range of luxury hotel partners from the region.
Luxury buyers and suppliers will meet during personalised one-to-one business appointments held in the pioneering “Connections Way” format – the company’s approach to facilitating long-lasting business relationships through memorable, shared experiences. Delegates will have the opportunity to tour secret underground cava caves and enjoy yachting and helicopter rides, as well as partaking in personal shopping experiences, e-bike tours and more.
Alongside pre-scheduled meeting appointments, delegates will also take part in an educational programme which will see digital marketing expert Franc Carreras provide a comprehensive introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and delve into the crucial question of whether AI should be perceived as a threat or an opportunity within the luxury travel industry. Drawing from his expertise, he will explore the various ways luxury travel brands can harness the power of AI to their advantage and drive innovation.
Luxury buyers in attendance will also have the option to attend one of five post-event FAM trips taking place in Barcelona, Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees, Costa Daurada and Terres de l'Ebre, and Pyrenees and Lands of Lleida.
Narcís Ferrer, director for Agència Catalana de Turisme, said: “Hosting Connections Luxury Europe provides an exceptional platform to showcase the captivating essence of Catalunya. This prestigious event offers a remarkable opportunity to unveil the abundance of extraordinary experiences Catalunya has to offer. Delegates attending the programme will have the privilege to immerse themselves first-hand in our region's rich diversity, warm hospitality, exquisite gastronomy, vibrant cultural traditions and storied history.”
Greg Reeves, managing director of Connections, added: “We are thrilled to host our European flagship event in the vibrant city of Barcelona, Catalunya — a place I proudly call my home. The overwhelming response we have received for this event has been truly remarkable, with the event selling out faster than ever before. As our largest European gathering to-date, this incredible demand reflects the industry's unwavering enthusiasm in establishing valuable connections and fostering meaningful business relationships.”
For more information about Connections, visit www.weareconnections.com or email Saadia Chowdhury on saadia@weareconnections.com
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Issued by:
Alissia Genco-Russo
Connections Luxury
E: alissia@weareconnections.com
About Connections Luxury:
Connections Luxury is the international private community for trusted decision-makers in luxury travel. The brand brings together the industry’s most respected travel agents and suppliers throughout the year, in destinations across the world. Connections is the next generation of doing business.
Connections has pioneered the Connections Way - a proven series of proprietary methodologies and approaches designed to create long-lasting business relationships between its members. Since its inception in 2014, Connections has hosted over 50 global events, giving decision makers the opportunity to meet through memorable experiences and educational debates.
Connections is based in London and forms part of Jacobs Media Group, the global voice for the travel and hospitality industries. In 2020, Jacobs Media Group won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in recognition of its outstanding short-term growth in overseas sales, having expanded its global business in the previous three years by over 50%.