Report: ILTM Singapore – the world of Luxury Travel
Luxury travel came under the spotlight at the annual ILTM – International Luxury Travel Market at Marina Sands in Singapore this week.
It was attended by 650 luxury travel advisors, 650 travel buyers and more than 50 world wide media, specialising in luxury travel.
Attendees came from 30 countries across Asia and the Pacific including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Vietnam, China and Malaysia to find out what’s new in the world of luxury travel.
Media attended a range of press conferences and special events showcasing luxury hospitality brands to discover trends and what’s hot on the luxury travel front.
Asia Pacific is set to be the world’s fastest-growing region this year and Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are specifically ranked as three of the top 10 biggest movers in the ultra-luxury travel markets.
The opening forum included a global outlook from the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network, highlighting that Asia is expected to account for 60 per cent of global GDP growth in 2024 – higher than the pre-pandemic average and underpinning it as key for growth opportunities.
Dedicated consumer intelligence research – produced by ILTM in association with FINN Partners – revealed that the future of travel is in the hands of China’s female travellers who make 70-80 per cent of travel decisions.
They accounted for nearly six out of 10 Chinese tourists last year, underscoring a shift in the gender dynamics in the world’s largest source market.
Eastern and Oriental Express attended ILTM
Pascal Visintainer, ACCOR Luxury & Lifestyle says “ILTM Asia Pacific is back with a vengeance, reflecting the immense demand for luxury travel from the region. We are so happy to be part of this excellent show – and not just here in Asia Pacific: our long-term partnership with ILTM continues to benefit ACCOR’s entire global luxury portfolio.”
Julie Rogers of PONANT Expeditions added: “I have attended every edition of ILTM Asia Pacific, and from a fantastic beginning point, each year, I see the agents becoming even more high-end and even more engaged – they have been selected impeccably and are perfect for Ponant.”
Kylie Stever of Australia’s Baillie Lodges said: “This is our first ILTM Asia Pacific and I’m delighted to have met with such great quality agents. They have absolutely done their research, are very engaged and definitely here to do business.”
Jen Pagett of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises concluded: “We were excited to hear that we were the most requested independent exhibitor by the luxury travel buyers selected to attend this week’s ILTM Asia Pacific: it’s so great to see boutique travel is in such great demand. Our meetings with both agents and influential media here at ILTM have been incredible and we are looking forward to next year’s edition already.”
