Now in its fifteenth year, the red carpet event was the largest to date. Over 1500 luxury travel suppliers from 95 countries were welcomed to the event and 1500-hosted buyers from 75 countries across the world were also in attendance. The event also attracted 170 of the world’s best high profile media personals from 17 different countries.
ILTM Cannes profiled three different interpretations on the theme of ‘love, loyalty and luxury’. Chapter one was presented by business consultant and speaker James Kerr, who shared his insights into harnessing the power of human contact, drawing from examples of the Navy SEALS to the All Blacks. Chapter two took a different approach in the form of a Q&A between event host, BBC journalist Chris Hollins, and Marriot global chief commercial officer, Stephanie Linnartz, questioning on the topic of travel’s new super brands and their reactions to the individualised, anti-brand mentality of the new affluent traveller.
The final chapter, presented by political, cultural and psychological speaker, Andrew Solomon, had him drawing from his own works of his lasted book, Far and Away. He explored how are history is unfolding and how people are being shaped by it, people such as former political prisoners, transgender bartenders and dogsled-drivers. His insights allowed for an intimate connection within the stories that revealed common humanities and guiding principles that lead people to travel.