As a world-leading community for decision-makers in the travel industry, Connections Luxury is a data-driven, luxury travel pocket toolkit. Sam Blunsdon, Head of Commercial and Tourism Promotion, provides us with a deep dive into the company’s success and partnership with TPB Philippines.
Q&A WITH SAM BLUNSDON, HEAD OF COMMERCIAL AND TOURISM PRODUCTION, CONNECTIONS LUXURY
Firstly, can you talk us through the origins of Connections Luxury and your founding mission?
Sam Blunsdon, Head of Commercial and Tourism Promotion (SB): Connections Luxury was founded in 2014 with a belief in the power of human-to-human interaction. As a result, we developed the pioneering Connections Way format, which focuses on creating positive, shared emotions that fast track meaningful, long-lasting business relationships.
10 years on, Connections Luxury is now a world-leading community for decision makers in the travel industry and has run over 50 events globally across more than 30 destinations, connecting thousands of individuals together.
The luxury travel industry is centred around people, so it’s important to us that they are at the heart of everything we do.
Please briefly introduce us to Connections Luxury and tell us more about the Connections Way.
SB: Connections Luxury is a world-leading community for decision makers in the travel industry.
Think of us as your data-driven, luxury travel pocket toolkit. Our directory of over 3,000 luxury travel decision makers includes vetted suppliers, buyers, media, charities, and destinations that unlock countless opportunities for meaningful business to happen fast.
Nothing beats the power of human-to-human interaction. Our events are unlike any other in the trade calendar, built on the Connections Way of doing business, which combines one-to-one meetings with authentic, local experiences to create a positive, shared emotion to quickly build the trust necessary to conduct future business.
Connections Luxury is a powerful and evolving year-round solution to communicate, educate, and inspire our industry.
How have you seen the luxury travel sector evolve since the inception of the company?
SB: This year marks our 10th anniversary and, as such, we have seen the luxury travel landscape shift massively. Whereas luxury was once seen as materialistic, with a focus on opulent accommodations and high-end amenities, there has been a shift towards experiential luxury over the more recent years.
Today’s discerning travellers seek unique and authentic experiences which allow them to become immersed in the local culture and environment, with a focus on personalisation, sustainability, and those truly one-of-a-kind experiences. At Connections Luxury, our whole essence is about creating meaningful business relationships, and over the years, we have seen how the power of human-to-human connection has really driven the success of luxury travel and support for the industry.
As a key partner for many notable tourism boards across the world, how does Connections Luxury ensure their success?
SB: It is important for any destination or partner to truly understand the needs of the client, alongside their strengths, challenges, and how Connections Luxury can support them on their journey and share their story with our international community.
In essence, each tourist board wants to drive more luxury travellers into their destinations and showcase their unique products, services, and culture to international markets. Success comes from gaining a deep understanding of this, along with understanding the minds of our community and luxury buyers and bridging the gap so more effective business can be achieved. A lot of the time, all our destinations have so many incredible products and services. It’s about working with them to unlock these secrets about what makes them special and promoting it to the world.
How does Connections Luxury incorporate the culture of each country when working with different tourism boards?
SB: At Connections Luxury, we believe that the essence of luxury travel lies in authentic cultural immersion. To achieve this for all our events, we work with local companies and experts to advise us on what makes each destination unique.
A key component of our events is working with a local digital media controller. They have a breadth of knowledge about their destination and support us in finding hidden gems we may not know about.
We also make sure to incorporate a mixture of unique venues, as well as local and international luxury hotels, as our event partners to spotlight the variety of products each destination has.
The final step is making sure authentic, local experiences are injected into the event throughout one-to-one meetings, group activities, cultural performances, and event entertainment, working collaboratively with local artisans, chefs, experience providers, musicians, and cultural experts to create experiences that reflect the true spirit of the destination.
“At Connections Luxury, we believe that the essence of luxury travel lies in authentic cultural immersion. To achieve this for all our events, we work with local companies and experts to advise us on what makes each destination unique”
Sam Blunsdon, Head of Commercial and Tourism Promotion, Connections Luxury
As the organisation runs its second edition of Connections Luxury Philippines in collaboration with TPB Philippines, what can people expect from this year’s partnership?
SB: This year’s Connections Luxury Philippines event was hosted from 19th – 22nd May in the beautiful Island of Boracay. We welcomed 37 handpicked luxury agencies from across the globe, including areas such as the US, UK, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), India, and Northern Asia to meet and conduct business with 35 of the finest luxury travel products across the Philippines, putting a spotlight on this incredible country and how it’s a top destination for luxury travel.
With the event hosted in Shangri-La Boracay, Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay delegates were able to enjoy meetings injected with authentic, cultural experiences, showcasing the wonders the Philippines has to offer the luxury market.
Experiences included the Ati-Atihan Festival, fish house making, halo-halo, and hydroponics, as well as working with local companies such as Distileria Barako to highlight local products. The aim of the event and partnership was to drive more luxury travellers into the destination and promote luxury Filipino products to an international stage.
The Philippines has so many incredible luxury products, and what is apparent from working with the local private sector is that hospitality and people are what make the destination shine, so working with TPB on this year’s products was about showing said hospitality and authentic experiences to our international community.
How is the collaboration set to champion the Filipino tourism sector?
SB: Our collaboration with TPB is set to champion the Filipino tourism sector by bringing international attention to the country’s luxurious offerings and hidden gems. By highlighting the Philippines’ diverse products, from its pristine beaches and world-class diving spots to its rich cultural heritage and culinary delights, we aim to attract high-net-worth individuals who value unique and meaningful travel experiences. This influx of luxury travellers will boost the local economy, create jobs, and enhance the global perception of the Philippines as a top-tier travel destination.
The collaboration is important for many reasons:
- This was an opportune time for the Philippines and TPB to solidify its stance as a preferred luxury destination in Asia, offering authentic experiences that leave a lasting impression of luxury with the world-renowned Filipino brand of hospitality.
- In 2023, the Philippines saw a significant boost in luxury travel, welcoming 5.45 million international visitors and generating USD$8 billion in tourism transactions.
- The Filipino government, through its National Tourism Development Plan 2023–2028, aims to further enhance the luxury tourism sector by improving infrastructure, promoting sustainable tourism practices, and increasing marketing efforts globally.
Looking ahead, how will the partnership between Connections Luxury and TPB Philippines evolve the country’s tourism industry over the next five years?
SB: As the Philippines’ positioning as a luxury destination strengthens, bringing more investment into the country, such as more high-end accommodations, efficient transportation links, and bespoke experiences, the partnership is set to grow, and the Philippines will be seen more frequently as a key player for luxury industry events and a top destination for luxury buyers and clients within Asia.
Our aim is to continue bringing Connections Luxury Philippines to the forefront, thereby supporting the local luxury private sector to connect with international buyers and driving more luxury spend.
The last two years have been an excellent educational piece for the international community, with Filipino luxury products bridging the gap between buyers’ and clients’ needs and the luxury services they provide. We aim to close this gap further over the next five years and support the destination in sharing its story with the international market and elevating what makes the Philippines so special for any traveller.
