The International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) is launching conference which is themed – ‘Broadening Horizons,’ with Departures, the authority on luxury lifestyle published for American Express Platinum Card and Centurion members sponsoring the event. Encompassing discussions and seminars, the conference will look at the issues of private ownership, destination marketing, how luxury continues to redefine itself and the new emerging markets for luxury travel. In its fifth anniversary year the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes (4 – 7 December, 2006) continues to reinforce its position as the premier travel trade show targeting the luxury sector.

The ILTM and Departures magazine conference brings together a high calibre panel of speakers from both the affluent travel market and the luxury goods industry. This year ILTM has commissioned communication consultants Strategic Vision in New York, to deliver a slicker and punchier event, says Debbie Jackson, Exhibition Director. Our conference kicks off the most successful business to business event in the luxury travel sector and has become renowned as the place where luxury travel professionals at the top of the industry come to network and learn from their peers.

Departures magazine Vice President and Publisher Ed Ventimiglia comments: As a leading supporter of the ILTM conference, Departures is delighted to step up our support of this year`s meeting by securing an internationally-acclaimed roster of speakers that will address timely issues facing the luxury travel marketplace. This world-class meeting serves as a valuable exchange of ideas, research and key learnings in an unmatched networking environment for senior luxury travel buyers and decision makers, that ultimately reaches and impacts our affluent well-travelled readers, who are the Platinum Card and Centurion members from American Express card members.

Journalists like Richard David Story, Editor-in-Chief of Departures, Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor of the Today Show on NBC Television, and accomplished hoteliers Raymond Bickson of Taj Hotels and Michael Hobson of the Mandarin Oriental Group, who are setting the pace of change, are scheduled to take part in the conference. A particularly interesting case study from Australia will show how a country attempts to grow its affluent traveller market.

Two panel discussions will allow the audience to raise issues pertinent to their own businesses. The ‘Take it Private’ discussion moderated by luxury travel journalist and Departures’ Editor-at-Large Sophy Roberts will look at how affluent consumers increasingly seek exclusive access and ownership of their travel experiences. The panel will comprise experts from the realms of private yacht charters, hotels and resorts, private tours and experiences as well as jet charters and fractional ownership.

The ‘Emerging Markets of the Future’ panelist will include Mimma Viglezio from the Gucci Group, together with experts with knowledge to the specific markets of Russia, India and China. With the global market for luxury goods estimated to be worth US$80 billion and growing – this discussion will look at key trends in the emerging markets, how they differ and thus the need for distinct marketing and sales strategies. The conference will equip attendees with a range of insights of the latest issues affecting the affluent traveller, ready to really capitalise on the following three business days of the show.