Connections Luxury hosts first...

US event brought together 160 industry professionals from 33 countries

Connections Luxury, the leading private global community for trusted professionals in high-end travel, has made its New York City debut with the first-ever luxury travel trade show to be held in the city.

The NYC debut follows the brand’s Middle East flagship event, held for the first time in Qatar’s capital Doha in March 2025.

Taking place from 9 to 12 March 2025, Connections Luxury Americas in NYC brought 160 senior industry professionals together from 33 countries, giving suppliers the chance to network with leading travel agencies and buyers from across the US, with a focus on the East Coast.

Commenting on the debut event, Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions, said it was the "first luxury travel trade show to be hosted in the city".

“This is the first Connections event in New York City, and it is also the first luxury travel trade show to be hosted in the city,” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions.

Buyers were selected from the Connections Luxury Community, which represents a collective spending power of more than US$10 billion.

Attendees at Connections Luxury Americas in NYC

The event began at historic venue The Harmonie Club, the second oldest members’ club in the city. Attendees enjoyed a private event at Bar 65 at the Rockefeller Center, with exclusive access to latest attractions Beam and Sky Lift, an open-air platform above the rooftop that spins 360 degrees for a panoramic view.

It concluded with a trip to the premier of the Metropolitan Opera’s adaptation of Moby Dick.

Gregory Reeves, Managing Director, International at Connections Luxury parent company Jacobs Media, said bringing the event to New York City had been a “remarkable milestone”.

“The enthusiasm and engagement from participants has reinforced our commitment to fostering genuine relationships in the luxury travel industry.”

Key partners included XO Private, Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which supported alongside destination partners Tourism Ireland, Newport Bech, The Metropolitan Opera, Rockefeller Center, Beyond Times Square, Knickerbocker Hotel, Equinox Hotel, Intercontinental Barclay, Lotte New York Palace, Park Hyatt New York, The Ned, The Peninsula New York, The Prince Kitano New York and Trump International.

This event continues the brand’s strategic expansion in the US market, with the next Connections Luxury Americas taking place 9 to 12 November 2025 in West Hollywood, California, with a focus on agencies from the west coast of the US.

Connections Luxury attendees at the Met Opera

Connections Luxury’s flagship Middle East event was held in Doha, Qatar in March 2025, with more than 300 trade professionals attending.

Attendees representing a combined annual spending power of US$7.8 billion participated in tailored one-on-one meetings and networking sessions, featuring immersive local experiences designed to help foster business relationships. The event is set to return to Qatar from 29 March to 1 April 2026.

Since its inception in 2014, Connections Luxury has hosted over 65 global events.

For more information, email Gregory Reeves at greg@weareconnections.com or visit www.connectionsluxury.com

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