25–27 May 2027 | Auckland
The Event ▾
ProgrammeOverview
Keynote
Opening Night
Appointment Process
Advisers ▾
Why attend
Adviser Application
Partners ▾
NewsWhy Exhibit
Partner EOI
Apply to Attend
Apply to Exhibit
Apply to Visit
The Keynote
Luxury Isn’t a Price. It’s a Person.
Redefining personal value and the craft of human connection in modern luxury travel.
The session
Two travellers can share the same destination and identical budgets, yet experience entirely different journeys. One receives a standard booking confirmation; the other is asked how they truly wish to feel upon arrival. That fundamental distinction lies at the heart of luxury travel.
Opening the inaugural LTX programme, Vimal Rai delivers a keynote centred on the individual traveller. Drawing on global insights from Japan, Australia, and the UK, alongside the immediate challenges facing New Zealand’s high-value tourism sector, Vimal demonstrates how starting with the human experience transforms client relationships.
Delegates will gain a refined framework for understanding emotional decision-making, actionable language to articulate the tangible worth of their expertise, and a clear strategy to retain today’s clientele while securing the next generation of luxury travellers. Designed specifically for New Zealand trade leaders, this session delivers practical strategies to immediately elevate business performance.
About the speaker
Vimal Rai
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Commercial Excellence Partners
This keynote will be delivered by Vimal Rai, recognised as LinkedIn’s leading global voice in Customer Experience and an inductee into the CX Hall of Fame. Bringing over two decades of international experience across aviation, hospitality, and commercial strategy, including a distinguished background with Singapore Airlines, Vimal regularly advises executive leadership teams on transforming customer strategy into a primary driver of growth.
As the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Commercial Excellence Partners and an educator for executive programmes at institutions like Duke CE, Vimal combines behavioural science with commercial rigour. His approach focuses on elevating human interactions across every stage of the customer journey, equipping luxury travel leaders with actionable insights to design truly unforgettable experiences.
Attend the keynote
The keynote opens the LTX programme.
Included for every accepted adviser and partner. Apply to secure your place at the 2027 Exchange.
25–27 May 2027 | Auckland
Travel Media Limited. Copyright 2026. All rights reserved.