Connections Luxury Americas East 2026 Concludes in New York, Marking Its Largest Edition to Date
2027 dates confirmed: 28 February – 3 March, New York City
Connections Luxury Americas East 2026 has concluded in Manhattan, bringing together 250 senior luxury travel decision-makers for four days of curated meetings, immersive experiences and high-level collaboration.
With 44 nationalities represented and 2,200 pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings delivered, the event marked the largest Americas East edition to date, reaffirming its position as New York’s largest dedicated luxury travel trade gathering.
Designed around the Connections Way, meetings were pre-matched based on mutual commercial interest, ensuring relevant, high-value conversations between leading luxury travel designers and global luxury brands. The format prioritised depth over volume, building long-term partnerships in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
Business in the heart of Manhattan
The main programme was hosted at The Altman Building, creating a focused setting for structured business exchange in Chelsea.
The week opened with a rooftop reception at The Knickerbocker, overlooking Times Square; setting the tone for a programme that blended serious commercial intent with curated cultural access.
Across two and a half days, 18 immersive experiences showcased New York through a luxury lens. Highlights included private shopping along Madison Avenue curated by the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District, exclusive Broadway access to productions including Buena Vista Social Club, Maybe Happy Ending, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, and & Juliet, alongside backstage moments and private gallery experiences.
These curated experiences are integral to the Connections model, creating space for relationships to develop beyond the meeting table.
Investing in New York’s Luxury Future
New York City continues to strengthen its position in the global luxury travel segment. Last year saw the launch of the city’s Luxury Hub, a password-protected platform exclusively for luxury travel advisors, featuring curated experiences, DMC listings and bespoke hotel offerings designed to support advisors at the highest level.
Targeted trade engagement, education initiatives and market investment have continued throughout 2026. Looking ahead, plans are underway to introduce a Luxury Travel Advisory Board and a dedicated Luxury Travel Exchange, deepening collaboration and ensuring New York remains ahead of trend in the evolving global luxury landscape.
“Luxury travel is a vital and growing segment for New York City, currently accounting for 17% of our visitor market” was reinforced by Martha Palacios, VP, Tourism Development & International MICE at New York City Tourism + Conventions during her welcome address. “Events like Connections Luxury Americas East allow us to engage directly with the world’s most influential travel advisors, while showcasing the cultural depth and exclusive access that define our city. We are proud to partner on an event that drives meaningful business and reinforces New York’s position at the forefront of the global luxury marketplace.”
Industry perspective
Greg Reeves, Managing Director at Connections, said: “There is no city quite like New York to bring together the world’s leading luxury travel decision-makers. It’s dynamic, competitive and culturally unmatched, which makes it the perfect environment for meaningful business.
The growth we’ve seen is not simply about scale, but about the demand for deeper, more trusted partnerships. Americas East has firmly established itself in the calendar. We’re building something long-term here, and we’re only just getting started.”
“Luxury travelers today are seeking experiences they cannot replicate elsewhere,” said Vanessa Javier, Group Account Director, Attractions and Destinations, AKA NYC, the agency driving campaigns for major Broadway hits like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Ben Platt at The Palace. “From exclusive Broadway access to private cultural moments, New York offers a level of depth and dynamism that is truly unmatched. Partnerships like Connections allow us to grow this segment with precision and purpose.”
2026 by the numbers
250 luxury travel professionals
2,200 one-to-one meetings
18 curated in-destination experiences
44 nationalities represented.
Connections Luxury Americas East will return to New York from 28 February to 3 March 2027.
Luxury travel brands and senior luxury travel designers can now register their interest for 2027.
For more information, visit https://www.connectionsluxury.com/americas-east-2027 or contact enquiries@weareconnections.com.