Sustainability will be a key theme at inVOYAGE 2019. And it’s a topic that Brussels-based VO Communication’s client services director Denis de Wagheneire – who is attending this year’s event as a buyer – is passionate about.

Can luxury events really be sustainable? It’s a topic that was discussed at our C-Suite Summit, which brought together agency leaders in London last month. And our guest blogger this week, Top Banana’s director of venues, Louise Goalen, shares what the agency is doing to try and make luxury and sustainability work together…

inVOYAGE 2019 is now just two months away, so we catch up with Louis Starck, general manager at this year’s host hotel, Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, about all things luxury and Monaco….

60 seconds with… Emily Wilcockson, Director of E.C.Events

inVOYAGE is delighted to announce former Porsche managing director Kevin Gaskell as a keynote speaker at this year’s event in Monaco, in partnership with international speaker bureau Speakers Corner.

Olivia Falkner-Lee is junior project manager at Smart Live, a full-service creative events agency. “Before life at Smart, I had a variety of event experiences, but a highlight was working for a festival travel company – it was a great insight into operational side of some of the UK’s and Europe’s largest festivals.” she says. Olivia will be attending inVOYAGE 2019 in Monaco this October as a buyer…

We’re thrilled to be bringing a little Hawaii sunshine to Monaco this October for inVOYAGE 2019, thanks to our new partnership with Maui Jim sunglasses.

Having been in the event industry for 23 years, Emma decided to take the leap and set up her own agency in 2010 and has not looked back.

With the countdown to inVOYAGE 2019 in full swing, we catch up with Serge Ethuin, general manager at one of our partner venues, Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo, on the changing luxury landscape, the property’s new exciting experiences for 2019, and going above-and-beyond to surprise and delight guests…

Nina Widtskiöld, owner and project leader at NW Production Exclusive Travel Creators, started the business back in 2003 to provide outgoing meeting and event services for Swedish clients.

With 25 years’ experience working as a concierge in two top hotels in Amsterdam – the InterContinental and Waldorf Astoria – the move into events was a natural step for Con Questa owner and founder Patrick Smit.

The sweet art of doing nothing…could this sound more appealing? Belmond has introduced a series of new experiences, under the banner of doing nothing, to embrace the Italian pleasure of ‘dolce far niente’.

Active in the events market since 1995, Jan De Ridder founded The Boosting Group in 2010. The Belgium-based agency offers a range of services, but De Ridder’s main focus is on creating inspiring incentives for clients in destinations around the world. “Incentives make up around 80% of the business,” he says.

Luxury is subjective – you’ll never find two people defining luxury travel in the same way. But the definition of luxury travel is shifting and adapting with a new generation of travellers, particularly the much talked about millennials.

Elizabeth is managing director, founder and driving force behind OrangeDoor, an integrated marketing communications, events and creative agency, which counts Dell EMC, SMART, Mizuno, Criteo, Inca Digital among its client portfolio.

It’s a tale of contrasts when discussing the importance of CSR and sustainability in the luxury events world. Depending on who you talk to – CSR is barely on the agenda at all, or it’s so important that it’s becoming an integral part of business pitches.