ILTM Asia Shanghai 2013 was a fantastic gathering of luxury brands, buyers, and sellers from all over the globe with a real focus on Asia and China specifically. The forums and press briefings gave valuable insights into the state of the Asian market and where it’s headed. ILTM Asia Shanghai was a great success and I feel extremely lucky to have been a part of it.

The show just wrapped up today and as I am writing this from my gorgeous hotel room in the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, I am sitting next to a stack of business cards about 4 inches high. I can’t even begin to consider writing follow up emails quite yet!

When I was asked to attend ILTM Asia Shanghai as a hosted VIP media guest, I was really excited as I would get to meet a lot of new people who work with brands I want to work with. My role as a conference ambassador was not clearly defined but that suits me nicely. I excel in undefined roles.

Personally, I got so much out of the conference. I got to meet with CEO’s and high-level executives of major luxury hotel brands such as Banyan Tree, Peninsula, Starwood, Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Shangri-La and many others. All of which are great additions to my Rolodex.

Additionally, listening to the press briefing gave me insights I hadn’t necessary thought of before. I learned about luxury brand expansion throughout China and why they are doing it. China is such a fascinating market with a massive population. Luxury consumption will only be going up as the Chinese realize what they’ve got going on here.

China will be the worlds largest economy in a few years and they will outdistance by miles the United States once they pass them. China will be unstoppable in many aspects of life as they develop, open and progress and luxury travel is just another way they will take the lead.

Look at Shanghai for instance, the city has grown so much over the past few decades that they have had to open new luxury hotels in new areas to accompany their already existing hotels within other parts of Shanghai.

Shangri-La is about to open another new gorgeous property in Jing’an. The Puli Hotel is phenomenal and I was fortunate to have had lunch and conducted a site inspection with their wonderful PR director. Four Seasons has a second amazing hotel in Pudong where actual scenes from the James Bond movie Skyfall were filmed. They also managed to throw a great closing bash Wednesday night that included a bikini fashion show and a synchronized swimming routine!

Every major Asian luxury brand is expanding into China. Cities that weren’t even cities 10-15 years ago are getting Four Seasons! China has over 100 cities with over a million people in it…let that fact soak in. It is a very exciting time in China and Asia in general.

All of the Asian markets are growing. Look for Myanmar to become a hotbed for luxury travel brands. Also, look for continued expansion in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and across the rest of Asia.

On a personal note, it was great to be back in Shanghai for the first time in 5-6 years. I was able to take some time away from the conference and check out the city a little bit. The skyline continues to be one of the most impressive in the world and has changed a lot in just 5 years. I think Shanghai is right up there with Hong Kong and New York for best skylines in the world.

Additionally, I was able to do the Peter Greenberg Worldwide radio program from the impeccable Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai one morning. We taped a double segment and I look forward to that coming out in a few weeks. It was my second time on his show-the last time being live from Libya after I had just finished visiting every country in the world back during the Arab Spring.

I was also supposed to do a FOX News segment live from Shanghai but unfortunately that got pulled because of the tornadoes in the United States taking precedence.

So as ILTM Asia Shanghai comes to a close and I have a long flight back to the United States tonight, I am left with a few great impressions from my few days here at ILTM Asia Shanghai. I have a new perspective on China and Asia is general in terms of luxury travel. As my focus is adventure and luxury, I have made some great contacts and have great ideas moving forward for stories, trips and television segments.

I look forward to coming back to ILTM Asia Shanghai next year and in the short term I am really looking forward to ILTM Americas in Mexico in September.

I also wanted to give a major shout out to the fun and brilliant team at Cut Communications, especially Lucy Clifton, for bringing me down to Shanghai and giving me carte blanche to help promote the show and do my thing. I think it was a great success!

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