The International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), a major showcase for the world’s finest travel experiences, opens today in Cannes, France, with more than 1,500 exclusive travel brands taking part.

The ILTM, being held at the Palais des Festivals, will run till till December 3.

ILTM is one of the world’s leading annual luxury travel exhibitions, with travel brands ranging from established hotels and resorts to private islands, authentic destination experiences, gastronomic travel, cruises and private modes of transport represented. Almost 100 countries will have a presence at the market.

A new luxury travel trends report will be released by ILTM in association with Euromonitor.

This year’s ILTM Global Forum will bring storytelling to the centre of the stage, highlighting its relevance to both luxury travel brands and agents as they convey their stories to their diverse high net worth clients.

Alison Gilmore, senior exhibition director, ILTM Portfolio, said: “ILTM is a week which will see thousands of stories created for would be luxury travellers around the world. At this year’s Global Forum, we challenge you to consider ILTM as the opening chapter of these stories, learn the art before you start the week and even create a few of your own to share."

The scene will be set by Claire Bennett, vice president, strategic partnerships, American Express Consumer Travel. She will draw on her strategic role at Amex to talk through the luxury of tomorrow. She will focus on three key trends and what that means for the luxury travel industry.

Over 80 luxury travel editors will also be hosted at the event.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has brought its Mobile Product Exhibtion to the show. The exhibition includes full-size mock-ups of The Residence, the world’s only three-room cabin on a commercial airline, and the First Apartment, both currently onboard the Etihad Airways' Airbus A380 fleet, and also the airline’s Boeing 787 First Suite. The Business Studio and Economy Smart Seat, which feature on both aircraft types, are also displayed. - TradeArabia News Service