ILLUME 2022 (Summer)
ILLUME 2022
Decoding the Affluent Indian:Consumption, travel, and aspiration in a changing world
ILLUME (Summer 2022) marked the beginning of a new intelligence-led conversation around India’s luxury-travel ecosystem.
Set against a world reshaped by shifting priorities, uncertainty, and renewed desire to travel, this inaugural edition examined how affluent Indians were recalibrating their relationship with luxury — not as indulgence alone, but as meaning, control, and personal value.
ILLUME 2022 decoded how wealth, experience, and aspiration were converging at a pivotal moment — and what this shift signalled for luxury travel brands, destinations, and experience creators worldwide.
The edition revealed early indicators of new behaviour:
- from cautious escapes to curiosity-driven journeys;
- from transactional luxury to experiential value;
- from private travel to purpose-led, meaningful experiences.
It offered a first, informed look at the changing contours of demand — across travel, wellness, exclusivity, and personalisation — and the strategic opportunities unlocked by understanding the evolving Indian luxury consumer.
The Setting:
Format: Virtual
Access: By Invitation Only
Speakers
Global voices influencing the
future of luxury
Christine Galle‐Luczak
Founder & Managing Director, Heavens Portfolio
Christine Galle-Luczak is the visionary behind Heavens Portfolio, Asia’s leading luxury hotel representation firm. Founded in 2005 in Singapore, her agency now has 17 offices and represents iconic brands like Cheval Blanc, Chiva-Som, Belmond, and Armani Hotels. With over two decades in Asia, including a leadership role at Chiva-Som, Christine blends sharp business acumen with a flair for high-touch, bespoke marketing. She remains a trusted connector for luxury hotels seeking deep market reach across Asia.
Hemant Mediratta
Founder & CEO, One Rep Global
Hemant Mediratta is a global luxury hospitality expert and the founder of One Rep Global. With 30+ years across brands like Oberoi, Hyatt, IHG, and Park Hotels, Hemant is known for scaling brands, building strong teams, and pioneering luxury travel sales in India. He also advises Leela Hotels and mentors travel startups through investments and strategic support.
Neha Seth Arora
Partner, SaffronStrings
Neha Seth Arora is a wedding designer and hospitality expert with a decade of experience creating iconic weddings for HNIs across India and overseas. As Partner at SaffronStrings and Director of the Global Wedding Academy by Wizcraft MIME, she has trained over 200 aspiring planners. Neha blends practical mastery with aesthetic intuition, making her a key influence in India’s luxury wedding space.
Ekta Saigal Lulla
Founder, Weddings by Ekta Saigal Lulla
Ekta Saigal Lulla is the founder of Weddings by Ekta Saigal Lulla, with over 18 years in hospitality and eight years of wedding planning experience. Having curated more than 350 weddings, Ekta is known for her creative edge and flawless execution. Her bespoke approach ensures that every event not only meets but exceeds expectations, earning her a reputation for reliability and refined elegance.
Charlotte Morin
Corporate Director, Marketing, Capella Hotel Group
Charlotte Morin leads brand strategy at Capella Hotel Group as Corporate Director of Marketing. With a background in luxury from LVMH in the Americas, she brings 20 years of marketing expertise to the ultra-luxury space. Charlotte has helped position Capella as one of the top hotel brands globally and also played a pivotal role in launching Patina Hotels & Resorts. Her approach to experiential value and brand storytelling continues to shape luxury hospitality’s next chapter.
Marion Walsh
VP Public Relations & Communications, Minor Hotels
Marion Walsh is VP of PR & Communications at Minor Hotels, overseeing media strategy for over 530 properties in 56 countries. Based in Thailand, she’s led the group’s global brand visibility and communications through major launches and acquisitions. With a strong foundation in hospitality PR from roles in Monaco and Hong Kong, Marion brings strategic clarity, cross-cultural fluency, and a deep understanding of global media. She’s played a key role in shaping Minor Hotels’ voice on the world stage.
Doris Goh
Vice President, Commercial, COMO Hotels & Resorts
Doris Goh is Vice President, Commercial at COMO Hotels & Resorts. A trailblazer in luxury and responsible tourism, Doris has shaped COMO’s global presence through sales innovation, digital strategies, and immersive brand storytelling. Her leadership is grounded in purpose-driven growth and elevating luxury experiences that are authentic, meaningful, and deeply local.
Taruna Seth
Founder & Navigator-in-Chief, Encompass Experiences LLP
Taruna Seth founded Encompass Experiences with a mission to bring meaningful, immersive journeys to life. A passionate traveler and storyteller, she curates experiences that connect luxury with learning, culture, and conscious exploration. She works closely with a global network of travel designers and curators. Recognized by the Women’s Economic Forum as an ‘Exceptional Woman of Excellence’, Taruna champions transformative travel that enriches both the traveler and the world.
Meshaal M. Qureshi
International Market Manager – India & Subcontinent, Saudi Tourism Authority
Meshaal M. Qureshi plays a strategic role at Saudi Tourism Authority, driving market awareness across India and the Subcontinent. As International Market Manager, he works with OTAs, tour operators, and trade partners to align destination marketing with Saudi’s tourism goals. His focus is on curated campaigns that elevate Saudi Arabia’s appeal among high-potential outbound travelers from the region. Meshaal is a key figure shaping the narrative of a rising luxury destination in the Middle East.
Anas Rahman Junaid
Founder & MD, Hurun India
Anas Rahman Junaid is the founder of Hurun India and a passionate advocate for wealth transparency and innovation. A University of Oxford graduate, he co-launched Hurun in India to spotlight entrepreneurs and philanthropists shaping modern India. Anas curates respected lists like the Rich Lists and Philanthropy Lists, inspiring new-age wealth creation. He is also an active angel investor and art collector.
Sharanjit Leyl
International Broadcast Journalist, BBC World News (Former)
Sharanjit Leyl is a renowned international journalist with 25+ years at BBC, Bloomberg, and CBC. Singapore-born and London-anchored, she has reported live from major global events and interviewed prime ministers, CEOs, and cultural icons. Her BBC documentaries like Singapore at 50 are widely acclaimed. Known for sharp insights and elegant storytelling, Sharanjit is also a sought-after moderator at UN, World Bank, IMF, and ADB forums. She continues to shape global narratives with depth and grace.
Manasi Narasimhan
VP Marketing & Communications, South Asia, Mastercard
Manasi Narasimhan leads Mastercard’s brand, marketing, and communication efforts across six South Asian countries. With prior experience at Hindustan Unilever and Godrej, she brings a rich mix of consumer insights and digital-first strategy. At Mastercard, she aligns brand growth with India’s cashless transformation and partners closely with banks, merchants, and government initiatives. A proud IIM-B alumna and LSR Economics graduate, Manasi champions purpose-driven storytelling and data-led marketing.
Yeishan Goel
Founder & CEO THRS
As the Chief Executive Officer at THRS, Yeishan Goel brings with him a decade of experience in navigating the waters of the hospitality landscape in India. Since founding the company in 2011, Yeishan has closely overseen operations and client servicing to ensure high ROI for clients. His expertise in luxury hotel brands, sales and marketing, travel trade engagement and brand development stems from his passion for the evolving travel and hospitality industry. Under the banner of THRS and supported by a team of stalwart professionals, Yeishan has partnered with blue-chip luxury tourism brands worldwide. He drives innovation for clients through cross-industry collaborative partnerships and spearheads the developmental efforts of the brand, the most recent one being expanding to international waters and setting up the THRS brand in the GCC. In the past, he has consulted with prestigious companies like Dell Perot Systems, McKinsey & Co, American Express and Wipro Limited.
Abhay Gupta
Founder & CEO, Luxury Connect & Luxury Connect Business School
Abhay Gupta is a pioneering voice in luxury brand strategy, recognized among India’s top 100 men in luxury. Founder of Luxury Connect and LCBS—India’s only luxury-focused business school—he blends strategic consulting, talent upskilling, and brand advisory with deep insights into the evolving luxury landscape. With a 30-year career, Abhay is a respected speaker, author, and contributor to global luxury forums.
Loveleen Multani Arun
Director, Panache World
Loveleen is the co-founder of Panache World and one of India’s most respected luxury travel advisors. With a career spanning the Taj Group, The Imperial, and Cox & Kings, she blends hands-on destination knowledge with long-term industry relationships. Her strength lies in staying ahead of luxury trends and delivering exceptionally curated travel experiences. Recognized by global networks like Traveller Made, Loveleen continues to redefine personalized luxury through her deep insight and frequent global engagement.
Bhavnesh Sawhney
Co-founder, FB Celebrations Pvt. Ltd
Bhavnesh Sawhney is co-founder of FB Celebrations, one of India’s premier luxury wedding companies. With a flair for creativity and experience curating high-profile events, Bhavnesh has worked with clients like Sonam Kapoor and hosted performances by global icons such as JLo, Jay Z, and Chris Martin. His approach blends design with executional finesse, making him a go-to name in bespoke wedding experiences.
Pritish Shah
Founder & CEO, A Travel Duet
Pritish Shah is the founder of A Travel Duet, a boutique travel firm known for designing emotionally resonant, bespoke journeys for couples. His concept revolutionized romantic travel in India by offering thoughtfully curated experiences rather than generic itineraries. With a passion for personal connection and storytelling, Pritish ensures every trip feels intimate, elevated, and once-in-a-lifetime. A Travel Duet has become a go-to brand for those seeking deeply memorable couple-focused travel worldwide.
Manoj Adlakha
SVP & Country Manager – India Business; CEO, American Express Banking Corp., India
Manoj Adlakha leads American Express in India with over 30 years of experience. As CEO, he oversees the growth strategy, premium segment leadership, and a team of 800+ across 15 cities. Known for his deep expertise in financial services, he has held leadership roles in risk, strategy, marketing, and global commercial business. Recognized with awards like the American Express Chairman’s Award and WCRC’s Most Trusted CEO, he’s also among the top names in Indian luxury. His vision has helped Amex remain a strong player in India’s evolving premium financial market.
Rajan Datar
Host, The Travel Show, BBC World News
Rajan Datar is an award-winning BBC journalist and presenter of The Travel Show. Over a dynamic 30-year career, he has reported on arts, business, and global affairs, moderating at forums like UNWTO and WTTC. With a unique blend of insight and charisma, Rajan brings powerful narratives to life on screen and stage. His deep cultural fluency and sharp curiosity make him a compelling voice in travel journalism and public debate.
Sheetal Rastogi
Co-founder & Editorial Director, Luxury Tribe India & World Travel Magazine
Sheetal Rastogi is the co-founder of Luxury Tribe and Editorial Director of World Travel Magazine. With 22+ years in media and publishing across the UK, India, and Singapore, she launched World Travel Magazine in Southeast Asia and is now bringing it to India. An alumna of the University of Strathclyde and Miranda House, Sheetal has been an ambassador for Global Wellness Day and is known for her editorial foresight and passion for luxury travel. Her leadership combines deep storytelling with strategic insight into evolving luxury markets.
THE EXPERIENCE
An Intelligence-Led Forum
From its first edition, ILLUME was designed as a curated intelligence briefing — an editorial experience shaped by inquiry, context, and interpretation.
ILLUME Summer 2022 convened voices across finance, travel, hospitality, media, and lifestyle to generate real-time insight into how the Indian luxury-travel market was evolving — not only in numbers, but in mindset and behaviour.
Through focused sessions and guided dialogue, the forum examined:
- Changing spending patterns and emerging priorities of affluent Indians, through intelligence-led keynotes and data-backed discussion
- The psychology of the post-pandemic luxury traveller — what discerning travellers value, expect, and seek as mobility reopens
- Shifting global travel flows, with strategic destination deep dives into emerging markets and new luxury corridors
- The evolution of luxury travel aspirations, including the growing influence of wellness, privacy, personalisation, and bespoke experiences on hospitality and lifestyle offerings
ILLUME does not simply aggregate observations — it interprets change. It transforms market signals into narrative, data into foresight, and conversation into strategy.
The Summer 2022 edition laid the foundation for a new kind of luxury travel discourse — one rooted in intelligence, editorial thinking, and a nuanced understanding of India’s affluent traveller.
