ILLUME 2023
ILLUME 2023
A New Era of Luxury & Experiential Travel for Affluent Indian Customers
ILLUME 2023 marked a pivotal shift in India’s luxury travel narrative — from recovery to reinvention.
Hosted in Jaipur, a city synonymous with heritage, craftsmanship, and quiet grandeur, this in-person edition brought together some of the most forward-thinking voices in luxury travel, hospitality, destinations, and experience design to examine how India’s high-net-worth travellers are redefining what “experience” truly means.
No longer driven by destinations alone, the modern Indian luxury traveller is seeking journeys shaped by meaning, immersion, and personal relevance. ILLUME 2023 explored this evolution — where legacy meets innovation, and tradition is reinterpreted through a contemporary, globally informed lens.
This edition examined how India’s affluent travellers are embracing travel that is culturally grounded yet future-forward — and what this shift demands of brands, destinations, and experience creators engaging with one of the world’s most influential luxury markets.
The Setting:
Location: Jaipur, India
Venue: The Leela Palace, Jaipur
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.
Amit Kalsi
Founder & CEO, Experiential Travel Journeys
Amit Kalsi is the founder of Experiential Travel Journeys and a pioneer in India’s bespoke travel segment. With over 29 years in the industry, including a stint at Abercrombie & Kent, Amit launched ETJ in 2014 to serve discerning travelers seeking immersive, meaningful experiences. His MBA in International Marketing backs his passion for crafting deeply personal journeys that go far beyond sightseeing. Attention to detail, a global network, and an eye for unique encounters define his brand’s success.
Anshul Shah
Partner, All 4 Seasons
Anshul Shah is a leading luxury travel advisor and partner at All 4 Seasons, a top-tier travel firm in India. His company is affiliated with Traveller Made and holds preferred status with iconic hotel brands like LHW, Four Seasons, Marriott Stars & Luminous, Dorchester Diamond Club, and more. Known for crafting ultra-bespoke itineraries, Anshul has built deep partnerships across the globe. His strength lies in connecting discerning Indian travelers with rare experiences, making his agency a trusted name among elite clientele.
Abhishek Sharma
Group General Manager, Soneva
Abhishek Sharma is a luxury hospitality leader with over two decades managing high-end resorts across India, Mauritius, Egypt, Thailand, and the Maldives. Currently the Group GM at Soneva, he is known for cultivating intuitive service cultures and guest-centric experiences. Abhishek brings a blend of operational excellence and soulful hospitality, driven by his love for travel, reading, and people development. He believes human potential is hospitality’s strongest resource.
Puneet Singh
General Manager, Alila Jabal Akhdar (Hyatt)
Puneet Singh is a seasoned hotelier with over 30 years across 10 countries and 4 continents. Currently GM at Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman, he blends global luxury standards with local authenticity. With experience in brands like Hyatt and Kempinski, Puneet is passionate about talent development, meaningful guest experiences, and building strong cultures. An off-roading enthusiast and lover of immersive travel, he champions storytelling-driven hospitality rooted in place and purpose.
Seema Roy
Area Managing Director, South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Seema Roy leads Preferred Hotels & Resorts across South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, overseeing growth and hotel development. With a career spanning Oberoi, InterContinental, and The Imperial, she joined Preferred in 2010 and has played a vital role in brand elevation and loyalty across 150+ hotels. Her strategic depth and relational acumen define her leadership style.
GB Srithar
Regional Director, India, Middle East & Africa, Singapore Tourism Board
GB Srithar leads the Singapore Tourism Board’s initiatives across India, South Asia, and the Middle East. With over 20 years at STB, he’s known for his innovative partnerships and award-winning campaigns, including Bollywood film collaborations and destination weddings in Singapore. GB is a champion of “people-first” engagement and has built a trusted rapport with the Indian travel trade fraternity.
Malik Fernando
Managing Director, Resplendent Ceylon & Dilmah Tea
Malik Fernando is the Managing Director of Resplendent Ceylon, Sri Lanka’s pioneering luxury resort brand, and Director at Dilmah Tea. Resplendent Ceylon, a member of Relais & Châteaux, reflects his family’s vision of combining authentic hospitality with environmental and social stewardship. Malik also helped launch the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance and sits on the board of SriLankan Airlines.
Dr. Syed Ahmed
Wellness Doctor, Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som
Dr. Syed Shadab Ahmed brings over a decade of medical expertise to Zulal Wellness Resort. He’s known for integrating holistic wellness with preventive care, managing guest health with compassion and precision. Previously serving over 10,000 workers at Daewoo and with clinical experience at Hamad General Hospital, he now leads wellness programs that prioritize safety and transformation. A graduate of Deccan Medical College with a lifestyle medicine diploma from Weil Cornell Qatar, Dr. Syed is committed to redefining wellness hospitality.
Sanjay Arya
Founder & Travel Designer, KFT Corporation
Sanjay Arya is the founder of KFT Corporation, a luxury travel design company. Since 1993, he’s evolved from ticketing to creating ultra-bespoke experiences. In 2018, he launched Pureluxe Club for India’s most discerning travelers. Recognized for his deep expertise, Sanjay was awarded “Outstanding Expertise – Supplier Knowledge” in 2018 and nominated for “Most Creative Travel Designer” in 2023.
Samar Choksi
Country Manager – India, New South Wales Tourism Board
Samar Choksi heads New South Wales Tourism in India, leading marketing and trade initiatives to grow visitation and visibility. Previously with Tourism Australia for 12+ years, Samar is known for his deep understanding of India’s travel distribution ecosystem. He excels at strategic partnerships, airline tie-ups, and destination promotion. With a strong background in MICE, business events, and consumer behavior analysis, Samar continues to position NSW as a top-tier destination for Indian outbound travelers.
Sharad Puri
Senior Vice President – Sales & Distribution, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts
With 27+ years in luxury hospitality, Sharad Puri leads sales and distribution for The Leela. Previously Cluster GM at Marriott and an Oberoi Hotels alum, Sharad is known for building strong teams and scalable business models. His leadership spans top-tier hotels like The Oberoi Mumbai and JW Marriott Juhu, with a focus on innovation, efficiency, and guest delight.
Tekla Maira
Founder, And The Story Continues
Tekla Maira, founder of “And The Story Continues,” is a luxury hospitality veteran with experience across The Oberoi Group, ITC Hotels, and Accor’s premium brands. After a brief retirement, she returned to represent Banyan Tree Hotels and Fairmont Maldives in India. Known for her storytelling ability and deep destination knowledge, Tekla curates success with heartfelt professionalism.
Elisa Robles-Fraga
Director & Tourism Counsellor – Embassy of Spain, Spain Tourism Board
Elisa Robles-Fraga is the Director of the Spain Tourism Board for India and neighboring countries. With over 40 years in the Spanish National Administration, she is instrumental in promoting Spain as a premier travel destination across South Asia. Elisa combines deep governmental expertise with passion for cultural tourism, making her a highly respected figure in international tourism diplomacy.
Tushar Kumar
Founder & CEO, Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows
Tushar Kumar is the visionary behind Silver Arrows, one of India’s top 5 Mercedes-Benz dealerships. Since 2012, he has redefined luxury automotive retail by blending service excellence with innovation. With a philosophy of "Best People Produce Best Results," Tushar has built a high-performance team that’s sold over 9,000 vehicles and serviced more than 90,000. He is committed to customer delight and continuous improvement.
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.
Carissa Nimah
Chief Marketing Officer, Department of Tourism – Bhutan
Carissa Nimah is the Chief Marketing Officer for Bhutan’s Department of Tourism. With nearly 20 years in luxury brand marketing and PR, she previously led global sales and revenue at Soneva in Thailand and the Maldives. Carissa brings a unique blend of brand guardianship, storytelling, and sustainability. An Australian by education and now Bhutan resident, her work champions Bhutan’s vision for high-value, low-impact tourism.
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.
Sanjar Imam
Founder Director, Panache World
Sanjar Imam is the founder of Panache World, crafting distinctive, experiential journeys across 80+ countries. With 30+ years in luxury travel, his expertise ranges from spiritual journeys in Tibet to private jet tours and royal logistics. Sanjar’s work reflects a rare combination of precision and flair, and he remains deeply hands-on in curating each journey with personalized attention. From elaborate destination weddings to ultra-custom itineraries, he brings a lifetime of learning, curiosity, and impeccable execution to luxury travel design.
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
ILLUME 2023 was constructed as a live intelligence briefing and editorial forum — where insight, interpretation, and dialogue guided the conversation.
Across curated discussions and forward-looking exchanges, the forum examined how India’s affluent consumer is reshaping the meaning of luxury travel, and how brands must respond with relevance, sensitivity, and intent.
At ILLUME 2023, we:
- Engaged global and Indian leaders in critical dialogue around the evolving psychology, preferences, and expectations of India’s affluent traveller
- Translated market intelligence — from generational shifts to travel behaviour — into narrative insight and strategic foresight
- Explored how heritage, craft, and place can be reinterpreted without losing authenticity, while meeting the expectations of next-generation luxury travellers
- Examined defining questions around experience design, cultural immersion, and personalisation in luxury travel
ILLUME interprets change. It transforms signals into insight, dialogue into direction, and perspective into strategy.
ILLUME 2023 reflected a maturing luxury market — one that values depth over display, meaning over scale, and experience over excess.
