Connections Luxury signs three-year partnership with Barcelona Turisme

Travel B2B events specialist Connections Luxury has signed a three-year partnership with Barcelona Turisme to host the flagship Connections Luxury Europe event until 2028.

Connection Luxury is part of the portfolio of Travel Weekly owner Jacobs Media and has a global community with a combined buying power of $7.8 billion.

Attendance at the Connections Luxury Europe event has grown by more 60% since 2022, with this year’s edition between April 6-9 welcoming more than 250 participants from 50 countries for a programme of more than 2,000 one-to-one meetings and 14 immersive cultural experiences.  

Experiences in the Catalan capital ranged from VR racing with Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and colour matching with El Corte Inglés to guided olive oil and wine tastings, while the main meetings programme took place at the historic La Llotja de Mar.

The programme opened with a rooftop welcome reception at AZUL Rooftop Barceloneta and concluded with a masquerade ball at El Palace Barcelona.

 Greg Reeves, managing director of Connections Luxury, said: “Connections Luxury Europe has grown significantly year on year – in scale, calibre and impact – and Barcelona has played a huge role in that success.

“Securing a three-year partnership with Barcelona Turisme allows us to build on that momentum and think even bigger. Together, we’re shaping an event that not only brings together the most influential names in luxury travel but also continues to raise the bar on what meaningful networking really looks like.”

Anna Marquès, strategic projects director at Barcelona Turisme, added: “After three years of partnership with Catalan Tourism, now it’s time for Barcelona Turisme to take over the partnership with Connections Luxury.

“This is a strategic move to reinforce Barcelona’s position as a leader in high-end, tailor-made travel. This collaboration aligns with Barcelona’s strategic vision, to highlight architecture, music and art but also to compete to attract events, congresses and fairs.”

She said: “Barcelona is working to attract visitors who elevate the quality of Barcelona’s offerings in the luxury travel sector. The wide range of five-star hotels, connectivity and infrastructure make Barcelona competitive in this regard.

“In the coming years, Barcelona will celebrate a series of major moments that will project the city to the world, such as the 30th anniversary of MACBA (Contemporary Museum), the completion of the Sagrada Familia’s Tower of Jesus Christ, the World Capital of Architecture, the ‘Tour de France’ and Gaudí 2026. All of this is what we are trying to convey with our new slogan: This is Barcelona.”

 Connections Luxury Europe will return to Barcelona from 12-15 April 2026, with further growth and new programme features already in development.