Recognized Luxury Travel Leaders 2025

Vanessa Kromer is an award-winning luxury travel advisor, founder and Editor in Chief of Maison Voyage Magazine, podcast host, and luxury travel creator with more than 16 years of experience designing bespoke journeys for discerning travelers worldwide. As the founder of a seven-figure luxury travel business, she specializes in luxury hotels, Europe, Italy, France, luxury cruises, safari, and emerging high-end travel trends. Vanessa is recognized for her expertise in boutique and independently owned luxury hotels, destination strategy, premium air travel, luxury rail, expedition and ocean cruises, and personalized itinerary design. She works closely with luxury hospitality brands and tourism partners around the world while helping affluent travelers discover exceptional destinations beyond the obvious. In addition to advising hundreds of clients each year, Vanessa leads the editorial vision for Maison Voyage Magazine, where she writes about luxury hotels, destination trends, culinary travel, wellness escapes, and meaningful travel experiences. She also hosts the Maison Voyage Podcast, interviewing global travel experts, hotel leaders, and destination specialists. As both a travel advisor and media publisher, Vanessa offers a unique perspective on how luxury travel is evolving. She regularly comments on luxury travel trends, consumer behavior, hospitality, boutique hotels, cruises, destination strategy, travel planning, creator partnerships, women in business, entrepreneurship, and building a modern luxury travel brand. Her work has been featured in regional and national media, and she is frequently sought after for expert commentary on the future of luxury travel, premium hospitality, and the experiences today's affluent travelers value most. Based in St. Augustine, Florida, Vanessa continues to inspire travelers through editorial storytelling, strategic partnerships, and expertly designed journeys that celebrate authentic luxury and meaningful connection.

At the heart of LaVon Private Luxury is a belief that travel isn’t just about going somewhere—it’s about transformation. As Founder, Tiffany Layne has dedicated her career to curating bespoke journeys that are as enriching as they are unforgettable, creating experiences that transcend vacations to become life-changing moments. An avid traveler with a love for art, theater, and wellness, Tiffany’s path has been anything but conventional. She began her career as a biomedical scientist, immersing herself in the pursuit of knowledge and discovery. Eventually, she traded her lab coat for a new adventure, managing the intricate lifestyles of high-profile families in New York City. It was here that Tiffany’s appreciation for thoughtful, luxurious travel deepened, as she saw firsthand how meaningful moments of connection and discovery could be transformative for even the busiest lives. Through her carefully cultivated relationships with the world’s finest properties, exclusive operators, and cultural insiders, she’s able to open doors that are closed to most, crafting journeys that blend sophistication, personalization, and heart. Recognitions & Accolades: Virtuoso Advisor (Ultraluxe Community) | Conde Nast Top Travel Specialist | Travel + Leisure A-List (Wellness Specialist)

Christina Gales is a luxury travel advisor and founder of Christina Gales Travel, a boutique travel consultancy specializing in European itineraries, Caribbean escapes, elevated family travel, milestone celebrations, and luxury ocean and river cruises. A Fora and Virtuoso-affiliated advisor based outside Chicago, Christina has planned hundreds of trips across 20+ countries and serves over 100 clients nationwide. With extensive destination training across Europe, the Caribbean, Iceland, Hawaii, and Mexico—plus specialist certifications in luxury travel, cruise planning, and ecotourism—she brings both breadth and depth to every journey. Her preferred status with 8,500+ hotels, resorts, and cruise lines globally allows her to secure exclusive perks and VIP experiences for clients. As both a travel professional and mother of five, Christina is frequently sought after for her expertise in family travel strategy, multi-generational trip design, and making luxury travel approachable for real families. She speaks regularly on European travel planning, destination trends, the psychology of travel, and the shift toward meaningful, purpose-driven travel experiences. Her itineraries favor local culture, boutique hospitality, and personalized experiences over mass-market tourism. Known for her warm, collaborative approach and concierge-level support, Christina helps travelers feel confident, connected, and inspired—from dream to departure to memories that last a lifetime

Kayla is an American luxury travel designer based in Puglia, Italy, and the founder of Storia Travel Club. She relocated to southern Italy in 2024 and has built a travel business designing bespoke itineraries for discerning travelers with a particular focus on Italy and Europe. Her lived experience in Puglia gives her access to the kind of local detail that no guidebook captures: which masseria is worth the splurge and which is coasting on reputation, where to find the best bombette in the Valle d’Itria, and why the heel of Italy consistently surprises even seasoned travelers. She works with a select clientele, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, people seeking relocation to Italy, and those who expect their travel to be entirely handled by a professional. Her work has been featured on The Puglia Guys podcast, Condé Nast Traveler and her knowledge of the region, including its food culture, lesser-known geography, and the properties worth staying in, makes her a go-to source for editorial coverage on authentic luxury and slow travel in Italy.

At Hourglass Expeditions, we are passionate about crafting group and corporate travel experiences that inspire connection, exploration, and discovery while prioritizing sustainability. Since 2017, we’ve partnered with companies, organizations, and groups of all sizes to design custom journeys throughout the globe. We ourselves have traveled to over 50 countries and territories on all seven continents, so we know a thing or two about supporting your global travel needs. Whether it’s a corporate retreat, incentive travel, or an adventure-filled group getaway, we handle every detail—from flights and accommodations to activities and event planning—ensuring an exceptional, stress-free experience. Our expertise spans both land and sea, offering tailored packages that include cultural explorations, luxury cruises, and active adventures, all curated with meticulous attention to detail. As part of our commitment to sustainability, we focus on working with eco-conscious partners, supporting local communities, and promoting travel practices that minimize environmental impact. Whether you’re exploring the pristine landscapes of Antarctica, relaxing on a Mediterranean cruise, or hosting a multi-city corporate event, Hourglass Expeditions delivers extraordinary travel experiences that meets the needs of your organization or business while creating lasting memories.

As a seasoned travel advisor, I have immersed myself in the world of travel, constantly seeking out the latest trends, hidden gems, and unique destinations to ensure that my clients' trips are nothing short of extraordinary.

Why do some travel experiences stay with us for the rest of our lives while others disappear before we've even unpacked? That question has shaped my career. As a Travel Sommelier and founder of Hidden Travel™, I explore what transforms an ordinary trip into an unforgettable experience. After years of firsthand exploration and an earlier career in alternative medicine working with elite athletes, executives, and performers, I came to see travel differently. The most memorable journeys aren't defined by a single landmark or luxury hotel—they're shaped by hundreds of intentional decisions working together. Today, I combine that systems-based perspective with years in the field to help travelers, destinations, and hospitality brands create experiences that are more meaningful, immersive, and memorable. My work spans editorial storytelling, destination ecosystems, custom travel design, and Ageless Explorer, a movement built on the belief that our greatest adventures shouldn't have an expiration date. Learn more at JenAhana.com or contact me directly at jen@jenahana.com for media opportunities and collaborations.

I’m founder of Terra Voyage Pro Club — the first and only Europe-focused B2B travel platform that combines professional training, white-label itineraries, and visa expertise for travel advisors and agencies. My career in global travel and hospitality spans over 25 years. I’ve represented luxury hotel chains across Europe — including Leading Hotels of the World and Small Luxury Hotels — and promoted boutique properties to top tour operators. I’ve built direct partnerships with hoteliers and DMCs in Italy, France, Spain, and Switzerland, and represented the partner of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises in Europe and the US. Today, through Terra Voyage Pro Club, I help travel professionals sell Europe with structure, confidence, and storytelling — turning expertise and clarity into their strongest business advantage.

My name is Kristen and I have traveled, lived and worked all across the globe for over a decade. In 2013, after nearly a decade building a career in corporate marketing in NYC, I left it all behind to travel solo across 3 continents and 26 countries. From there I became a scuba diving instructor, and spent the next 10 years living and working in Thailand, Mexico, St. Croix and Florida. In 2017, I was voted PADI's Inspiring Woman Diver of the Year. Beginning in 2024 I joined Fora as a luxury travel planner and have launched my own travel brand and blog, Dear Destination Travel, so that I could help inspire others to make their travel dreams and goals come to life. I have now traveled to 6 continents and over 35 countries. My website, deardestinationtravel.com, is a complete travel resource and inspiration hub.

I’m the founder of Limitless Morocco Tours and a Morocco travel expert with hands-on experience designing private tours, desert adventures, and cultural journeys across Morocco. I specialize in helping travelers experience authentic Morocco through customized itineraries, local guides, and immersive desert experiences in places like Marrakech and Merzouga. I regularly share expert insights on Morocco travel, safety, itineraries, and best practices for first-time visitors.

For the past six years, my family and I have lived and traveled continuously around the world, visiting every continent in a 13-month span and documenting the experience as full-time travel creators. Along the way, our YouTube channels have grown to more than 700,000 subscribers, drawn not to glossy brochure travel, but to the real version: the logistics, the decisions, the tradeoffs, and the moments that don’t fit neatly into an Instagram square. After decades spent running digital marketing agencies, I co-founded ABC Trips, a luxury and adventure travel agency focused on high-touch, experience-driven travel—polar expeditions, African safaris, expedition cruising, private yachts, and deeply cultural itineraries designed for solos, couples, groups, and families. The work sits at the intersection of brokerage, storytelling, and logistics, with a strong bias toward knowing what’s genuinely worth the splurge—and what’s just good marketing. Along the way, I’ve served as a quoted travel industry source for major publications, appeared on network news segments and podcasts, and collaborated closely with leading travel brands, lodges, and expedition operators worldwide. My commentary often focuses on luxury and expedition travel, family and multigenerational travel, travel trends, and what it actually takes to design a location-flexible life that works long-term. These days, my time is split between: - Advising clients on exceptional luxury and adventure travel through ABC Trips - Serving as a media source and collaborator for journalists and brands - Continuing to explore the world with my family—still learning, still curious I’m not especially interested in chasing trends or shouting into the void. I value thoughtful questions, smart conversations, and people who care about doing things well—and enjoying the ride while they’re at it. If our paths cross, there’s a good chance we’ll have something interesting to talk about.

I am an innovator with a storm of disrupted ideas in the luxury travel industry. I have 15+ years of experience with UHNWI/F and I am truly passionated about Real Estate and UHNW travel experiences. Ncg Experience offers SY Assistance, Luxury Homes & Private Islands Rentals and unsurpassed experiences in the Dominican Republic, Italy, Mykonos, Ibiza, St Tropez, St Barths. “Sensational memories for life. Dreams are never big enough” AD X

I am an online entrepreneur, author, and travel scholar specializing in high-end travel, cultural exploration, and local destination experiences. As the founder of Paradize.life, a travel website dedicated to collecting luxury destination knowledge, I am an expert in helping travelers find unique experiences, local secrets, and personalized itineraries across Europe, Asia, and beyond. My area of expertise is deep travel research and writing, where I track future trends, review top destinations, and create content to inform and motivate modern travelers. Although I have not visited each country personally, my strength is transforming in-depth research into clear, informative, and SEO-optimized content connecting travelers with luxury services, from private jet charters to luxury resorts and unique tours.

Founder of TRAVI World, a comprehensive travel guide platform covering 17+ destinations worldwide. With expertise in global tourism trends, destination insights, and travel industry analysis, I provide in-depth knowledge on hotels, attractions, and experiences across Dubai, UAE, Bali, and other popular destinations. Passionate about helping travelers discover authentic experiences and make informed travel decisions.

I’m a luxury travel advisor and the founder of Deliberate Detours, where I plan highly personalized trips with a particular focus on the Mediterranean, ski destinations, travel near water, boutique hotels, and yacht travel. I pivoted to travel after more than 25 years in healthcare marketing and PR, including leadership roles, so I tend to look at the travel industry through both a business and consumer lens. I’m fascinated by the ways people spend their time and money differently, and by the shift away from simply checking destinations off a list toward travel that feels more personal, restorative, and worth the effort. I can speak to luxury travel trends, changing traveler preferences, destination and hotel trends, Mediterranean and ski travel, experiential travel, yacht travel, and what affluent travelers are actually looking for from a travel advisor today. I’m also interested in the bigger conversation around career reinvention. I made a significant career pivot in my 40s, leaving a long corporate career to build a business in an entirely new industry. I have firsthand perspective on the practical, and sometimes messy, process of figuring out what you want your next chapter to look like and having the nerve to build it. I’m especially happy to contribute a candid, experience-based perspective rather than a generic “travel expert” take. I’m less interested in repeating what’s already being said about travel, and more interested in sharing what I’m actually seeing and hearing from travelers.

Sandals #1 US Travel Agency... Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Rivage Travel Consulting & www.BestCaribbeanResorts.com is a boutique travel consultant group owned by husband and wife duo, Jonathan and Angela Patton. As Sandals specialists with over 15 years of expertise, we have personally visited every resort and booked over 2,000 client trips to Sandals, earning recognition as the 2024 Top Sandals Travel Agency in the USA and ranking among the top seven travel advisors nationwide. Being in the top 1% of all US travel advisors, our Diamond Elite status with Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club means we have insider knowledge and experience when it comes Sandals & Beaches resorts. TRAVEL AWARDS & INDUSTRY RECOGNITION Sandals Resorts Awards 2026 Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Diamond Elite 2025 Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Diamond Elite 2024 Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Diamond Elite 2024 Top Sandals Travel Agency – USA 2024 Top Sandals Travel Agency – South East 2024 Top Sandals Butler Elite Travel Agency 2024 Top Sandals Island Routes Agency - Worldwide 2024 Top 10 Independent Sandals Travel Agency – Worldwide 2024 Sandals Million Dollar Club 2023 Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Diamond Elite 2023 Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club Platinum Elite 2023 Sandals Chairman’s Royal Club

Addison Jaynes is the CEO and founder of Reliant Destinations, a luxury travel brand focused on helping travelers book the Caribbean’s most iconic all-inclusive experiences with confidence. He also leads Reliant Cruising, specializing in ultra-luxury sailings with Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Jaynes currently runs the largest independent Sandals & Beaches YouTube channel, Mr. TraveLux - which focuses on resort tours, insider perspectives and industry news. With an Executive MBA from the University of the West of England, plus business and international studies degrees spanning St. Petersburg State University (Russia) to Texas A&M University, Addison blends global perspective with high-performance business strategy. He has personally visited 143 countries, giving him rare, real-world travel expertise and an eye for what truly elevates a trip from “nice” to unforgettable. Addison is a trusted voice in the Sandals & Beaches ecosystem, serving on the Sandals & Beaches Resorts Chairman’s Advisory Council, and is recognized for elite production and client service standards. His work has been featured in Travel Weekly, Forbes, the Sandals Palmcast, and other major outlets. Known for being both analytical and customer-obsessed, Addison brings deep experience in luxury sales, destination expertise, weddings & honeymoons, and travel industry trends, with a strong focus on value optimization, resort selection strategy, and white-glove client support. Some Recent Awards & Recognition include: • Diamond Elite – Chairman’s Royal Club (Sandals Resorts) • Top Global Weddings & Honeymoons Producer (Sandals & Beaches Resorts) • Best of the Best Travel Agency Addison is available for expert commentary on luxury travel, Sandals or Beaches Resorts, all-inclusive resort trends, destination strategy, weddings & honeymoons, high end cruising, entrepreneurship and the future of travel planning.

Hello, I’m Steven Callas, founder of Gilded Travels. As an independent travel agent based in Chicago, I cut the stress out of DIY booking by being your human advocate. Someone who knows your itinerary inside out and can fix problems before you even know they exist. Before I started designing trips for couples, families, and close friend groups who travel together, I spent years managing complex film productions across multiple countries. Moving crew and equipment through unfamiliar cities on a tight schedule requires absolute precision and reliable local contacts. When things go wrong, you need a plan that holds. That skill set carried over when I left Hollywood. Today it’s what goes into your bespoke vacations. An algorithm can’t tell you that the ocean-view suite actually overlooks a cargo port. It can’t reroute your family of five when a ferry strike shuts down the Greek islands. And it can’t call the concierge at your hotel in Kyoto to confirm that the room is ready before you land. Close the browser tabs. Stop negotiating with a chatbot. Let’s plan your trip with someone you can actually build a relationship with.

I’ve spent over seven years at Yonder Travel Insurance mastering the 'fine print' so travelers don't have to. My expertise lies in deconstructing complex policy language into clear, actionable advice, whether I’m recommending the ideal plan for a unique itinerary or guiding a client through the intricacies of the claims process. By maintaining key partnerships with top insurance providers, I stay at the forefront of industry trends to provide unbiased, expert insights that help travelers maximize their benefits and navigate the unexpected with confidence. I use this experience to craft insightful responses on behalf of Yonder to further educate the public on travel insurance, which you can explore in my featured articles section.

I'm the founder of Spritzience, where I help culturally curious travelers plan trips around Europe's festivals, food and wine culture, and cultural traditions — not just its sights. I'm a New Yorker who has lived in Switzerland, Germany, and now Italy, with more than 60 countries behind me and a decade based in Milan. I have a broad travel expertise for Italy and Europe including: -European festivals & cultural celebrations — firsthand coverage of events like Brussels' Ommegang, Barcelona's La Mercè, and Venice Carnival, plus more than 60 European Christmas markets across 7 countries -Italy's UNESCO wine regions — the Langhe, Val d'Orcia, and Prosecco Hills, with a focus on Slow Food culture and the towns behind the wine -Food, wine & cocktail culture — meals and bars worth building a trip around, not just aperitivo hour -Italy's lakes and coastline — Como, Garda, Iseo, Maggiore, the Italian Riviera, and Portofino, covering both the famous stops and the towns just off the beaten path -Affordable luxury & boutique hotels— where design and detail matter more than star ratings I write from firsthand experience — I've been to the places and events I cover — and I'm available for quotes, on-the-ground photos, or commentary on tight deadlines, including real-time perspective while traveling.