A year of Journeys: looking back on 2025

Micaela Giacobbe
7 days ago
6 min read

As we draw the year to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what 2025 has meant for our community. When we created Journeys, the ambition was simple: bring the right people together, in the right way, so they can build trust and do business. This year felt like the clearest expression of that vision - a rhythm of encounters that stretched across continents, gathered familiar faces, welcomed new ones and deepened relationships that started years ago.

We opened the year online with a concentrated series of one-to-one meetings, reunited across Europe and the US, returned to Houston for another powerful North American edition, introduced thought-provoking masterclasses that brought our community together between events, launched a completely new experience in Ibiza, brought the travel world to Palermo, and rounded everything off together on the beach in Cannes. It has been a year of momentum, warmth and genuine partnership - the sort of year that reminds me why Journeys exists.

Starting online: Journeys Digital 2025

January set the tone beautifully. Journeys Digital brought suppliers from across the world together with carefully selected travel advisors from the USA, Canada and Mexico. Over two tightly curated days, delegates moved through a programme of back-to-back one-to-one meetings, each designed to give enough time for a real conversation rather than a quick pitch.

There were no distractions, no parallel sessions - just focused conversations between people who genuinely wanted to explore how they could work together. Digital can sometimes feel distant or transactional, but this format showed that, with the right structure, even online one-to-ones can feel personal, efficient and surprisingly human. It also paved the way for deeper connections as the year unfolded.

London in bloom: Journeys United Kingdom 2025

In spring, we gathered in London for Journeys United Kingdom. It was a vibrant mix of outstanding suppliers from Italy, Europe and the Mediterranean and the very best British luxury buyers from across the country. We began with a glamorous Sunday evening at Quaglino’s and then settled into two days hosted by South Place Hotel, where Fam-Meet appointments, London experiences and relaxed conversations blended naturally from morning to evening.

London carried a special significance this year. As Journeys celebrated its third birthday, the atmosphere felt less like an industry event and more like a family that continues to expand in exactly the right direction. The Michelin-starred dinner at Angler, the river views, the laughter over cocktails — every touchpoint reinforced the feeling that people were exactly where they needed to be.

Houston’s energy: Journeys North America 2025

From London, we travelled west for Journeys North America in Houston. Held in one of the city’s leading luxury properties, the event brought exceptional global travel products together with a superb group of US travel advisors. What stood out was the sense of purpose. Advisors weren’t just gathering information; they were envisioning itineraries and identifying clients as they spoke.

We also welcomed destination partners like Costa del Sol, who used the platform to position themselves strategically with the American market. It was a brilliant illustration of how the Fam-Meet approach works when intention, timing and the right audience come together.

A new chapter: Journeys Ibiza Luxury Edition 2025

October marked the arrival of something close to my heart: the launch of our Spanish edition, Journeys Ibiza Luxury Edition - our first-ever boutique experience on the island. Hosted at 7Pines Resort and other iconic venues across Ibiza, it connected top global suppliers with high-end buyers from North America and Europe in a setting that blended sophistication with the island’s unmistakable soul.

This first edition was an overwhelming success. Delegates embraced the format, the island partners were extraordinary and the response was so strong that we have made Journeys Ibiza a permanent annual fixture. The next edition returns in 2026, once again in Spain, and I couldn’t be happier to see it evolve into one of our signature gatherings.

Palermo, with heart: Journeys Italy 2025

In November, we brought Journeys Italy to Palermo. The Grand Hotel et Des Palmes, owned by the Mangia’s group, with all its history and elegance, set a beautiful backdrop for the arrival of 40 international luxury travel advisors and Italy’s finest suppliers. Palermo revealed itself with generosity - through its food, its stories, its colours and the quiet pride of the people who welcomed us.

Journeys Italy has always been about authenticity, and Palermo and Sicily delivered that in every moment. When people share experiences together - exploring a neighbourhood, tasting a chef’s favourite dish, discovering a small family-run gem - trust becomes almost effortless. And when trust is present, business naturally follows. Palermo captured that beautifully.

Cannes: reconnecting by the sea

Earlier this month, many of us met again at our Journeys on the Beach lunch in Cannes. It has become one of the most anticipated gatherings of the year because of its simplicity: a curated circle of our buyers and suppliers, time to talk without rush, and the Mediterranean stretching out beside us. Cannes has a way of grounding the year. You see familiar faces reunited with people they first met in January, or bonded with in London, Houston, Ibiza or Palermo. It’s a reminder that relationships don’t happen in a moment - they evolve through touchpoints, trust and shared intention.

This year, our lunch was sponsored by a very special destination - the capital of the Liguria region, the gorgeous city of Genova. Watch this space, as they have more announcements to come in the months ahead.

The Journeys team

None of this would have been possible without the Journeys team - a group of people who care deeply about the work, the relationships and the experience we create for our community. Every event, every masterclass, every conversation behind the scenes is shaped by their dedication, their attention to detail and their belief in doing things properly. They carry the spirit of Journeys with them wherever we go, whether they’re welcoming delegates in London, coordinating a room in Palermo, running a virtual programme from home, or navigating the moving parts of a brand-new edition in Ibiza. I am incredibly proud of the heart, professionalism and creativity they bring to our world, and grateful for the way they show up for our partners, our buyers and for one another.

Masterclasses and meaningful conversations

Throughout the year, we also hosted our online masterclasses, including sessions on sustainability and the role of AI in luxury travel. These gatherings were deliberately intimate and content-driven, giving space for honest conversation and practical insight. They complemented the events perfectly - lighter in logistics, but rich in learning.

What this year has taught me

If there is one thread that runs through every moment of 2025, it is this: quality matters more than scale. The right 30 to 40 buyers in the room will always outperform large numbers. Experiences shape relationships faster than formalities ever will. A mix of digital and in-person encounters keeps our community connected all year. And above all, trust remains the most valuable currency in our industry.

Looking ahead

As we step into 2026, there is so much to look forward to. We are absolutely thrilled to make Journeys Ibiza a recurring edition, returning next year stronger, sharper and even more immersive. We are also introducing Journeys Algarve 2026 — a fresh opportunity to bring global luxury buyers and exceptional local luxury suppliers together in a destination with remarkable potential and a fantastic luxury offering to showcase on the global stage. The Algarve will also have an incredible private sector presence at Journeys North America.

Our North American edition will take place in the exciting city of Savannah, Georgia, with a programme that will quite simply blow everyone away. It will be one of our most ambitious North American gatherings yet, designed to honour the spirit of the South while giving our community the kind of thoughtful, high-impact touchpoints that define the Fam-Meet way.

And although our North American edition is moving to Savannah, Houston will continue to hold a prime position with us, joining Journeys United Kingdom — a partnership we value enormously and one that strengthens the ecosystem we are building year after year.

Alongside these milestones, Journeys Digital, Journeys North America, Journeys United Kingdom, Journeys Ibiza and Journeys Italy will continue as carefully crafted, intentional moments of connection - each one designed to help people build trust and do business in a meaningful way.