MICE News
News
2026.11.04
Connections Luxury Asia Pacific 2026 Held in Osaka!
Connections Luxury Asia Pacific 2026 Held in Osaka!
Dates: Sunday, 4 October – Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Connections Luxury Asia Pacific, which Osaka successfully secured as the host destination for three consecutive years from 2026 to 2028, was held in Osaka for the first time. The inaugural Osaka edition brought together approximately 60 buyers and 60 suppliers from 30 countries around the world, welcoming a total of around 120 participants. The event highlighted Osaka’s growing prominence as a luxury travel destination.
Following the success of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, Osaka is poised for further growth in luxury tourism, with a series of luxury hotel openings anticipated ahead of the planned opening of the Integrated Resort (IR) in 2030. Through hosting Connections Luxury Asia Pacific, the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau (OCTB) aims to showcase Osaka’s appeal to high-spending luxury travellers, strengthen its position as a destination of choice, and work towards its vision of becoming “Asia’s No. 1 International Tourism and Cultural City”.
Buyers attending the event also shared positive feedback, with comments including, “I would like to attend again next year,” and “Hosting a MICE event in Osaka specifically focused on the luxury market will help attract new clients, particularly with the IR on the horizon.”
＜Highlights of Connections Luxury Asia Pacific 2026＞
Welcome Reception
Sunday, 4 October | 19:30–21:30
The welcome reception was held at Four Seasons Hotel Osaka. A Noh performance introduced participants to Japan’s traditional performing arts, providing a memorable cultural experience and enhancing their overall enjoyment of the event.
Buyer & Supplier Sessions
The buyer and supplier sessions featured 120 participating companies, facilitating productive business discussions that could lead to the development of future travel products.
In addition to OCTB, participants included tourism-related businesses, transport operators and luxury hotels in Japan.
Experiential activities, one of the distinctive features of Connections Luxury, were also incorporated into the sessions. Participants had the opportunity to discover Osaka’s traditional craftsmanship and manufacturing heritage through a variety of hands-on experiences, including kitchen knife sharpening and carp streamer drawing from Sakai city, Tenma Kiriko cut glass craftsmanship and Kinoshita Ranma woodworking.
Networking Dinner Reception
Monday, 5 October | 19:30–21:30
The networking dinner reception was held at THE OSAKA STATION HOTEL, Autograph Collection. . Guests enjoyed a meal while exchanging ideas and building connections with fellow buyers and suppliers.
Networking Lunch
Tuesday, 6 October | 12:30–14:00
The networking lunch took place at Time Out Market Osaka. Spanning more than approximately 3,000 square metres, Time Out Market Osaka is a food and culture market curated entirely through an editorial selection process. It brings together carefully selected food and cultural experiences in one spacious venue, allowing visitors to discover the culinary traditions and regional attractions of Osaka and the wider Kansai region while sharing a table with family and friends.
Since its launch in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2014, Time Out Market has expanded to leading culinary destinations around the world, including New York, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, Dubai, Cape Town, Porto and Barcelona. Osaka is its first location in Asia.
The venue also offers flexible event options, ranging from partial private hire to exclusive use of the entire facility for events accommodating up to 800 guests, depending on the scale and purpose of the event.
Closing Dinner
Tuesday, 6 October | 19:30–22:00
The closing dinner was held at Patina Osaka. The event marking the conclusion of Connections Luxury Asia Pacific 2026 was attended by Hiroshi Mizohata, President of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau. Guests experienced Japanese traditional culture through a Japanese taiko drum performance, bringing the event to a successful close.
See footage from the event here：https://vimeo.com/1241238604?fl=pl&fe=vl
What Is Connections Luxury?
Connections Luxury is a membership network for luxury travel professionals, established in 2014 by Jacobs Media Group, a UK-based travel media company. It organises business networking events in destinations around the world, with previous events held internationally in countries and regions including the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bahrain and South Korea, as well as in Tokyo, Japan.
Event Overview
| Event Name | Connections Luxury Asia Pacific 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates |
Sunday, 4 October – Wednesday, 7 October 2026 ＊Connections Luxury APAC 2027 will be held from 17 October to 20 October. |
| Business Meeting Venue | Waldorf Astoria Osaka |
| Buyers | Travel agencies and travel designers specialising in the luxury travel market. |
| Supplier | Tourism-related businesses, including travel agencies and hotels, that are interested in attracting luxury travellers. |
| Organizer | Connections Luxury |