Taking place from 4 to 7 June 2012 in Shanghai, the sixth edition of the leading ‘invitation-only’ luxury travel event for the Asia Pacific – ILTM Asia 2012 will welcome leading figures from the industry to define emerging trends, explore specific regional needs and hear from a legend in their midst at its Opening Forum - supported by Condé Nast Traveler on Monday, 4 June 2012.

Condé Nast Traveller India’s editor-in-chief Divia Thani will moderate a panel of luxury travel’s movers and shakers during this year’s Opening Forum event.  The topic: ‘Why a changing luxury traveller demands change: Fostering entrepreneurship to address multicultural needs’ will be debated by Leonardo Ferragamo, Director of Salvatore Ferragamo and President of The Lungarno Collection; David Williams, Chief Marketing Officer of Orient-Express; James Baillie, Founder of Australia’s Baillie Lodges and Sarina Bratton, Founder & Managing Director of Orion Expedition Cruises.

Ho Kwon Ping - founder of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts - will take part in a live interview on stage with Klara Glowzewska, Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Traveler US.  Ho Kwon Ping will discuss the village life that inspired him to reinvent the idea of the luxury resort, as well as his life experiences as a journalist and a prisoner in a Singapore jail before founding Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in 1994.  The brand today consists of 30 hotels and resorts, over 60 spas, 80 retail galleries and 2 golf courses in 27 countries with aggressive expansion plans for the future.

Alison Gilmore, ILTM Asia Exhibition Director, commented: “We are honoured to welcome so many leading figures from the world of luxury travel to the ILTM Asia Opening Forum stage. Each is involved at the highest level of many different areas of international luxury travel and adds incredible value to ILTM Asia 2012.”

The ILTM Asia Opening Forum will also include a presentation of exclusive research undertaken by leading consultancy for trend forecasting, brand strategy and consumer insight, The Future Laboratory, entitled: ‘Luxury Travel Futures: A global snapshot of new and emerging trends in the Asian luxury travel market.’

The ILTM Asia Opening Forum supported by Condé Nast Traveller will take place on Monday 4 June between 5pm and 7pm at the Shanghai Theatre at The Portman Ritz-Carlton. ILTM Asia continues from 5-7 June 2012.