There’s only one place where true private travel dreamers belong. It’s not just any show, but more like a special private club to which invites are highly coveted and get even more exclusive by the day. Do Not Disturb, known by some fortunate connoisseurs simply as ‘DND’, is a staple in the luxury travel sphere - one that blows the mind, steals one’s breath and gifts the handpicked invitees with a future string of genuine and exquisitely valuable connections.
To this day, its Managing Director and Co-Founder, Ryan Wallace, has seen how the particular show usually blooms in full force during the month of November, though the team’s work never truly ceases.
To this day, its Managing Director and Co-Founder, Ryan Wallace, has seen how the particular show usually blooms in full force during the month of November, though the team’s work never truly ceases.
Ryan Wallace, MD & Co-Founder of Do Not Disturb
“Do Not Disturb is the point in the year when a really unique global community within travel comes together. We gather the owners, founders and custodians behind some of the world's most extraordinary private travel experiences along with the travel advisors trusted to create exceptional journeys for the world's most discerning families and intimate groups of leisure travellers,” explains Wallace.
For those discovering Do Not Disturb for the first time, it’s important to note that a vast majority of the places featured at the show aren’t widely distributed. Similarly, says Wallace, many of the experiences represented at DND don't really exist on the open market either, and most certainly aren’t available a click away on any online third-party booking platforms. These properties and locations move only through trusted networks because, as he says: “These are truly special places, and that's how this part of travel has always worked. Our tagline is Redefining Exclusivity in Travel, and for us that isn't about exclusivity for its own sake. It's about recognising that the most exceptional opportunities in private travel have always been built on trust, discretion, and carefully earned access and introductions”.
For those discovering Do Not Disturb for the first time, it’s important to note that a vast majority of the places featured at the show aren’t widely distributed. Similarly, says Wallace, many of the experiences represented at DND don't really exist on the open market either, and most certainly aren’t available a click away on any online third-party booking platforms. These properties and locations move only through trusted networks because, as he says: “These are truly special places, and that's how this part of travel has always worked. Our tagline is Redefining Exclusivity in Travel, and for us that isn't about exclusivity for its own sake. It's about recognising that the most exceptional opportunities in private travel have always been built on trust, discretion, and carefully earned access and introductions”.
Do Not Disturb is the very place that gives such particular community the place and space to come together once a year behind closed doors, all within a format they love. It is clear to the travel industry that this show masters and watches over a particular niche within the ultra high-end sphere of travel. That’s the gap they fill and dominate in the market. Or, as Ryan colourfully poses: “Think ‘haute couture’ rather than ‘ready to wear’ luxury travel”.
Originally, before DND came about, it was the long time him and his team spent wrapped up in that ultra high-end corner of travel that convinced them something new needed to flourish. It was obvious that this wildly stunning side of luxury travel operated differently from the rest of the industry, and so the response, the environment, and a new dazzling show was required to truly embody it. “We've never set out to just create another travel show. We wanted to create THE annual gathering for the custodians of the world’s most privileged places and their top partners,” he points out assertively.
“Many of the businesses represented at Do Not Disturb wish to remain under the radar. A private island may only have a handful of booking openings each year. A family owned estate may only welcome a small number of guests. They're looking for exceptional new relationships rather than thousands of irrelevant enquiries. The advisors they work with are often arranging travel for royal households, family offices, high-profile entrepreneurs, public figures, and families whose expectations are incredibly specific. They're relying on people they know and trust because the stakes are high,” Ryan explains.
As many of the most incredible and successful luxury travel shows out there, Do Not Disturb is also powered by This is Beyond. For the brand, everything they build usually starts with one sole question: who belongs in the room together? None of the team are interested in creating the biggest audience per se, but rather in bringing together the right people and simply letting the magic happen.
Originally, before DND came about, it was the long time him and his team spent wrapped up in that ultra high-end corner of travel that convinced them something new needed to flourish. It was obvious that this wildly stunning side of luxury travel operated differently from the rest of the industry, and so the response, the environment, and a new dazzling show was required to truly embody it. “We've never set out to just create another travel show. We wanted to create THE annual gathering for the custodians of the world’s most privileged places and their top partners,” he points out assertively.
“Many of the businesses represented at Do Not Disturb wish to remain under the radar. A private island may only have a handful of booking openings each year. A family owned estate may only welcome a small number of guests. They're looking for exceptional new relationships rather than thousands of irrelevant enquiries. The advisors they work with are often arranging travel for royal households, family offices, high-profile entrepreneurs, public figures, and families whose expectations are incredibly specific. They're relying on people they know and trust because the stakes are high,” Ryan explains.
As many of the most incredible and successful luxury travel shows out there, Do Not Disturb is also powered by This is Beyond. For the brand, everything they build usually starts with one sole question: who belongs in the room together? None of the team are interested in creating the biggest audience per se, but rather in bringing together the right people and simply letting the magic happen.
Ryan Wallace (left) alongside Serge Dive (far right), Founder of This Is Beyond
The process is simple, he says: “Every new introduction changes the chemistry of the room, so we spend an enormous amount of time thinking about the marketplace and its context and who should be part of each of our communities. When you get that right, everything else tends to follow naturally”. That perfect and natural flow translates freely into Do Not Disturb’s essence and day-to-day operations. The show hosts about 145 buyers, 15 international press and some 160 high-end international suppliers, but numbers aren’t the most relevant aspect here - not at all. It’s about building the most powerful and relevant crowd instead. They’re constantly looking for remarkable people doing remarkable things: “Sometimes that's an owner who's quietly created one of the world's great private estates. It's a founder who's rethinking what a private expedition can look like. Or a travel advisor who's built an extraordinary reputation over many years”.
“Every new introduction changes the chemistry of the room. People often describe Do Not Disturb as invitation-only. I don't think that's quite right, it's almost one step beyond that… It's carefully considered introductions on a by-referral basis”
It’s almost common knowledge that the best opportunities in private travel often come about through trusted, personal introductions, so the team’s role is to create an enticing environment where those introductions happen naturally.
“Every new introduction changes the chemistry of the room. People often describe Do Not Disturb as invitation-only. I don't think that's quite right, it's almost one step beyond that… It's carefully considered introductions on a by-referral basis”
It’s almost common knowledge that the best opportunities in private travel often come about through trusted, personal introductions, so the team’s role is to create an enticing environment where those introductions happen naturally.
The community attending DND is genuinely global, with participants from Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, though geography isn’t the deciding factor here. What’s important is to have people who truly add something to the community. “Our buyers include family offices, concierge and lifestyle managers, private aviation and yacht specialists, special event planners and private travel advisors, all representing some of the world's most discreet travellers. It's a community united not just by job title, but by access, trust, and an uncompromising commitment to exceptional private travel. That diversity of expertise, combined with our careful curation and matching process, ensures the conversations in the room are relevant, valuable, and built to last,” Ryan further explains.
In practice, attendees can expect a one-of-a-kind show filled with both great meetings and outstanding, unique experiences.
In practice, attendees can expect a one-of-a-kind show filled with both great meetings and outstanding, unique experiences.
Of course, everyone arrives with a diary of pre-arranged meetings, he says, but him and the team are probably the first to admit that appointments aren't the whole story. Instead of focusing only on filling appointments, they spend much more time thinking about what happens in between them.
In all its latest editions, DND has taken place at the beautiful Borgo Egnazia, in Puglia (Italy). Ryan feels the connection with this location is simply natural - it really feels like Do Not Disturb belongs there, and nowhere else.
“Borgo Egnazia reflects so much of what our community represents. It offers space, genuine seclusion, and a thoughtful commitment to sustainability, but perhaps most importantly it never feels like a conference venue. It feels like somewhere people would actually choose to spend quality time together,” he mentions. And in the same manner, Puglia has also become a part of the show’s identity: “The warmth of the region, its craftsmanship, its food and its hospitality all contribute to an atmosphere that's difficult to recreate anywhere else”.
“Borgo Egnazia reflects so much of what our community represents. It offers space, genuine seclusion, and a thoughtful commitment to sustainability, but perhaps most importantly it never feels like a conference venue. It feels like somewhere people would actually choose to spend quality time together,” he mentions. And in the same manner, Puglia has also become a part of the show’s identity: “The warmth of the region, its craftsmanship, its food and its hospitality all contribute to an atmosphere that's difficult to recreate anywhere else”.
Meetings of around 20 minutes each take place throughout Borgo Egnazia rather than inside an exhibition hall, so people naturally cross paths throughout the day. Then everyone shares long lunches, dinners, excursions, and evenings together. That’s where relationships really begin to develop.
“This year we're introducing DND Open House, which I'm particularly excited about,” he shares exclusively. This new feature isn’t a conference per se, but a gathering of owners, founders, and industry leaders sharing genuinely interesting and useful observations or insights about what's happening in private travel, where they see opportunities emerging, and some of the challenges they’re currently navigating.
Moreover, he adds: “We’re also putting much more thought into our evening programme, with smaller, carefully curated dinners, and gatherings. Someone told me that uber-high-end, private travel has always moved at the speed of trust. We're simply creating more opportunities for that trust to develop”.
“This year we're introducing DND Open House, which I'm particularly excited about,” he shares exclusively. This new feature isn’t a conference per se, but a gathering of owners, founders, and industry leaders sharing genuinely interesting and useful observations or insights about what's happening in private travel, where they see opportunities emerging, and some of the challenges they’re currently navigating.
Moreover, he adds: “We’re also putting much more thought into our evening programme, with smaller, carefully curated dinners, and gatherings. Someone told me that uber-high-end, private travel has always moved at the speed of trust. We're simply creating more opportunities for that trust to develop”.
The appointments themselves are usually enough to establish whether there's an initial opportunity to work together amongst suppliers and buyers, but the difference at DND is that conversations don’t end there. Here, Ryan says, one might meet someone in the morning, continue the discussion over lunch, spend the afternoon together on an inspiring excursion and then find themselves around the same magical dinner table that evening.
“Relationships are fascinating to us and don't often develop according to an appointment schedule. That's why we've never measured the success of Do Not Disturb by the number of meeting slots people have (it's 39 by the way!) but rather the added quality and value of the shared experiences, the total amount of trust that has been formed, and the opportunity that it creates for business”
But talking about magic… Do Not Disturb truly shines in this respect when it comes to the accommodation and how it’s all put together. In every participation package, all-inclusive accommodation is included and guarantees that everyone will be staying together - Buyers, Exhibitors and Press - at Borgo Egnazia and its surrounding properties, which really maximises everyone’s presence and the overall number of interactions.
“Relationships are fascinating to us and don't often develop according to an appointment schedule. That's why we've never measured the success of Do Not Disturb by the number of meeting slots people have (it's 39 by the way!) but rather the added quality and value of the shared experiences, the total amount of trust that has been formed, and the opportunity that it creates for business”
But talking about magic… Do Not Disturb truly shines in this respect when it comes to the accommodation and how it’s all put together. In every participation package, all-inclusive accommodation is included and guarantees that everyone will be staying together - Buyers, Exhibitors and Press - at Borgo Egnazia and its surrounding properties, which really maximises everyone’s presence and the overall number of interactions.
The downright truth is, though, that beyond meetings, interactions sprout and flourish during all the experiences and activities put on by the team - from sunrise chats to morning yoga or seaside strolls: “Open House by DND also extends into daily Sunrise Discussions. It's a chance to hear directly from people who are shaping this market, discussing commercial trends, client behaviour, and where they think private travel is heading. The conversations are intended to be candid, useful, and thought-provoking. I think they'll become one of the defining moments of the week. The objective isn't to provide all the answers. It's to bring together the people asking the most interesting questions”.
Later, right after lunch breaks or after meetings, Do Not Disturb extends these experiences alongside the creative INDIGENUS team: “We’ve always believed that where and how people spend time together matters and can really take conversations to the next level. The INDIGENUS experiences have become one of the defining parts of Do Not Disturb because they take people beyond the venue and into the culture, hospitality and landscape of Puglia”.
From a supplier perspective, there’s certainly a particular type of luxury brand that can attend and benefit most from attending Do Not Disturb, though access to the show is vetted by invitation or referral. Ryan explains to us how the process works, mentioning that getting introduced by one of their existing community members is a great aid: “A referral from a partner like XO Private or one of the existing buyers or exhibitors always goes a long way”.
DND is highly focused on the world’s ultimate exclusive-use and/or single key properties that a high profile family, or group of friends can have all to themselves without any other guests. However, the show also welcomes private aviation, yacht charter and DMC’s that provide special access to private travel experiences in their local destinations.
“Many suppliers represent places or experiences that simply aren't built for mass distribution. They're looking for a small number of advisors who genuinely understand their business and who can represent them with confidence. We have a 20 bedroom limit in terms of property size and welcome a maximum of one DMC per destination”
DND is highly focused on the world’s ultimate exclusive-use and/or single key properties that a high profile family, or group of friends can have all to themselves without any other guests. However, the show also welcomes private aviation, yacht charter and DMC’s that provide special access to private travel experiences in their local destinations.
“Many suppliers represent places or experiences that simply aren't built for mass distribution. They're looking for a small number of advisors who genuinely understand their business and who can represent them with confidence. We have a 20 bedroom limit in terms of property size and welcome a maximum of one DMC per destination”
So, when it comes to buyers, who is the ideal attendee? The advisors attending the show specialise in private travel at the very highest level, with many arranging complete property buy-outs, multi-generational family travel or journeys where privacy and discretion are absolutely fundamental.
“Their clients include family offices, royal households, entrepreneurs, and internationally recognised individuals whose expectations are exceptionally high. Their types of customers don't need more options. They need someone connected to all the right people who can grant them the right access,” Ryan explains.
In a similar manner, it is always equally important which partners and creatives the Do Not Disturb team actually work with to make it all run smoothly. The Managing Director tells us they’ve been extremely fortunate to work with partners who've helped shape the community from the very beginning of their journey, with the first being Borgo Egnazia and Pugliapromozione. Both of these have played an enormous role in establishing Puglia as the natural home of Do Not Disturb, and alongside, INDIGENUS has helped create many of the experiences that people now associate with the week.
“XO Private has also been there since the beginning. Their understanding of this market, the relationships they've built over many years and the guidance they've given us have all played an important role in shaping Do Not Disturb. They aren't simply a partner; they're a trusted voice within this community and an important part of the ecosystem we're continuing to build. The week works because it's the product of genuine collaboration between people who care deeply about this world and our industry,” he adds.
“Their clients include family offices, royal households, entrepreneurs, and internationally recognised individuals whose expectations are exceptionally high. Their types of customers don't need more options. They need someone connected to all the right people who can grant them the right access,” Ryan explains.
In a similar manner, it is always equally important which partners and creatives the Do Not Disturb team actually work with to make it all run smoothly. The Managing Director tells us they’ve been extremely fortunate to work with partners who've helped shape the community from the very beginning of their journey, with the first being Borgo Egnazia and Pugliapromozione. Both of these have played an enormous role in establishing Puglia as the natural home of Do Not Disturb, and alongside, INDIGENUS has helped create many of the experiences that people now associate with the week.
“XO Private has also been there since the beginning. Their understanding of this market, the relationships they've built over many years and the guidance they've given us have all played an important role in shaping Do Not Disturb. They aren't simply a partner; they're a trusted voice within this community and an important part of the ecosystem we're continuing to build. The week works because it's the product of genuine collaboration between people who care deeply about this world and our industry,” he adds.
From Left to Right: Aldo Melpignano, from Borgo Egnazia, Alfredo de Liguori, from Pugliapromozione & Ryan Wallace
With the next edition coming up in November, as per usual, Ryan’s personal and professional excitement keep growing: “For me personally, I always see a new edition as a big opportunity for our community to move forward. For 2026 we have Mary-Kate Hendriks as Event Lead for the first time, and I can’t wait to see her and her team add new elements and take things to the next level. This year's additions, particularly Open House and a more carefully curated series of dinners and evening gatherings, are all designed to create even more space for those relationships to develop”.
Ryan Wallace with Mary-Kate Hendriks, Associate Event Director for DND
Fundamentally, their focus and conviction is clear as glass: they want to celebrate the vision of their ‘dreamers’, the custodians of those private places that epitomise space, seclusion and sustainability and really represent exclusivity in travel.
“Ultimately, we are becoming a very special private club. More Annabel's than Cannes: Fewer people, stronger relationships, better conversations, and an atmosphere where everyone feels they've been invited for a reason”
“Ultimately, we are becoming a very special private club. More Annabel's than Cannes: Fewer people, stronger relationships, better conversations, and an atmosphere where everyone feels they've been invited for a reason”
Ryan Wallace - More about his story in the Luxury Travel Industry
“I’ve been working with Serge, the Founder of This is Beyond, for 16 years now in various shapes and forms, and it’s been quite a ride! We have seven shows now and co-founding three of them have been my personal highlights.
Prior to This is Beyond, I worked on some of the biggest and well-known travel exhibitions in the world. I've always enjoyed bringing people together, but the moment it feels like another expo on the calendar I lose interest.
I've realised that the strongest communities aren't necessarily the biggest, rather those that have a shared purpose and high connectivity”.
____________________________________________________________________________
Key Contacts at Do Not Disturb
· Ryan Wallace, MD & Co-founder - wadzanayi@thisisbeyond.com
· Mary-Kate Hendriks, Associate Event Director - mary-kate@thisisbeyond.com
· Robin Hendrickse, Sales Manager - robin@thisisbeyond.com
Website: donotdisturb.co
“I’ve been working with Serge, the Founder of This is Beyond, for 16 years now in various shapes and forms, and it’s been quite a ride! We have seven shows now and co-founding three of them have been my personal highlights.
Prior to This is Beyond, I worked on some of the biggest and well-known travel exhibitions in the world. I've always enjoyed bringing people together, but the moment it feels like another expo on the calendar I lose interest.
I've realised that the strongest communities aren't necessarily the biggest, rather those that have a shared purpose and high connectivity”.
____________________________________________________________________________
Key Contacts at Do Not Disturb
· Ryan Wallace, MD & Co-founder - wadzanayi@thisisbeyond.com
· Mary-Kate Hendriks, Associate Event Director - mary-kate@thisisbeyond.com
· Robin Hendrickse, Sales Manager - robin@thisisbeyond.com
Website: donotdisturb.co
Zoila Checa
