Led by renowned executive and luxury travel expert, Gabriela Markova, Luxury DACH emerges as the new, refined trade show to take the industry and the DACH market by storm. Founder of the already ever-successful Luxury Bloc show in Prague, First Impact Communications, and GM Selection - a consulting and sales representation company mainly covering the DACH along with the CEE region, Southern Europe, Benelux and Scandinavia -, Markova now brings her proven vision and expertise to the bustling heart of the German-speaking top travel market.
It is in fact GM Selection’s active history and strong base in the DACH region that initially sparked the idea of creating a dedicated show here. With a solid track record and rapid growth across these countries, the company knows the market inside out and maintains extremely close ties with top agents already booking their top-tier portfolio. So, in essence, Luxury DACH was meant to be!
As Markova explains: “The DACH and CEE regions were the first markets where GM Selection launched in late 2018. Recently, we expanded to include Scandinavia, Benelux, and Southern Europe, in response to our current clients‘ request to cover these markets as well. This allows them to avoid working with five different GSAs across (continental) Europe. However, we have been covering Germany, Switzerland, and Austria for the past seven years, including our annual roadshows. We have established strong relationships with all upscale travel agents and Caroline, who has been with us for nearly four years, has become the face of GM Selection and a trusted partner to our clients and the regions’ top travel advisors.” As a result, Markova and her team have built a stronghold of trust and brilliant relationships that are now bridging into the new Luxury DACH.
The consistent activity of GM Selection on the DACH market, along with Markova’s annual roadshows, has led them to always sensing hidden, unexplored potential along with opportunities for deeper engagement in the upper-level segment. Funnily enough, on one occasion the team began registering interest from travel advisors working with them to join the celebrated Luxury Bloc (LB) show. “Two years ago, a B2B media publication wrote about LB and mistakenly mentioned that registrations for buyers were open, without specifying that this was for the CEE region. The surprisingly high number of registrations from the DACH region prompted us to reconsider, and to avoid confusion between regions, we ultimately launched Luxury DACH”, says Markova.
The new DACH-focused event, set to launch in mid-October 2026 - from the 12th til the 14th - plans to keep the scale small, keeping true to the company’s concept of customisation. “Niche events allow us to tailor the entire experience, from matching appointments to selecting the right suppliers. In a show where everyone meets everyone else, the selection of participants is key (with a capital K)”, Markova insists.
Of course, her and the team acknowledge and respect the existing trade events in the market, however, they’ve felt the space for Luxury DACH was there for them, without comparing themselves to any other and following their core principles of maintaining a small size, adopting a selective approach, and staying true to themselves, all of which have also determined the huge success of the already well-known Luxury Bloc, in Prague.
“When I launched GM Selection and Luxury Bloc, I was a rookie, and everyone had their opinions on how the business should be run and what we should or shouldn‘t do. I tried to listen and adapt the business accordingly, but you can‘t please everyone, and eventually I had to draw a line. I reflected on my own perception of luxury, guided by my vision and idea of running a business based on my experience as a former hotelier. Then I selectively took what resonated with me and avoided what didn’t. I decided to go rely on my intuition and to do our own thing in our own way and see how the market reacts. Up to now, this approach has proven to be the right course of action. We also conduct regular polls and questionnaires to gain deeper understanding of the market as well as getting feedback and after each event, constantly learning to improve. This commitment is hopefully evident in every new edition we deliver”, she explains.
It is in fact GM Selection’s active history and strong base in the DACH region that initially sparked the idea of creating a dedicated show here. With a solid track record and rapid growth across these countries, the company knows the market inside out and maintains extremely close ties with top agents already booking their top-tier portfolio. So, in essence, Luxury DACH was meant to be!
As Markova explains: “The DACH and CEE regions were the first markets where GM Selection launched in late 2018. Recently, we expanded to include Scandinavia, Benelux, and Southern Europe, in response to our current clients‘ request to cover these markets as well. This allows them to avoid working with five different GSAs across (continental) Europe. However, we have been covering Germany, Switzerland, and Austria for the past seven years, including our annual roadshows. We have established strong relationships with all upscale travel agents and Caroline, who has been with us for nearly four years, has become the face of GM Selection and a trusted partner to our clients and the regions’ top travel advisors.” As a result, Markova and her team have built a stronghold of trust and brilliant relationships that are now bridging into the new Luxury DACH.
The consistent activity of GM Selection on the DACH market, along with Markova’s annual roadshows, has led them to always sensing hidden, unexplored potential along with opportunities for deeper engagement in the upper-level segment. Funnily enough, on one occasion the team began registering interest from travel advisors working with them to join the celebrated Luxury Bloc (LB) show. “Two years ago, a B2B media publication wrote about LB and mistakenly mentioned that registrations for buyers were open, without specifying that this was for the CEE region. The surprisingly high number of registrations from the DACH region prompted us to reconsider, and to avoid confusion between regions, we ultimately launched Luxury DACH”, says Markova.
The new DACH-focused event, set to launch in mid-October 2026 - from the 12th til the 14th - plans to keep the scale small, keeping true to the company’s concept of customisation. “Niche events allow us to tailor the entire experience, from matching appointments to selecting the right suppliers. In a show where everyone meets everyone else, the selection of participants is key (with a capital K)”, Markova insists.
Of course, her and the team acknowledge and respect the existing trade events in the market, however, they’ve felt the space for Luxury DACH was there for them, without comparing themselves to any other and following their core principles of maintaining a small size, adopting a selective approach, and staying true to themselves, all of which have also determined the huge success of the already well-known Luxury Bloc, in Prague.
“When I launched GM Selection and Luxury Bloc, I was a rookie, and everyone had their opinions on how the business should be run and what we should or shouldn‘t do. I tried to listen and adapt the business accordingly, but you can‘t please everyone, and eventually I had to draw a line. I reflected on my own perception of luxury, guided by my vision and idea of running a business based on my experience as a former hotelier. Then I selectively took what resonated with me and avoided what didn’t. I decided to go rely on my intuition and to do our own thing in our own way and see how the market reacts. Up to now, this approach has proven to be the right course of action. We also conduct regular polls and questionnaires to gain deeper understanding of the market as well as getting feedback and after each event, constantly learning to improve. This commitment is hopefully evident in every new edition we deliver”, she explains.
Caroline Mergen,Regional Director of Sales for the DACH market at GM Selection
Kicking off with its first ever edition at the beautiful Rosewood Munich, even the choice of location has been part of an extremely thoughtful strategy spearheaded by a certain level of humility and respect, for as Markova explains, “the bar is high and exceeding expectations is essential”.
The new trade show indeed required an iconic city as an overarching host, and after evaluating factors such as the number of luxury hotels, the size of conference spaces, and more affordable accommodation options for suppliers in both Zurich and Munich, the team ultimately opted for the latter. And where else than in one of the city’s newest developments? Markova and her team actually held a roadshow at the Rosewood just two years ago, right after its opening, and were already left thoroughly impressed by the entire experience.
Truthfully, the DACH market is particularly known for its precision and relationship-driven business culture, so the Luxury DACH team has certainly reflected these values in the innovative show: “The ‘modus operandi’ of this market is truly incredible, no wonder the saying goes ‘like a Swiss watch’ when it comes to precision. We are fully aware of all the aspects where we need to deliver. We will continue our focus on emphasizing privacy, exclusivity and tailored set-up, and hope the participants will value the precision intended and the insights gained”.
This directly translates to the show’s DNA, structure, and the kind of connections and impact that it will create for both suppliers and travel designers. “In today’s world, there is an excess of luxury - across all industries and in every aspect that luxury may mean to you - except for time, which is increasingly becoming the true epitome of luxury. We are growing more aware of this reality and aim to make every moment worthwhile by carefully planning each step. And by being selective. Is that bold? Perhaps. But our philosophy of “Less is More” is the reason we do not plan to increase the number of events or their size. Firstly, the niche nature of our focus allows for maximum personalisation. Secondly, there is a limit to the quality of participants beyond which growth would dilute the calibre of attendees. Of course, it‘s impossible to personalise the matching of every single meeting, but it is feasible to assemble and connect a group of partners with the highest probability of doing meaningful business together. Our goal is to make each appointment worthwhile. While the primary purpose of our shows is business (yes, we know appointments can be exhausting), we also allocate time for fun and quality networking. This not only complements the seeds planted during the meetings, but also enriches the overall H2H experience”, says Markova.
But what can attendees expect from Luxury DACH in terms of networking, innovation, evening events or experiences? Its founder has a clear vision: “People buy from people, and the connection and networking aspects are becoming increasingly vital. At the same time, nothing beats showcasing pictures and videos during a sales pitch. Therefore, we are traditionalists, believing in the value of a classic show format combined with extended networking opportunities. Take your time for meetings - present the property, highlight your unique differentiators, and then continue building relationships in a relaxed and engaging environment”.
Following the trade show’s extremely high-end DNA, the event is invitation-only and includes a thorough criteria for both exhibitor and buyer selection to ensure a high quality match and ROI for participants. Generally, since GM Selection’s portfolio is positioned at a higher rate level, the team has a good understanding of their partners‘ potential already. For this reason, they typically invite specific agents rather than sending out more generic invitations to agencies as such: “Invitations are based on factors like the nature of their bookings (leisure-focused and global interest), average spend per booking, number of private jets booked, and for repeat partners, we expect them to have booked at least five suppliers they met at our events in the previous year”.
All in all, the numerous lessons learnt through their continued work with DACH partners over the years is what has essentially shaped the show: “Quickly responding to agents is super important in this region. Supporting them on both personal and professional levels makes a big difference. Selling feelings along with facts about the product works better than just facts alone. You also need to think critically about pricing and stay aware of the current economic and political situation. Even big spenders might hesitate to spend or only spend part of their budget. Last-minute requests are more frequent these days, so staying flexible is also key”.
Looking ahead at what will surely be a hugely triumphant first edition and launch of Luxury DACH, Markova clearly knows what true success will mean for her and the team: “At the risk of sounding like a cliché, I am the happiest after every event when I hear that travel advisors have gained new valuable contacts and felt inspired by new destinations, while suppliers leave with new leads and bookings in their pockets”.
The new trade show indeed required an iconic city as an overarching host, and after evaluating factors such as the number of luxury hotels, the size of conference spaces, and more affordable accommodation options for suppliers in both Zurich and Munich, the team ultimately opted for the latter. And where else than in one of the city’s newest developments? Markova and her team actually held a roadshow at the Rosewood just two years ago, right after its opening, and were already left thoroughly impressed by the entire experience.
Truthfully, the DACH market is particularly known for its precision and relationship-driven business culture, so the Luxury DACH team has certainly reflected these values in the innovative show: “The ‘modus operandi’ of this market is truly incredible, no wonder the saying goes ‘like a Swiss watch’ when it comes to precision. We are fully aware of all the aspects where we need to deliver. We will continue our focus on emphasizing privacy, exclusivity and tailored set-up, and hope the participants will value the precision intended and the insights gained”.
This directly translates to the show’s DNA, structure, and the kind of connections and impact that it will create for both suppliers and travel designers. “In today’s world, there is an excess of luxury - across all industries and in every aspect that luxury may mean to you - except for time, which is increasingly becoming the true epitome of luxury. We are growing more aware of this reality and aim to make every moment worthwhile by carefully planning each step. And by being selective. Is that bold? Perhaps. But our philosophy of “Less is More” is the reason we do not plan to increase the number of events or their size. Firstly, the niche nature of our focus allows for maximum personalisation. Secondly, there is a limit to the quality of participants beyond which growth would dilute the calibre of attendees. Of course, it‘s impossible to personalise the matching of every single meeting, but it is feasible to assemble and connect a group of partners with the highest probability of doing meaningful business together. Our goal is to make each appointment worthwhile. While the primary purpose of our shows is business (yes, we know appointments can be exhausting), we also allocate time for fun and quality networking. This not only complements the seeds planted during the meetings, but also enriches the overall H2H experience”, says Markova.
But what can attendees expect from Luxury DACH in terms of networking, innovation, evening events or experiences? Its founder has a clear vision: “People buy from people, and the connection and networking aspects are becoming increasingly vital. At the same time, nothing beats showcasing pictures and videos during a sales pitch. Therefore, we are traditionalists, believing in the value of a classic show format combined with extended networking opportunities. Take your time for meetings - present the property, highlight your unique differentiators, and then continue building relationships in a relaxed and engaging environment”.
Following the trade show’s extremely high-end DNA, the event is invitation-only and includes a thorough criteria for both exhibitor and buyer selection to ensure a high quality match and ROI for participants. Generally, since GM Selection’s portfolio is positioned at a higher rate level, the team has a good understanding of their partners‘ potential already. For this reason, they typically invite specific agents rather than sending out more generic invitations to agencies as such: “Invitations are based on factors like the nature of their bookings (leisure-focused and global interest), average spend per booking, number of private jets booked, and for repeat partners, we expect them to have booked at least five suppliers they met at our events in the previous year”.
All in all, the numerous lessons learnt through their continued work with DACH partners over the years is what has essentially shaped the show: “Quickly responding to agents is super important in this region. Supporting them on both personal and professional levels makes a big difference. Selling feelings along with facts about the product works better than just facts alone. You also need to think critically about pricing and stay aware of the current economic and political situation. Even big spenders might hesitate to spend or only spend part of their budget. Last-minute requests are more frequent these days, so staying flexible is also key”.
Looking ahead at what will surely be a hugely triumphant first edition and launch of Luxury DACH, Markova clearly knows what true success will mean for her and the team: “At the risk of sounding like a cliché, I am the happiest after every event when I hear that travel advisors have gained new valuable contacts and felt inspired by new destinations, while suppliers leave with new leads and bookings in their pockets”.
Caroline Mergen and Gabriela Markova, Founder of Luxury DACH and Luxury Bloc
Zoila Checa
