The Stories
The Stories
Let yourself be inspired
Right now, we're confined to dreaming about travel rather than actually doing it. So what better way to transport yourself somewhere new than by getting lost in stories that capture the magic of it?
Zanzibar White Sands Luxury Villas & Spa – The Passion Project in Paradise
The Passion Project in Paradise.
Connect with the heart of Africa
Nziza Hospitality creates bespoke safari itineraries built by locals for travellers who wish to explore the Africa of their soul.
The Wilderness Group
The Wilderness Group is an experiential destination management company covering Scotland, Ireland and England.
Portugal, a Maritime Nation
Portugal is deeply connected to the Atlantic Ocean that flanks its southern and western coasts.
Zanzibar, Mindful Luxury in Paradise
If paradise exists, it resides in Zanzibar—or Unguja, to use the official Swahili name.
The story of Casa de Campo Resort & Villas
Casa de Campo opened in La Romana, almost 50 years ago, as the first resort in the Dominican Republic. This truly unique resort is also home to the #1 Golf course in the Caribbean.
The philosophy of Magic Travels
The Magic Travels group is an independent and family-owned Destination Management Company
established in 1985. The company DNA is to be different and innovative.
Join us for this interesting interview with CEO Samer Jabri
and discover the philosophy of Magic Travels.
A Revived Scotland is Calling
The Scotland of our dreams is a shared one. A castle perched at the edge of a misty loch that ripples
with secrets and tales of old. Wild heather blows in from the moors with its glorious hues of mauve.
Cloud-softened light gathers in patches as thin rays make their way past the Highland peaks.
Into the Wild, with The Wilderness Group
The Wilderness Group DMC brings together the experience and expertise behind leading adventure travel brands Wilderness Scotland, Wilderness Ireland, and Wilderness England and today provide the benchmark for luxury active and experiential travel across the UK & Ireland.
The Future of Massari Travel
Massari Travel was born under the guidance of the skilful deeds of Lucio Massari in 1967, who kept all the secrets to the art of tailoring bespoke travel experiences for over half a century. A leading light in the Italian incoming travel industry, Massari Travel maintains the same golden standards nowadays under the guidance of Lucio's talented daughter, Sabrina Massari.
Find out more about this family-run business in the heart of Italy in this exclusive interview with Sabrina Massari
Italy Charme & the Secret to the Italian Lifestyle
Italy Charme loves sharing fascinating stories of local people, farmers, winemakers, and artisans, a new generation will help ensure knowledge and continuity of the uniqueness of the Italian lifestyle for this reason. Italy Charme is investing a large part of its energy to protect the historic identity and to promote it around the Globe
The Rebirth of Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas
Born and bred in France, Lionel Ferrari first landed in Seychelles on Maia's pre-opening team as a trainee and made his way up to Front Office Manager. After a swift detour working in F&B in El Salvador, Lionel travelled back to Seychelles as the EAM at Paradise Sun for 3 years, after which he took over as General Manager at the very young age of 32.
Hotel MSSNGR, Guest Communication Reinvented
After graduating, Konstantin Schlüter kicked off his professional career as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. It did, however, not take more than 6 years for his entrepreneurial spirit to surface with the founding of Travel IQ, a travel search engine in 2007...
The Originals | To The Top of “Bad Boy Mountain”
Due to the unparalleled beauty and enchanting landscapes, exploring Greenland is a must for anyone after some out-of-the-ordinary adventures. From coastal glaciers and glacial lakes to the tundra, the environment boasts some of the most impressive natural sights you’ll find anywhere in the world.
How Andrea Grisdale & IC Bellagio Shaped the Italian Experience
It is always a real pleasure to meet with strong women entrepreneurs from the travel industry to hear their stories and learn of the challenges and triumphs they have experienced, and this week, the most influential of women is Andrea Grisdale of IC Bellagio.
Escales Signature: The Female Duo Taking Morocco By Storm
Meet Cyndie Marchand and Soa Faneva, the founders of Escales Signature. Two women, from opposite parts of the world, coincided in their passion for Morocco and design one-of-a-kind luxury trips that showcase the magic and wonder of the land.
Catching up with Elke Pfeil & RevPar Marketing
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with Elke Pfeil, Founder & Director of Revpar Marketing, a unique sales representation covering all European key markets.
Behind the Scenes at Kostuba Travel
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Christian Leonardo, Founder Kostuba Travel, a luxury DMC in Indonesia.
SHA, The Wellness Revolution
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Alejandro Bataller, Vicepresident of SHA Wellness Clinic.
Do Not Disturb with Serge Dive & Ryan Wallace
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Serge Dive, Founder & CEO of This is Beyond.
Inside Rocco Forte’s New Private Villas with Giacomo Battafarano
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Giacomo Battafarano, General Manager of Rocco Forte's Verdura Resort.
The Story of Luxury Bloc
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Philip Michopoulos, Owner of the amazing Kivotos Hotels located in Santorini and Mykonos
The Story of THRS
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Yeishan Goel, CEO of the amazing THRS (India & Middle East), Travel & Hospitality Representation Services. THRS is the region's leading luxury hospitality consulting and representation firm, focusing on sales, media & communications, and integrated marketing for luxury tourism brands worldwide
The Story of Kivotos. The First Boutique Hotel in Greece
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Philip Michopoulos, Owner of the amazing Kivotos Hotels located in Santorini and Mykonos
DHM, Leading the Portuguese Hospitality Scene
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with, Francisco Moser, Managing Director for Discovery Hotel Management.
Finding Echo Valley Ranch & Spa
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with Norm Dove, Owner & Founder of Echo Valley Ranch & Spa.
The Originals | Majestic Greenland
Due to the unparalleled beauty and enchanting landscapes, exploring Greenland is a must for anyone after some out-of-the-ordinary adventures. From coastal glaciers and glacial lakes to the tundra, the environment boasts some of the most impressive natural sights you’ll find anywhere in the world.
The Future of Sustainable Travel
Sustainability and in all-new hotel developments is here to stay, they are not just a temporary trend. Read more about the industry trends and some of its more exceptional players and the masterminds that make it happen.
Dento – Passing the Light in Japan
Incredible Japan, the land of the rising sun, an archipelago of 6,852 islands, each one another facet of the beauty of this unique country.
A Duty of Care & Traveller Safety
The COVID-19 pandemic has made leaving home more concerning for everyone whether they’re travelling for pleasure, on business, for education, or, indeed any other reason. This has only served to sharpen the duty of care responsibilities that tour operators, travel designers and businesses and have to travellers.
Fly Me To The Moon, Mastering Greece
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with Elena Papanicolaou. Elena left behind a corporate career in the chemical sector, to unleash her passion and is now the proud Founder of Fly Me To The Moon
The Unsung Heroes of the Travel Industry
As dire as the global travel industry presently is right now, it is going to come back. It may be a slow, frustrating, and tedious process perhaps, but it will reappear like a new butterfly, emerging from a mandatory and confined slumber
The Magical Euphoria Retreat: The Story
The XO Private Founder, Yvan Vermeesch, sits down for the exclusive interview series with the mastermind behind the concept, Mrs Marina Efraimoglou, the owner of the Euphoria Retreat. Find out more about the story behind this mystical holistic property nestled on the pine-clad hillside of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mystras
Meet the Morukuru Family
There are few things more precious than a sense of belonging, two of these precious notions are experiencing a deep connection a place, and to one another, This is what struck Ed and Anka Zeeman when they first started the Morukuru Family. Morukuru Family’s three exclusive-use houses in Madikwe Game Reserve, Morukuru Ocean House and AtholPlace House & Villa.