In a move that would have made even Raffles himself raise a glass, Australia’s most polished luxury travel collective, Best of the Best (BOTB), made its offshore debut in style this week – and where better to strut one’s five-star credentials than Singapore?
Gathered beneath the urbane glow of the newly unveiled COMO Metropolitan Singapore, six of the seven BOTB founding partners rolled out the red carpet for 32 handpicked luxury travel advisors attending the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia Pacific.
And what a gathering it was – the kind that pairs perfectly with chilled flutes of Perrier-Jouët and sentences beginning with “darling, have you seen the new suite in Bali?”
Industry veterans Thushara Liyanarachchi, Lynne Ireland, Tony Knox, Brenda Nash, Jen Pagett, and Anastasia Kotanidis represented the BOTB collective. Invited guests Svetlana Jovanovic and Claire Neil added even more sparkle to the soirée, bringing fresh perspectives—and no doubt a few tantalising brochures—to the table.
Missing from the group was Jonica Paramor of COMO Hotels and Resorts. However, Doris Goh, Executive Vice President of COMO Hotels and Resorts, gracefully covered her absence. A bastion of Asian hospitality, Goh offered a warm welcome at COMO Cuisine Restaurant, where guests enjoyed a refined yet relaxed lunch accompanied by updates from each BOTB member. It was business over burrata, you might say.
Now in its 14th glittering year, Best of the Best has evolved from a tight-knit portfolio of luxury hotels to an elite circle representing cruise lines, airlines, and tourism destinations. The event in Singapore signalled a significant milestone: BOTB is no longer just the toast of the Australian luxury scene—it’s going global.
“The idea was always to create something truly collaborative,” said Jen Pagett, speaking over lemongrass-infused cocktails. “We’ve grown organically, built on trust and quality relationships. Singapore was the perfect setting to take that vision international.”
Indeed, with the ILTM Asia Pacific acting as the backdrop, the showcase event allowed advisors to dive deep into BOTB’s rich portfolio in an intimate, conversational format, free from the transactional buzz of the exhibition floor.
Tony Knox, the silver-tongued showman, noted, “Luxury isn’t just about price—it’s about emotional connection, authenticity, and trust. BOTB exists to help advisors match that ethos with the right supplier.”
The BOTB format is refreshingly simple: fewer PowerPoints, more personalisation; less sales pitch, more storytelling. In an era where AI steadily replaces honest conversations, BOTB remains defiantly—and delightfully—human.
And if the smiles, selfies, and packed diaries are anything to go by, the event hit all the right notes. As Lynne Ireland quipped, “If this is our first offshore performance, I can’t wait for the world tour.”
Best of the Best, quite fittingly, has lived up to its name yet again. And if the Singapore debut is any indication, the luxury travel world had better get used to hearing much more from this quietly formidable Australian ensemble.
Because when the Best of the Best turns global, it doesn’t whisper—it roars (but in a hushed, elegant tone, naturally).
By Karuna Johnson
