27. Luxperience

Revenue: $1.6 million
Growth: 81.67%
Founders: Helen Logas, 50
Head Office: New South Wales
Year Founded: 2011
Employees: 5
Industry: Travel
Website: Luxperience.com.au

Luxury international travel is no longer just about the perks of staying in a five-star hotel, says Luxperience founder Helen Logas.

“People are looking for experiences beyond 1000-count sheets and flat screen TVs,” Logas told SmartCompany.

“They want an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives or will change their lives.”

Logas founded Luxperience in 2011 to fill a gap in the luxury travel trade show market. While there were trade shows based in Cannes, Shanghai and Morocco, there was a lack of trade shows that focused on the Asia-Pacific market.

Logas, who also founded and later sold travel management company TravelCorp, has just packed up the third Luxperience show, which was held at the start of September in Sydney’s Walsh Bay precinct.

“This year went extraordinarily well,” says Logas.

“We had growth in exhibitors and buyers, and we changed the venue. In our business, in any business really, it’s very important to keep things fresh and new.”

While getting Luxperience off the ground was not without its challenges – Logas personally lost thousands of dollars at the hands of a former employee – the business now turns over more than $1.6 million annually.

And Logas has a strong track record in managing the volatility that can come hand-in-hand with the travel market.

“I’ve been in travel for 20 years and I’ve learnt that the travel industry is very resistant, it knows that for some reason it will always bounce back,” she says.

Logas says she can “definitely” see herself launching another venture in the travel industry – “It’s what I do” – but says her exit plan for Luxperience is not yet finalised.

“An exit plan is only as good as someone wanting to buy the business,” she says.