See what’s waiting for you in June 2025 as we catch up with Richard, CEO of inVOYAGE and Martin Johnston, Vice President & Global Sales of Montage International for the story behind inVOYAGE San Diego and our upcoming debut into the USA…

Emily, inVOYAGE: Our second event of 2025 and our first event in the USA! What inspired you to choose San Diego as one of the destinations for next year’s inVOYAGE edition?

Richard, inVOYAGE: Our events have been supported by Montage and Pendry Hotels for several years now, and so when the conversation turned to taking inVOYAGE to one of their hotels in the US, it felt like a natural progression. California and San Diego added the ‘wow’ factor, and we’re incredibly excited to be working with the hotel team.

Emily, inVOYAGE: Absolutely! And talk us through the process of choosing the Pendry San Diego. What was the appeal of the property and how does it align with the inVOYAGE brand and values?

Richard, inVOYAGE: For us, it really came down to the team over there. The Montage and Pendry family know and understand inVOYAGE and the experience we always strive to create and improve upon. The Pendry San Diego offers guests a true luxury lifestyle feel, making it part of the fabric of the city, whilst giving it a cosmopolitan flair. Then there’s the destination itself – what’s not to love about California’s southern most major city and the type of experiences it is able to offer.

Emily, inVOYAGE: I couldn’t agree more! Now, we’re set to have 150 luxury brands and event professionals joining us over there. What unique networking opportunities can our attendees look forward to?

Richard, inVOYAGE: As with any inVOYAGE event, the variety lies in the guest list we curate and bring together. It’s about creating a dynamic that changes with every event so we can continue to host the right people in the room and develop the ultimate ROI. Regarding the programme itself, we’re not going to give too much away just yet, but rest assured we’re planning plenty of surprises along the way – all woven into the signature inVOYAGE cocktail of meetings, education, networking and event activations.

Emily, inVOYAGE: Certainly lots to look forward to! And for those who haven’t attended an inVOYAGE before, can you explain the format of the 1:1 meetings and why you’ve chosen to do it that way?

Richard, inVOYAGE: At inVOYAGE your meetings come fully pre-scheduled according to the preferences you select before the event. This means we’re able to deliver fully bespoke diaries tailored to the individual needs of all our guests and create a unique experience with the best possible dynamic and maximum ROI.

Emily, inVOYAGE: And on a personal note, what are you most excited about for this year’s inVOYAGE event in San Diego?

Richard, inVOYAGE: I’m super excited to be finally bringing inVOYAGE to the US, and to be able to do this directly with the Montage and Pendry team. Over the last few years, we have established an increasingly strong geographic mix of North and Latin American, UK, European, and Asian buyers across our inVOYAGE events, so being able to showcase destinations beyond EMEA with a foundation of trusted partners is a real privilege. It’s going to be great!

Emily, inVOYAGE: An incredibly exciting event to be a part of! Now, if I could just bring you in Martin – we are delighted to be partnering up with you and your team in Pendry San Diego. What does it mean for you to be a part of inVOYAGE having attended a few inVOYAGE events yourself in the past and now as one of our recognised partners and host hotels in 2025?

Martin Johnston, Montage International: Yes, having first attended inVOYAGE in Monaco and then joining you again last year in Marbella I’ve always found my time at these events incredibly rewarding giving me an opportunity to build new relationships, nurture existing ones and introduce our Montage & Pendry branded Hotels & Resorts to buyers from the UK and Europe. During the event in Monaco we discussed bringing an event to the US one day and I’m thrilled we’re doing that in 2025. Being part of inVOYAGE and the broader event community gives us the chance to introduce event professionals to a brand of hotels and resorts that are only currently in North America – it means a lot to us to be able to do that because of inVoyage. 

Emily, inVOYAGE: And in your eyes why is San Diego the perfect city for inVOYAGE’s first event in the USA? What does the city have to offer the incentives industry as a whole?

Martin Johnston, Montage International: inVOYAGE has grown and evolved a lot since Monaco as has our Montage & Pendry branded Hotels & Resorts. To that end we felt introducing inVOYAGERS to Pendry Hotels was the perfect fit for the first US event. Pendry is a collection of thoughtfully appointed hotels and residences designed to usher in a new era of luxury hospitality anchored by contemporary design, boutique culture and elevated service at every turn so introducing inVOYAGERS to our Flagship Pendry felt like a natural and great first choice for both us and inVOYAGE! San Diego as a destination is one of the core convention markets in the US with a resort like feel. It offers a vibrant Gas Lamp Quarter, a Major League Baseball Team, access to miles of waterfront & beaches, proximity to world-class golf and a city that is walkable, exciting, and high-energy with a vibrant nightlife. To that end, event professionals love having a city they can operate in as a “one stop shop”, meaning everything is in close proximity which helps when working within a budget.

Emily, inVOYAGE: And what about the property itself – what are some of your favourite elements of the hotel that lends itself so well to the incentives and events industry? Can you share any success stories from previous events that have been hosted there?

Martin Johnston, Montage International: In Global Sales you’re not really meant to have a favourite kid but mine has always been our Pendry San Diego. The design of the “resort” is thoughtful and playful and because the brand is born into the service culture of our Montage Hotels & Resorts it’s been an extraordinary addition to the San Diego market. The resort features over 30,000 sq. ft. of thoughtfully curated event space with additional spaces that you won’t find in other hotels . . . as example, a night club that can double as event space on days & nights the club is closed, an incredible tap room and sports bar that can be bought out for a fun event at the conclusion of a long day of meetings and ballroom space

We host about 350+ events of varying sizes on annual basis which is fun to watch a team deliver. We’ve had success across all segments of business to include financial, insurance, automotive, pharmaceutical, entertainment, agency etc. so it’s hard to pick one success story – but one that comes to mind is getting Richard & Debbie to buy into the vision of having inVOYAGE in the US in San Diego in a Pendry! I think they saw the possibilities for inVOYAGERS and that speaks volumes to our commitment to event success.

Emily, inVOYAGE: Finally, any last words for our inVOYAGERS ahead of the event? What message would you like to share with anyone thinking of attending inVOYAGE San Diego next year?

Martin Johnston, Montage International: DO IT!! If you’ve never experienced San Diego then I would highly recommend coming over to enjoy the hotel, our team who is ready to serve and to experience Pendry as a brand you might not have had the pleasure of being a part of. Our commitment to service excellence and commitment to the meetings and events industry is palpable and we’d love nothing more than to show you all that Pendry & San Diego can offer. 

inVOYAGE is headed to San Diego! Join the inVOYAGE retreat as we take 150+ of the top luxury brands to the birthplace of California to network under one roof at the prestigious Pendry San Diego.