Latest news with #EmbarkBeyond
Travel Weekly
15 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Embark Beyond's priority list has technological and interpersonal pieces
ALLENHURST, N.J. — Stepping away from the fourth annual Embark Day pool party at the Jersey Shore, Embark Beyond founders and partners Jack Ezon and Julie Danziger offered a look into the travel agency's current focuses: a new AI-powered platform, partnerships with luxury brands and their desire to move away from being known as a New York-based agency. "We've really been focused on two main courses in our prediction of how to stay relevant in the next chapter," Ezon said, pointing to technology and "clienteling" -- the retail strategy of cultivating personal relationships with clients. On the technology front, Danziger stressed that Embark sees it as additive for advisors. "Agencies that don't embrace technology -- I think they're going to struggle in the next couple of years," she said. "But the ones who embrace it and figure out how to utilize it in the right way are really in for a treat." In September, the agency will launch an AI-powered platform, Embark Blackbook, that takes its intranet "to another level," Ezon said. The platform, being built in-house, will be able to match client profiles with product profiles that Embark is currently building. It will also include a clienteling dashboard. Ezon defines clienteling as "the luxury retail term for proactive, relationship-based marketing," and right now at Embark, "everything we're trying to do is build a clienteling mindset." He wants advisors to be more proactive with customer relationships, something with which Blackbook will assist. It might suggest an article to send to a client because they love fishing, for example. "It's not only about selling your product, it's about connecting with people," he said. To that end, the agency has been bolstering its partnerships with luxury brands and creating experiences exclusive to Embark clients. For instance, they can go to Italy and meet with members of the Missoni family, who run the eponymous fashion house. Embark is also working automotive brands, food and wine, among others. The agency is considering experiences with dogs as well as instituting a mahjong program surrounding the game that is enjoying a surge in popularity. Advisors can also take advantage of new revenue sources negotiated by Embark for nontravel sales, like jewelry. Ezon said Embark is delivering high-end clients to activities like shopping experiences, so its advisors should make money on the transactions, too (commissions weren't a hard sell for the brands Embark has partnered with, he said, as "luxury brands have seen hospitality, more and more, as a perfect collaboration"). "We're trying to give our advisors more tools to talk to their customers in a deeper way, to things that they're passionate about," Ezon said. "So we have the technology, and we're creating the product to work around, to put marketing campaigns around, so that we can get a deeper trust and relationship with our clients that AI won't replace." While Blackbook is in development now, Ezon said it likely always will be. He said it was designed to keep changing. Hola, Mexico Outside of technology and clienteling, Danziger said Embark is focused on developing new travel advisors and growing the agency. She is particularly excited about the diversity in new advisors. "They're all bringing something so different to the table, and it's refreshing and it's exciting," she said. "The more we grow outside of a bubble, and the more different people, different cultures, we invite into our environment, the more exciting it is." The agency also wants to expand its reach outside of the United States, and be less known as a U.S. or New York agency. "I think that's where things are going within our industry," Danziger said. "It's more global and everything is more connected." According to Ezon, Embark's first expansion will be into Mexico.
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Luxury Travel Advisors Help Clients Avoid Price Gouging, Spotty Service
If lackluster service is giving you pause as a luxury traveler, the answer could be tapping into the expertise and relationships of an experienced travel advisor. Travelers continue to complain about paying more and, if not getting less, at least finding spotty service and other letdowns that make them feel underwhelmed. A survey released last week with travel advisors revealed that while booking trends continue to point upwards, high-net-worth clients are in some cases switching hotels and even destinations they see as not delivering value. Jack Ezon, CEO of EmbarkBeyond, says while the travel agency's safari business has seen 91% year-over-year growth, Botswana is down 18% in peak season. He attributes it to 'exorbitant rates—at almost US$10,000 a night.' At the same time, Italy, which grew 4% year-over-year, lost its perennial number one spot to France. Greece was down 4%, its second year of declines. Travelers aren't staying home, Ezon explains. Overpricing is 'shifting market share to other destinations.' St. Tropez saw a 26% increase, while the Côte d'Azur grew 21% and Portugal stole share, rising 28%. However, the over 4,800 travel suppliers and travel advisors gathering this week in Las Vegas for the annual conference of Virtuoso, whose member agencies sell around $30 billion in luxury travel annually, say they know there are issues despite continued demand. They also have ways to reduce the likelihood of disappointment. Zankhana Shukla, founder of New York City-based Zenzi Luxury Travel, says deep relationships with suppliers who have proven worthy of her agency's trust mean reducing those disappointing experiences where what's on the website doesn't match what's delivered. Shukla says savvy travel advisors help clients who want value, want to miss the masses, but don't want to miss main attractions. While it's possible to arrange a VIP visit to Le Louvre in Paris after hours for $10,000, the museum is open until 9 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. For around $1,500, she can get a top guide specialized in the particular galleries that are of interest to her clients. Clients save money and still have a memorable experience, she says. Of course, the key is finding a top guide. Nancy Ebel of Hill's Travel Service in St. Petersburg, Florida, says there is a shortage of quality English-speaking guides in Japan. Melissa Novick of Remote Lands says while some consumers are rebelling against high prices, when it comes to guides, who are typically independent contractors, it is often a case of you get what you pay for. She says the best guides align themselves with the companies that pay the best. Remote Lands is the company behind Aman's private jet trips, which cost around $15,000 per couple per day. Novick says they hired a person dedicated to making restaurant reservations in Japan to ensure clients get those hard-to-get tables. At each destination, each couple (trips typically have a maximum of eight or nine couples) gets their own private driver and guide. She says this enables clients to create a pace in tune with their personal interests. An executive with A&K, which offers similarly priced private jet tours, says part of the value is time savings. She says a typical A&K round-the-world tour means just over 50 hours of flying. To do the same itinerary with the airlines would require nearly 200 hours, including connecting flights, but not including the time spent at the airport on departure and arrival. The A&K jets typically use private terminals. In other words, you save about six days of travel time on a single trip. The A&K tours also include a private photographer, so you don't have to stress between enjoying the experience or snapping away. You get all the photos taken by the photographer at the end of the trip. Advisors say a pain point is when clients must keep taking out their wallets after they've already laid out lots of money. Micato Safaris, which specializes in small groups, says part of its formula to avoid letdowns is being truly all-inclusive. Ebel says from arrival to departure, her clients never have to touch their Black card. However, being all-inclusive is not a panacea. Regent Seven Seas Cruises includes shore excursions as part of its cruise fare. It found passengers were often frustrated that their desired excursions were already booked. The line has recently begun overbooking its excursions by 10%. Customers who book their cruises and shore excursions more than half a year in advance, but later change their minds, were often no-shows. This adjustment allows the line to accommodate more guests. An executive during a Virtuoso Travel Week session says so far, the change is yielding the desired results of enabling more guests to partake in the excursions they want. While 5-star hotels have been criticized since the post-pandemic travel rebound for lackluster service, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, has a unique approach during its annual Cayman Cookout. The hotel only sells rooms tied to the event, even if the event doesn't sell out. This prevents bookings by guests who would find themselves massively outnumbered by festival attendees. Destination Marketing Companies, the local companies in the places you visit that coordinate the ground transportation, guides, after-hours access, and unique experiences, are also trying to ensure a more consistent experience in a world plagued by post-COVID labor shortages. Karim Fehry Fassy, co-founder of Alizes Private, is a former hotelier who launched the Moroccan DMC in 2017. For each client and their travel advisor, he creates two WhatsApp groups. One includes the guide and driver, Fassy and the travel advisor, so the travel advisor can see how the day is going for their client and get real-time updates if plans need to be changed. The other group consists of the client, Fassy, and the travel advisor, allowing the client to share any concerns with them discreetly, also in real-time. He says that by acting quickly instead of waiting for feedback after the trip, there is usually a quick fix that satisfies the client. Other DMCs say they maintain standards by using their own cars and drivers instead of outsourcing. They also stop taking bookings when the guides they trust are not available. Fassy says he finds the best way to address price questions is transparency, saying he happily shares with travel advisors how much the services he is arranging cost his company. Of course, if money is no object, Access Italy says for 10,000 euros, you can have 30 minutes in the Sistine Chapel after hours. One client recently used his time there to propose to his girlfriend. She said yes. Ewelina Kula says relationships matter for DMCs. Access Italy was founded by the current CEO's father, who was a driver at Rome's famed Hotel Hassler, where he made numerous location connections. She says some of the most memorable experiences don't need to cost four or five figures. They include getting behind the scenes to see how gelato is made or accessing wineries that are not open to the public. Still, one hotel executive says service delivery comes down to investment in training. Nigel Page of South Africa's The Royal Portfolio, which includes The Silo Hotel in Cape Town, says finding a top-notch pastry chef or sommelier can be challenging, but there is no shortage of potential workers for restaurants, bars and housekeeping. He says the key is to hire for attitude and then support employees with training and opportunities to advance. Managers who come up through the ranks, he says, naturally want to mentor new starters to find similar success. Pace says while hardware matters, in an environment where consumers are paying more than ever, the small touches from employees who are genuinely committed is more important than ever. EmbarkBeyond's Ezon says even if prices seem to be reaching the stars for your bucket list destination, there's hope. He says his advisors often find by shifting dates several weeks, there can be significant savings.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Bespoke bash for a billionaire: Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony
The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who have traveled into space — and expectations were about as high ahead of their wedding in Venice on Friday. One of the world's most enchanting cities as backdrop? Check. Star-studded guestlist and tabloid buzz? Of course. Local flavor? You bet. And then, time to tie the knot. The couple held their wedding ceremony Friday night, and Sánchez posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos, the world's fourth-richest man. It was the second day of events spread across the Italian lagoon city, which added complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land. Dozens of private jets had flocked to Venice's airport, and yachts pulled into the city's famed waterways. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall. Not so for these nuptials, which became a lightning rod for small, colorful protests. But any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch hadn't materialized as of Friday. Instead, the glitterati were partying, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala. And the bride wore a classic mermaid-line gown, featuring Dolce & Gabbana's signature Italian lace. A traditional tulle-and-lace veil completed her look. 'Not just a gown, a piece of poetry,' she wrote on Instagram, where her name now appears as Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world's most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel advisory and destination event service. 'It's a very tight-knit community; everyone there knows everyone, and you need to work with the right people,' said Ezon, whose company has put on a dozen high-end events in Venice. 'There's very tight control, especially on movement there with boats.' It at least triples the cost versus staging the same soiree in Rome or Florence, he said. Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia was first to give an estimated tally for the Bezos/Sánchez bash: He told reporters this week the most recent total he saw was between 40 million and 48 million euros (up to $56 million). It's an eye-popping, jaw-dropping figure that's over 1,000 times the $36,000 average cost of American couples' weddings in 2025, according to wedding planning website Zola's annual report. Bezos' team has been tight-lipped about where these millions are going. When the youngest son of Asia's richest man married last July, performances by pop stars Rihanna and Justin Bieber pushed up the price tag. 'How do you spend $40 million on a three- or four-day event?' Ezon said. 'You could bring headliners, A-list performers, great DJs from anywhere in the world. You could spend $2 million on an incredible glass tent that's only there for 10 hours, but it takes a month to build,' or expand the celebration to local landmarks. There's no sign Sánchez and Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, intend to take over any of Venice's tourist-thronged hotspots. Still, intense hand-wringing about the prospect prompted their wedding coordinator, Lanza & Baucina, to issue a rare statement calling those rumors false. On Friday afternoon, Sánchez emerged from her hotel wearing a silk scarf on her head and blew a kiss to journalists before stepping into her water taxi. It carried her through the canals to San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St. Mark's Square, where the couple held their ceremony Friday night. Bezos followed two hours later. Then, in a string of water taxis, came their illustrious guests — Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady, Bill Gates, Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more. Paparazzi trailed on their own boats, trying to capture them all on camera. Vogue magazine, to which the couple granted exclusive access, reported that the Dolce & Gabbana-designed gown took 900 hours to complete. Inspired by Sophia Loren's wedding dress in the 1958 film Houseboat, it featured high-necked, hand-appliqued lace and 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons. There are some who say these two shouldn't have been wed in this city. They characterize the wedding as a decadent display of wealth in a world with growing inequality, and argue it's a shining example of tourism taking precedence over residents' needs, particularly affordable housing and essential services. Venice is also one of the cities most vulnerable to rising sea levels from climate change. 'Venice is not just a pretty picture, a pretty postcard to please the needs and wants of the elite or of mass tourists, but it is an alive city, made of people who want to actually live there,' Stella Faye, a researcher at a university from Venice, said on Friday. About a dozen Venetian organizations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — are protesting under the banner 'No Space for Bezos,' a play on words referring to his space exploration company Blue Origin and the bride's recent space flight. Greenpeace unfurled a banner in St. Mark's Square denouncing Bezos for paying insufficient taxes. Activists floated a bald-headed Bezos-inspired mannequin down Venice's Grand Canal atop an Amazon delivery box, its hands clenching fake cash. Authorities — from Venice's mayor to the nation's tourism minister — have dismissed the outcry, saying it ignores the visibility and economic boost the wedding has brought. 'There will be photos everywhere, social media will go wild over the bride's dress, over the ceremony,' Italy's tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, told the AP. 'All of this translates into a massive free publicity campaign. In fact, because they will spend a lot of money, they will enrich Venice — our shopkeepers, artisans, restaurateurs, hotels. So it's a great opportunity both for spending and for promoting Italy in the world.' As Amazon's CEO, Bezos usually avoided the limelight, frequently delegating announcements and business updates to his executives. Today he has a net worth of $234 billion, according to Forbes. In 2019, he announced he was divorcing his first wife, MacKenzie Scott, just before the National Enquirer published a story about an affair with Sánchez, a former TV news anchor. Sánchez filed for divorce the day after Bezos' divorce was finalized. He stepped down as CEO in 2021, saying he wished to spend more time on side projects, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, which he owns, and his philanthropic initiatives. Sitting beside Sánchez during an interview with CNN in 2022, he announced plans to give away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime. Last week, a Venetian environmental research association issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an 'important donation.' CORILA, which seeks protection of the Venetian lagoon system, said contact began in April, well before any protests. Local media have reported a reception Saturday in the Arsenale, a former navy base best known as a primary venue for the Venice Biennale.
Arab Times
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Bespoke bash for a billionaire: Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony
VENICE, Italy, June 28, (AP): The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who have traveled into space - and expectations were about as high ahead of their wedding in Venice on Friday. One of the world's most enchanting cities as backdrop? Check. Star-studded guestlist and tabloid buzz? Of course. Local flavor? You bet. And then, time to tie the knot. The couple held their wedding ceremony Friday night, and Sánchez posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos, the world's fourth-richest man. It was the second day of events spread across the Italian lagoon city, which added complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land. Dozens of private jets had flocked to Venice's airport, and yachts pulled into the city's famed waterways. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall. Not so for these nuptials, which became a lightning rod for small, colorful protests. But any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch hadn't materialized as of Friday. Instead, the glitterati were partying, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala. And the bride wore a classic mermaid-line gown, featuring Dolce & Gabbana's signature Italian lace. A traditional tulle-and-lace veil completed her look. "Not just a gown, a piece of poetry," she wrote on Instagram, where her name now appears as Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world's most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel advisory and destination event service. "It's a very tight-knit community; everyone there knows everyone, and you need to work with the right people,' said Ezon, whose company has put on a dozen high-end events in Venice. "There's very tight control, especially on movement there with boats.' It at least triples the cost versus staging the same soiree in Rome or Florence, he said. Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia was first to give an estimated tally for the Bezos/Sánchez bash: He told reporters this week the most recent total he saw was between 40 million and 48 million euros (up to $56 million). It's an eye-popping, jaw-dropping figure that's over 1,000 times the $36,000 average cost of American couples' weddings in 2025, according to wedding planning website Zola's annual report. Bezos' team has been tight-lipped about where these millions are going. When the youngest son of Asia's richest man married last July, performances by pop stars Rihanna and Justin Bieber pushed up the price tag. "How do you spend $40 million on a three- or four-day event?' Ezon said. 'You could bring headliners, A-list performers, great DJs from anywhere in the world. You could spend $2 million on an incredible glass tent that's only there for 10 hours, but it takes a month to build," or expand the celebration to local landmarks. There's no sign Sánchez and Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, intend to take over any of Venice's tourist-thronged hotspots. Still, intense hand-wringing about the prospect prompted their wedding coordinator, Lanza & Baucina, to issue a rare statement calling those rumors false. On Friday afternoon, Sánchez emerged from her hotel wearing a silk scarf on her head and blew a kiss to journalists before stepping into her water taxi. It carried her through the canals to San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St. Mark's Square, where the couple held their ceremony Friday night. Bezos followed two hours later. Then, in a string of water taxis, came their illustrious guests - Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady, Bill Gates, Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more. Paparazzi trailed on their own boats, trying to capture them all on camera. Vogue magazine, to which the couple granted exclusive access, reported that the Dolce & Gabbana-designed gown took 900 hours to complete. Inspired by Sophia Loren's wedding dress in the 1958 film Houseboat, it featured high-necked, hand-appliqued lace and 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons. There are some who say these two shouldn't have been wed in this city. They characterize the wedding as a decadent display of wealth in a world with growing inequality, and argue it's a shining example of tourism taking precedence over residents' needs, particularly affordable housing and essential services. Venice is also one of the cities most vulnerable to rising sea levels from climate change. "Venice is not just a pretty picture, a pretty postcard to please the needs and wants of the elite or of mass tourists, but it is an alive city, made of people who want to actually live there," Stella Faye, a researcher at a university from Venice, said on Friday. About a dozen Venetian organizations - including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups - are protesting under the banner "No Space for Bezos,' a play on words referring to his space exploration company Blue Origin and the bride's recent space flight. Greenpeace unfurled a banner in St. Mark's Square denouncing Bezos for paying insufficient taxes. Activists floated a bald-headed Bezos-inspired mannequin down Venice's Grand Canal atop an Amazon delivery box, its hands clenching fake cash. Authorities - from Venice's mayor to the nation's tourism minister - have dismissed the outcry, saying it ignores the visibility and economic boost the wedding has brought. "There will be photos everywhere, social media will go wild over the bride's dress, over the ceremony,' Italy's tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, told the AP. "All of this translates into a massive free publicity campaign. In fact, because they will spend a lot of money, they will enrich Venice - our shopkeepers, artisans, restaurateurs, hotels. So it's a great opportunity both for spending and for promoting Italy in the world.' As Amazon's CEO, Bezos usually avoided the limelight, frequently delegating announcements and business updates to his executives. Today he has a net worth of $234 billion, according to Forbes. In 2019, he announced he was divorcing his first wife, MacKenzie Scott, just before the National Enquirer published a story about an affair with Sánchez, a former TV news anchor. Sánchez filed for divorce the day after Bezos' divorce was finalized. He stepped down as CEO in 2021, saying he wished to spend more time on side projects, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, which he owns, and his philanthropic initiatives. Sitting beside Sánchez during an interview with CNN in 2022, he announced plans to give away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime. Last week, a Venetian environmental research association issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation.' CORILA, which seeks protection of the Venetian lagoon system, said contact began in April, well before any protests.
1News
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- 1News
Jeff Bezos weds Lauren Sánchez in lavish Venice ceremony
The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez, who have travelled into space, and expectations were about as high ahead of their wedding in Venice on Saturday. One of the world's most enchanting cities as backdrop? Check. Star-studded guest list and tabloid buzz? Of course. Local flavour? You bet. And then, time to tie the knot. The couple held their wedding ceremony Friday night (local time), and Sánchez posted to Instagram a photo of herself beaming in a white gown as she stood alongside a tuxedo-clad Bezos, the world's fourth-richest man. ADVERTISEMENT It was the second day of events spread across the Italian lagoon city, which added complexity to what would have been a massive logistical undertaking even on dry land. Dozens of private jets had flocked to Venice's airport, and yachts pulled into the city's famed waterways. Athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders converged to revel in extravagance that was as much a testament to the couple's love as to their extraordinary wealth. The heady hoopla recalled the 2014 wedding in Venice of actor George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, when adoring crowds lined the canals and hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside City Hall. Not so for these nuptials, which became a lightning rod for small, colourful protests. But any desire to dampen the prevailing fever pitch hadn't materialised as of Saturday. Instead, the glitterati were partying, and the paparazzi jostling for glimpses of the gilded gala. And the bride wore a classic mermaid-line gown, featuring Dolce & Gabbana's signature Italian lace. A traditional tulle-and-lace veil completed her look. "Not just a gown, a piece of poetry," she wrote on Instagram, where her name now appears as Lauren Sánchez Bezos. ADVERTISEMENT Logistics and costs Venice is famed for its network of canals, where gondoliers croon for lovestruck couples and even ambulances are aquatic. But water transport of everything from bouquets to guests makes Venice among the world's most challenging cities for a party, according to Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel advisory and destination event service. "It's a very tight-knit community; everyone there knows everyone, and you need to work with the right people," said Ezon, whose company has put on a dozen high-end events in Venice. "There's very tight control, especially on movement there with boats." It at least triples the cost versus staging the same soiree in Rome or Florence, he said. Veneto Gov. Luca Zaia was first to give an estimated tally for the Bezos/Sánchez bash: He told reporters this week the most recent total he saw was between 40 million and 48 million euros (NZ$77 million and NZ$92 million) It's an eye-popping, jaw-dropping figure that's over 1000 times the US$36,000 (NZ$69,000) average cost of American couples' weddings in 2025, according to wedding planning website Zola's annual report. Bezos' team has been tight-lipped about where these millions are going. When the youngest son of Asia's richest man married last July, performances by pop stars Rihanna and Justin Bieber pushed up the price tag. ADVERTISEMENT Jeff Bezos leaves a hotel ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations with Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, Friday, June 27, 2025 (Source: Associated Press) "How do you spend $40 million on a three- or four-day event?" Ezon said. "You could bring headliners, A-list performers, great DJs from anywhere in the world. You could spend $2 million on an incredible glass tent that's only there for 10 hours, but it takes a month to build," or expand the celebration to local landmarks. There's no sign Sánchez and Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, intend to take over any of Venice's tourist-thronged hotspots. Still, intense hand-wringing about the prospect prompted their wedding coordinator, Lanza & Baucina, to issue a rare statement calling those rumours false. Earlier, Sánchez emerged from her hotel wearing a silk scarf on her head and blew a kiss to journalists before stepping into her water taxi. It carried her through the canals to San Giorgio island, across the lagoon basin from St Mark's Square, where the couple held their ceremony. Bezos followed two hours later. Then, in a string of water taxis, came their illustrious guests — Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Ivanka Trump, Tom Brady, Bill Gates, Queen Rania of Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more. Paparazzi trailed on their own boats, trying to capture them all on camera. Vogue magazine, to which the couple granted exclusive access, reported that the Dolce & Gabbana-designed gown took 900 hours to complete. Inspired by Sophia Loren's wedding dress in the 1958 film Houseboat, it featured a high-necked, hand-appliqued lace and 180 silk chiffon-covered priest buttons. A police officer rides in front of the boat, center, carrying Lauren Sanchez as it travels past St. Mark's Square ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Friday, June 27, 2025. (Luigi Costantini/AP) ADVERTISEMENT 'No Space' There are some who say these two shouldn't have been wed in this city. They characterise the wedding as a decadent display of wealth in a world with growing inequality, and argue it's a shining example of tourism taking precedence over residents' needs, particularly affordable housing and essential services. Venice is also one of the cities most vulnerable to rising sea levels from climate change. "Venice is not just a pretty picture, a pretty postcard to please the needs and wants of the elite or of mass tourists, but it is an alive city, made of people who want to actually live there," Stella Faye, a researcher at a university in Venice, said. About a dozen Venetian organisations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — are protesting under the banner "No Space for Bezos", a play on words referring to his space exploration company Blue Origin and the bride's recent space flight. Greenpeace unfurled a banner in St Mark's Square denouncing Bezos for paying insufficient taxes. Activists floated a bald-headed Bezos-inspired mannequin down Venice's Grand Canal atop an Amazon delivery box, its hands clenching fake cash. Authorities — from Venice's mayor to the nation's tourism minister — have dismissed the outcry, saying it ignores the visibility and economic boost the wedding has brought. ADVERTISEMENT "There will be photos everywhere, social media will go wild over the bride's dress, over the ceremony," Italy's tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, told the AP. "All of this translates into a massive free publicity campaign. In fact, because they will spend a lot of money, they will enrich Venice — our shopkeepers, artisans, restaurateurs, hotels. So it's a great opportunity both for spending and for promoting Italy in the world." Jeff Bezos waves as he arrives at San Giorgio island ahead of the anticipated wedding celebrations with Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, Friday, June 27, 2025. (Source: Associated Press) Philanthropy As Amazon's CEO, Bezos usually avoided the limelight, frequently delegating announcements and business updates to his executives. Today he has a net worth of US $234 billion (NZ$386 billion), according to Forbes. In 2019, he announced he was divorcing his first wife, MacKenzie Scott, just before the National Enquirer published a story about an affair with Sánchez, a former TV news anchor. Sánchez filed for divorce the day after Bezos' divorce was finalised. He stepped down as CEO in 2021, saying he wished to spend more time on side projects, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, which he owns, and his philanthropic initiatives. ADVERTISEMENT Sitting beside Sánchez during an interview with CNN in 2022, he announced plans to give away the majority of his wealth during his lifetime. Last week, a Venetian environmental research association issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation." CORILA, which seeks protection of the Venetian lagoon system, said contact began in April, well before any protests. Local media have reported a reception Saturday in the Arsenale, a former navy base best known as a primary venue for the Venice Biennale.
