FINN Partners unveils travel report shaped by top creatives

FINN Partners has unveiled Travel with Tastemakers, a global report offering an intimate look at more than 25 destinations through the perspectives of leading creatives.

The report brings together a diverse group of cultural voices, including Academy Award–winning actress Octavia Spencer, supermodel and entrepreneur Liya Kebede, bestselling cookbook author Mimi Thorisson, and architect‑designer Bill Bensley. Their insights sit alongside contributions from chefs, designers, hoteliers, artists, editors, and innovators across continents.

A sensory-rich approach to travel

Unlike traditional guides, Travel with Tastemakers focuses on the soul of a place, highlighting neighborhood rituals, hidden corners, artisan workshops, and local everyday life. Compiled by FINN Partners’ Global Travel Practice, the report covers destinations from Bali and Kyoto to Berlin, Turin, New Orleans, and Tulum, offering deeply personal perspectives on culture, craft, and local creativity.

Debbie Flynn, Managing Partner, Global Travel Practice Leader: "At a moment when algorithms increasingly dictate where we go, Travel with Tastemakers offers something far more human. These itineraries are shaped by lived experience — by memory, craft, ritual, and the nuances of local life that can’t be coded into an algorithm — seen through the eyes of people whose creativity is inseparable from place. It’s a celebration of travel as a source of inspiration, not just consumption."

Creative highlights from the report

Bali: Sacred springs, morning markets scented with fruit and incense, quiet rice terraces, and craft villages.

Berlin: Hidden galleries, independent designer ateliers, and atmospheric cafés shaping the city’s contemporary edge.

Kyoto: Zen gardens, traditional tearooms, and artisanal studios where Japanese craft thrives.

Beijing: Hutongs, reimagined industrial art zones, and vibrant cultural life along Liangmahe.

Turin: Belle Époque cafés, bustling markets, and iconic trattorias reflecting everyday rituals.

New Orleans: A mix of culture, heritage, cuisine, and local music corridors.

Other destinations include Mexico City, Singapore, Shanghai, Sicily, Melbourne, Toronto, Tulum, Paris, and Rome — each explored through the lens of the creatives who define their cultural identity.

Cathy Feliciano-Chon, Managing Partner, APAC, Finn Partners: "It goes without saying that we travel vicariously through people whose fantastic tastes and cultural perspectives give us a compelling way to experience a place. This guide celebrates them and some of the most exciting destinations today."

Gregory Cole, Senior Partner, Luxury EMEA, Finn Partners: "The most powerful recommendations are still personal. They are rooted in taste, instinct, and lived experience. A chef and a designer can walk the same street in Turin and return with entirely different outlooks, and both will be right. This report offers a cross‑section of iconic destinations, explored through a lens shaped by passion rather than pixels."

A storytelling resource for the travel and lifestyle sector

Travel with Tastemakers is designed to provide media, destinations, hotels, and lifestyle brands with authentic local insight, creative inspiration, and a deeper understanding of culture-driven travel. The report underscores FINN Partners’ belief that the most compelling travel narratives begin with the people who bring a place to life.

The full report can be accessed here

www.finnpartners.com

Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn