Millionaire Fair: The Luxury Lifestyle Event and What Replaced It

The Millionaire Fair was an exclusive luxury and lifestyle exhibition that started in Amsterdam in 2001 and toured cities like Cannes and Moscow. This article explains what the fair was, what happened to it, and the event that carries it on today.

Quick answer: The Millionaire Fair was a luxury goods show where high-end brands displayed cars, yachts, jewellery, watches, property and travel to wealthy visitors. The Amsterdam fair was later renamed Masters of LXRY and, from 2021, Masters Expo, held in Amsterdam each winter. If you want to see luxury products up close today, Masters Expo is the direct successor.

What was the Millionaire Fair?

If you were looking to buy a luxury product that was unique and exclusive, the Millionaire Fair was where you would find it. It was a trend-setting lifestyle fair where exhibitors from the international high-end luxury industry showed their latest products and services to some of the world’s most demanding customers.

Exhibitors came from the top of the national and international luxury industry, including:

• Cars and private aviation
• Yachting
• Fashion, jewellery and watches
• Real estate and travel
• Wellness and personal services
• Wealth management

The organisers described it as an event that welcomed everyone who enjoys luxury, whether they had millions or were “just spiritually rich”, with the exhibition centre turned into a luxury shopping paradise for a few days.

Millionaire Fair history

The first Millionaire Fair was held from 22 to 24 November 2001 at the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal. The format then travelled. In 2006 alone there were editions at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes (1 to 3 September) and at the Crocus Expo centre in Moscow (late October), alongside the December fair in Amsterdam, with Shanghai and Kortrijk in Belgium planned for 2007. Visitors bought tickets through each country’s own site.

The Amsterdam fair became famous for drawing big crowds every December, and for its mix of celebrities, glamour and very expensive toys.

What happened to the Millionaire Fair?

In March 2013, the Gijrath Media Groep, the company behind the Amsterdam fair, was declared bankrupt, as DutchNews reported. By then the fair had already been renamed Masters of LXRY. The event continued, and in 2021 it returned to the RAI Amsterdam under another new name, Masters Expo.

Where to see luxury goods today

Masters Expo, Amsterdam

Masters Expo is the direct successor of the Amsterdam Millionaire Fair. It is a large luxury exhibition where high-end brands show their latest products. Its official site lists the next edition for 10 to 14 December 2026 in Amsterdam; check the site for tickets and the venue before you plan a trip.

Other ways to explore luxury

• Brand boutiques and showrooms: most luxury car, watch and jewellery brands run flagship stores and private viewings.
• Specialist shows: boat shows, motor shows and watch fairs focus on one category in much more depth.
• Online: many luxury brands now sell directly through their own websites.

For a lighter read on online riches, see the story of Anshe Chung, the first virtual world millionaire in Second Life.

FAQ

When was the first Millionaire Fair held?

The first Millionaire Fair took place from 22 to 24 November 2001 at the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal.

Is the Millionaire Fair still held?

Not under that name. The Amsterdam fair became Masters of LXRY and has been called Masters Expo since 2021.

Who could visit the Millionaire Fair?

Anyone with a ticket. You did not need to be a millionaire to walk around and look.

What was on show at the fair?

Luxury cars, yachts, private jets, jewellery, watches, fashion, property, travel and wealth management services.