Luxury Travel is a high-end travel experience that goes above and beyond typical tourist itineraries. It includes superior customer service, unique amenities and a personalized experience based on the client’s preferences. It’s often expensive, but it can be worth it. The luxury experience is a reflection of affluent lifestyles and can range from seeing rare wild animals in far-flung destinations to staying in hotels that have geometric tiled floors, well-stocked libraries and chairs hanging from the ceiling.
A growing number of affluent travellers are seeking meaningful experiences that provide a deeper connection to the culture, history and environment of their chosen destination. This is driving the luxury industry to reinvent itself by rethinking traditional perceptions of what it means to be luxury. These new expectations are best summarized by the 5 C’s: Culture, Cuisine, Community, Content and Customization.
While most luxury travelers are not interested in shared travel experiences such as dormitory accommodations, they still want to engage and connect with other people. Upmarket travel brands are responding to this trend by leveraging storytelling and community in marketing materials, coordinating non-site events and by providing standalone luxury content products such as travel guides and real-time event programming.
Luxury travelers are increasingly seeking to experience the culinary delights of their destinations, especially if they can get to know the chefs who make them. They are also increasingly looking for comfort during their travels, such as ergonomically designed seats and cosy beds.