Personalisation, Sustainability, and Immersive Experiences
Our events are not only a time and place for the world’s finest exhibitors and most sought-after buyers in luxury travel to come together and connect – they’re also about education and keeping up to date with the latest trends in the industry.
At each edition of Private Luxury, we ask our community for their perspectives on the world of luxury travel. During Private Luxury Abu Dhabi last September and Private Luxury Dubai in January, we had the pleasure of speaking to some of our luxury buyers and getting first-hand insight into evolving trends.
Let’s hear what the experts had to say.
Nagsri Sashidhar – NAGSRI – CREATING SPECIAL MEMORIES
We’re seeing that clients are opting more for boutique properties and intimate experiences. They don’t want to be just a number in a hotel – personalistion is very important to them. So boutique properties which have a soul, a real story to share are becoming increasingly popular.
It’s all about immersion, and immersive experiences. So, again, it’s not just about ticking off boxes, seeing monuments, and coming back. It’s about getting immersed in the culture, in the cuisine, in the way of life of a local in the destination they’re traveling to. I think that’s changing big-time as well.
Apart from all of this, they are also veering away from the main cities. Of course, they’ll get in and out of the main cities and spend a couple of nights there, and then they’ll self-drive – that’s another trend that’s picking up big-time. So they’ll drive off to the countryside, spend some time there, indulge in all the local experiences, and come back.
It’s been exciting times and that’s only growing. And it’s something we’re really looking forward to doing. The sky is the limit!
Benjamin Wempe – 365 Luxury Travel
Akram Mohamad – Platinum Concierge
To be frank, nowadays trends are no longer influenced by us as a concierge or travel agency – it’s all about social media. Before, we used to have the upper hand in terms of where the traveller goes, but now we’re receiving either a Reel or a picture from their social media saying, “I want to go there!”.
And we are seeing new destinations. I cater to GCC, which is Arab. And Arabs used to be very typical travellers: Paris, London, Milan. But this summer, I had a request for Bora Bora. I had other requests for Fiji, which I’ve never gotten before. So we’re seeing that social media plays a big role nowadays, as far as trending destinations and where people want to go.
Nadine Jones, Hawthorn Travel
Evon Sachdeva – Ember Lifestyle Travel
Anton Klymchuk – BSI Lifestyle
The more I’m working with the clients and the more I’m working in the market, I can see that artificial intelligence will hit the market in the future. More and more concierges and companies right now are using ChatGPT – for conversation, for creating new things and new moments. Because whatever you ask, you get a full description of exactly what you’re looking for. So, they’ve been using it with their clients and it’s been working.
Have insights of your own to share? Let us know if you want to be included in a future article by emailing us at plesocial@privateluxuryevents.com.