Host venue: Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa
DELEGATES’ VIEWS
Srisuda Wanapinyosak, Tourism Authority of Thailand “Connections is a really good
concept. When people have a good memory of a person, they develop a long-term relationship, and business will come after that. I believe in relationships – we can be brothers and sisters and business partners.”
Tricky clients? These are worst!
The most tricky high-end clients to serve are those who are time- poor, those who experience luxury in their everyday lives, and those who love to share their experiences on social media, according to delegates at Connections Luxury Phuket.
During a round-table discussion, delegates talked about issues
explored in a recent report, Shaping the Future of Luxury Travel: Traveller Tribes 2030, produced by Amadeus and Connections. The report identified six Luxury
“It’s an issue for us all – how can we improve and how can we read our clients better?”
Traveller Tribes that are defined by
their behaviours. These were: n Always Luxury: luxury travel is a
part of their everyday lives n Special Occasion: luxury travel is
a treat, or a rare experience n Bluxury: luxury travel is added on after a business trip
down: how China’s luxury travellers are changing
fuelling the popularity of high-end island escapes within the market. “Previously, Chinese luxury
travellers would find spending five nights in the Maldives boring, because they were used to having different activities every day and moving around constantly. “These days, they’ll find a calm resort where they can eat good food, slow down and relax, and these kind of experiences are getting more popular instead
of those ‘rush rush’ tours.” He adds: “I recently stayed at
the St Regis Bora Bora and half of the guests were from China. The general manager told me the resort is recruiting more Chinese butlers to serve this market. They even intend to turn the Japanese restaurant into an Asian one to cater for Chinese tastes. “So you can see how things are changing for this market.”
n Cash-rich, Time-poor: luxury travel needs to be flexible, and
arranged by a third party n Strictly Opulent: luxury travel is about glamorous experiences, and
sharing them on social media n Independent & Affluent: luxury travel can be enjoyed without ties, and is a chance to meet new people. When asked which tribes were the most challenging to serve, delegates unanimously felt that Cash-rich, Time-poor travellers came out on top, mainly because this tribe doesn’t have the time to communicate what they want or don’t allow agents and suppliers to get to know them properly. Always Luxury travellers were the second-most tricky, due to the pressure to offer them something new during their holiday, and the demands they can place on staff. Strictly Opulent travellers came in as the third most challenging, due to their social media influence, which means that if a mistake is made or something disappoints, they are shared online instantly. “It’s a discussion that affects us
all – how can we improve, and how can we read clients better?” said Andre van der Marck, managing director of HG Travel Thailand. “I thought the input from Amadeus was really strong, and the report was well-researched.”
Omaia Atrache, dnata Travel “Normally you go to a trade fair and you meet a lot of people, and maybe
50% of them you can actually work with. But I could say that 90% of this Connections group are potential partners that we could take things further with – and a lot of them will walk into our portfolio now.”
Pornthip Noppakoon, Chivitr Health & Rejuvenation “It’s been really interesting for me.
There are so many products and services represented here. The round-table discussions brought an invigorating, diverse range of views!”
Maita Barrenechea, Mai 10
“One of the attractions of Connections is going to interesting
destinations. Spending three days in Phuket is an experience in itself. I think the destination was really well showcased – we changed venues, had a cooking lesson and dined at the Blue Elephant restaurant. It was very well thought-out.”
18 August 2016
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