MARION BARRÈRE HEAD OF CURATION AT MR & MRS SMITH, TRAVEL CLUB AND LUXURY HOTEL SPECIALIST
What are luxury travellers seeking at this time? Travellers are looking to get under the skin of a place, deeper and more meaningful connections with where they’re choosing to spend their time and visit. They are seeking full immersion in nature; true disconnection. We’ve seen an uptick in requests for remote countryside properties, but also our typically off -season mountain- based properties where people can hike (among many other outdoor pursuits) and be in rural surroundings with wild landscapes.
What tours and destinations are popular? We’ve seen a huge surge in demand for road trips across Europe with many travellers choosing to slowly travel through France, sometimes twinning across borders with Italy or Spain. The road trip isn’t typically viewed as something for the luxury traveller, but where infrastructure has improved for electric cars, conscious luxury travellers are framing it in a new, slightly more romantic way. Hours lost at the airport are spent whizzing past the French countryside, a far more idyllic start to any holiday. In the past month, we’ve also seen a return in demand for APAC travel, far-fl ung island trips, particularly in Indonesia. Classic, stylish, cliff -edge hotels overlooking the water such as Six Senses Uluwatu and Amankila are high up on our members’ lists.
LEFT: Hikers make it to the top of a peak in the scenic Tyrolean Alps
Are people approaching trips in a more ‘conscious’ or holistic way? Absolutely, our members are incredibly engaged with travelling more responsibly and have a keen interest in sustainable properties and new concepts. People are also staying longer, really maximising their fl ight and time in a destination, too — I think partly due to more fl exibility in the workplace and that blend of work and leisure, but also a conscious mindset on the number of fl ights taken, too.
ALEX BENTLEY HEAD OF PRODUCT AT AUDLEY TRAVEL, TAILOR-MADE TOUR OPERATOR
What are luxury travellers seeking at this time? The demand for ‘blow-out trips’ to mark a return to travel is strong. They’re looking for the kind of experiences that can’t be found in a guidebook, such as a Caravaggio-inspired one-on-one painting class in Rome or an exclusive dinner experience in Buenos Aires with a professional chef and sommelier right in their private residence.
What specifi cations are they requesting? The wow factor. Instead of booking every night in a luxury hotel, clients are asked to consider a penthouse apartment, a private villa with a butler or exclusive hire of a safari property to truly make the most of their experience.
What tours and destinations are popular? We’re seeing a marked increase in interest in luxury rail with new product including Vietnam’s Vietage train between Danang and Quy Nhon, with semi-private seating areas for clients, three- course gourmet meals, wi-fi and a head and neck massage included. The Rocky Mountaineer in the USA has also expanded its routing and includes a two-day trip from Denver to Moab allowing travellers to enjoy the views through oversized glass-dome windows. They will have breakfast, lunch and drinks served straight to their seats, and overnight hotel accommodation is also included.
What else is infl uencing luxury travel? This year, clients have been coupling a beach stay with cultural touring experiences to allow them to pack all their expectations for travel into one trip, but with fewer countries to pile on to the schedule. However, bookings for 2023 and beyond indicate client confi dence has grown and they’re keen to return to a more complex, exploration-style itinerary.
National Geographic Traveller – Luxury Collection 11
IMAGE: GETTY
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