ILLUSTRATION: IKON IMAGES
Luxury Travel
income — are currently at the helm; younger travelers are making an impact as well. High-earning millennials, many of whom are already well-traveled, are widely viewed as a market that could help safeguard the future of customized luxury travel. “I think boomers are still driving luxury
travel and they’re staying younger and more relevant for longer, but the travel industry needs to be prepared for the millennial traveler,” said Kimberly Wilson Wetty, co- president of Valerie Wilson Travel, an ASTA- member agency in New York City. “T ey form the largest demographic we’ve
ever seen, they love to travel and they’ll be traveling for a long time to come. Research continues to show that they’re a generation that’s willing and wants to use a travel advisor to ensure the best trip possible.”
Know your client No matter their age, the importance of understanding the client’s mindset is paramount when it comes to meeting their high-end, customized travel demands, according to Kennedy. “T ese clients really want someone who
can anticipate their needs — they expect you to suggest things they didn’t know existed,” she said. “Some of our clients want to see things no one else has ever seen or to experience them in an unusual way.” While it’s a challenge Kennedy enjoys,
it does have a healthy share of stressful moments. Because of their experience with high-end service in many diff erent areas, their expectations can be quite high and require nimble responses in order to be met by agents. “Sometimes I sleep with one eye open,
because I know my clients expect 24/7 accessibility,” she said. “If I hear the phone ringing in the middle of the night, I pick it up. If there’s a problem, I have to fi x it.” Also noting that luxury travel requires
more time and eff ort, Wilson Wetty said it’s essential that travel agents make sure that they’re being compensated for going the extra mile, as well as for the often heavy workload involved. “I believe, in many cases, the high-end
luxury client is more demanding than ever,” she said. “But, in some ways, travel advisors created this situation by continuing to provide more and more services, too often with little to no increase in fees. Be sure to examine the time spent per client so you can adapt your fee structure and workfl ow procedures for greater customer service and, of course, profi t.”
ASTAnetwork | Summer 2017 | 51 Key trends
Here are fi ve key trends driving luxury travel in 2017 and beyond, according to studies from Virtuoso and Allied Market Research:
1. Shopping and culinary experiences are the fastest-growing segments, with travelers seeking to acquire local art and handicrafts, and savor local delicacies.
2. Luxury travelers are seeking new or endangered destinations. Cuba — viewed as both an emerging destination and one in danger of losing its distinctive character — tops the list (the Trump administration’s plans for Cuba add further doubt for its future). Interest is also growing in
environmentally fragile destinations such as the Arctic, Antarctica and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
3. Adventure/active travel is the biggest segment at the moment, accounting for 44 percent of overall luxury travel revenue. South Africa is the top adventure travel destination, followed by the Galápagos Islands, Costa Rica, Peru and Iceland.
4. Affl uent travelers with time and money to spare are opting for longer trips, prompting a rising demand for international trips of two weeks or even longer.
5. Exclusive-use travel is very hot right now, whether it’s renting a villa, private island or chartering a yacht.
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