How can you create a luxury travel experience that stands out?

Just because a luxury traveller has a larger than average travel budget it doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate value. I like to dive deep into a personality and really play “travel Realtor”. Just as one would when house hunting I need to build a picture so I can tell the story. Find the little things that will speak to the traveller personally. I once asked this to a potential Destination wedding couple. Their answer was that they had never travelled before, and so had no idea what they were looking for. To create a picture of what I felt would be the perfect destination for them I needed to dig deeper into lifestyle . What do they do on the weekends? Where do they eat out? What do they watch on TV?Create the story / make the memories.

When you book a rewarding holiday experience, choose places that champion ecological and sustainable practices. This way you contribute to the reduction of global warming while enjoying life.

It is to know your customer's wants and needs. It is to act with your heart and mind. The last is to ensure the fulfilment of the customer's dream.

I like to create an experience that helps break the disconnect between people and place. It has to lift the lid on our history and heritage and identify the things in our culture that make us unique.I like to create an emotional bond, a moment in time, something that triggers the memory of how the experience made you feel. Whether that’s a sunset picnic on the Giants Causeway, a visit to the old fisherman’s cottage at Carrick-a-Rede or a historical walk back through time at Dunluce Castle the location is only part of the experience. It only comes alive when you tell the stories the way our ancestors have told them for generations. Pay homage to your past, impact in the present and evolve into the future, above all keep it simple.

Knowing the WHY before the holiday is the key to a more meaningful and wholesome luxury experience...once you know the WHY, automatically the HOW, WHERE, WHEN will fall in place..many a times as a luxury advisor we have to inform the client that what looks good or luxury on social media is not necessarily what will suit you or you may not fit in well in that luxury getup because of the cultural difference, living lifestyle, food habit etc...luxury should not force you to change just so that you fit into a particular situation...so knowing your WHY is extremely critical and important

Luxury travel offers uniquely tailored itineraries offering private experiences that are highly flexible and custom designed to suit the client’s preferences eg a private performance, back to nature experiences, gastronomic tours, a secluded island picnic - bespoke tourism experiences! They offer the best of experiential and transformative tourism experiences that engage, entertain and educate the traveler in individualized experiences that provide a life changing experience !

Foremost, luxury is very personal, everyone has a different, distinct and a diverse understanding of what luxury means to them and how they define their luxury. For some it can be clean, crisp breathable air and green surroundings, for some gold plated taps and handles and opulent interiors, for some the personal attention - therefore luxury is not a one size fits all approach. Each client has to be treated differently based on your assessment of how they define luxury and to build experiences around their aspirations. Luxury is also the hands on approach to crafting each itinerary individually and mounding each and every experiences around this. Luxury is also hand holding the guests from arrival to departure and exceeding expectations.

I will start by thoroughly understanding their unique tastes and specifications. This will allow me to handpick every element of their itinerary to ensure a personalized and exclusive experience. Firstly, I will consider private air options to provide a seamless and luxurious journey to their destination. For accommodation, I will carefully select luxury hotels or private villas that align with their preferences. Transportation, I will arrange for private car services or, if preferred, exclusive helicopter or yacht transfers for a touch of extravagance. Activities, I will incorporate unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences such as private guided tours of local hidden gems, exclusive wine tastings at vineyards, access to cultural landmarks.

Luxury travel must be customized always including the special attraction, and keeping in mind as it is for leisure so it shouldn't be very hectic or spontaneous. Customer must feel the privileged, time management will play an important role, there might be an open window or provision for some changes should be kept open.

Hiring a travel agent that specializes in the location you want to visit is crucial especially for the luxury clientele. As Luxury Agents, in addition to creating bespoke itineraries for clients, we’re constantly building relationships with suppliers. We vet our suppliers to make sure the services they offer are inline with our clients needs and expectations. We do the background work so all you have to do is enjoy your adventure.

Options for different tastes are often available, and travellers tend to chose the unique experience that they do not have at home. But the really unique aspect that never exists at home is the culture of the visited country or city. Autenticity, local heritage, local traditions can only be fully experienced locally. Focus on this and the success is certain.

You should start to very careful select your travel itinerary. Whilst some might need a 5star all inclusive resort in the UAE for others, luxury might be a remote small place where nature, service, authenticity of the surrounding and local food are unique. Look out first for your personal preference and check carefully out places and locations.

"Special" is a huge word and every individual defines it differently. For some, a luxury hotel will be special to stay in, for others a quiet cottage in nature is the ultimate definition of "special". Again, listen to your heart and soul. There are endless possibilities to add some extra spark to a travel experience. And not everything has to be planned ahead. No pressure. Go with the flow, sometimes during traveling you connect with interesting people and they tell you about a special experience they had. Being at a travel destination also gives you a better feeling for locals and the culture and about country-specific "specials".

Our business caters for a very niche market. That doesn’t mean that everyone spends large amounts of money (although some do) but rather that they invest generous amounts of things that are precious to them. Fly fishing is an art which offers the participant the opportunity to continually add to the collective experience. Luxury may entail a high end fly fishing lodge but it can also be the privilege of standing in a crystal clear stream high up in the mountain with only a guide and your loved one with you. My recommendation for a luxury experience is too much the passions of your clients with your expert knowledge that will meaningfully add valid to their lives and the price tag suddenly does not become important.

Creating that special itinerary with a specific and memorable activity gives the travelers a timeless memory and never ending nostalgia about that event that specially tailor for them.

Find out about your client. What are their needs and what can you do to elevate their experience. Personalization is always key, and listening to your guests needs, and then exceeding what they expect! In addition to the surprise and delight elements, some other ways to make an impact cost nothing! Remember your guests name, what they like, etc. so can connect and understand them, to help execute a perfect trip.

Introducing surprises can enhance the client experience, but conduct client profiling beforehand. Share anecdotes of past surprises with them indirectly, gauging their reactions to tailor surprises that align with their preferences without direct discussions.

Adding surprises breaks the monotony of usually pre-planned itineraries and post the first surprise, the excitement increases for further surprises making it something that would stay in your memories for longer than usual.

It is always better plan to offer unexpected adventures and activities that luxury travelers may not have considered, such as personalized cultural experiences, exclusive access to local events or unique excursions that showcase the beauty of the destination. By embracing surprises as key components,? creates unforgettable moments and exceeding the travelers expectations at every turn.

Room upgrades or in-room gifts, spa experiences, special dinners are simple ways to surprise yourself. As a travel advisor, I always try to find out what interests the client/traveler. If they're really into wine, I might have a nice bottle waiting for them on arrival. Or if it's destination specific, I might do something like an Aran throw in Ireland or a tartan throw in Scotland. Something they can keep as a reminder of a wonderful trip is always a nice touch.

Choosing a DM & Guide with expertise selecting eateries, wineries, premium and excellent unknown wine, and surprisingly enriching experiences, without making you feel rushed, is vital for a luxury wine & gastronomy travel experience. The human factor is key— being able to handle what goes wrong, sharing passion for F&B, a broad background and good humour make hosting diverse groups easier. Pre-trip video contact can help clients customise and confirm they have an entertaining, not boring host. Sustainability, isn’t just about using trains, eating & drinking local in less populated areas; on a personal level it suggests heavier meals at lunch, earlier, lighter dinners, and incorporating some scenic walking or trekking to limit weight gain.

After years of participating to press events or product launches, I have learned the comfort of havingva professional to document the happening. Being able to fully enjoy the experience while a photographer creates a portrait story of the day is a real luxury. They often also offer a basic social media management service as an additional extra.

Authenticity and craft products can enable greater depth for the producer and benefits for the consumer. This links to the research I am undertaking investigating food and drink producers in North East Scotland and the drivers of hand crafted and underpinning provenance for the products they produce. This passion and enthusiasm delivers products that are authentic but also a luxury experience that is memorable in a way that only food and drink in a particular place can do.

Sharing your memories of your luxury travel experience in a scrapbook or slideshow with friends and family is rewarding. You're showcasing what made it memorable and extraordinary. I prefer to make scrapbooks as they serve the immediate purpose of sharing it with others, but I can look through it whenever I choose to relive the experience. No one ever wants to see your travel photos on a phone or small digital device. Capture the magic of your travel experience and share it with others.

Si estás teniendo lo que consideras un viaje extraordinario considero fundamental no solo retratar lo que estas observando sino también lo que estás viviendo y sintiendo. Eso se puede hacer de diversas maneras, ya sea retratandote como backstage, pintando, o escribiendo lo que vivis. También puede ser grabando una nota de voz o hacerte un video registrando el brillo de tus ojos y tu relato describiendo algún momento especial. Con el paso del tiempo, volver a ver eso, te llevará más facilmente al momento exacto de lo que sentiste, ya que la memoria a veces nos modifica lo vivido, pero el registro lo vuelve a poner en su lugar.

Before booking, ask yourself the question of what will happen if everything on your trip doesn't go to plan? Having a professional and experienced travel advisor on your side is perhaps the greatest luxury travel item of all, and that's before we even speak about their knowledge and expertise.

The funny thing is that, until now, there hasn't been any scientific approach to luxury. What is luxury? This is a simple question, and every travel professional has their own interpretation of it. Today, all hotels can call themselves luxury; all DMCs can call themselves luxury. And there isn't any metric according to which you can check if a hotel, DMC, transportation company, or concierge service is truly luxury. I strongly recommend that everyone, before talking about luxury travel, read this book: 'Luxury Tourism: Market Trends, Changing Paradigms, and Best Practices' by Roland Conrady, David Ruetz, and Marc Aeberhard.

Luxury is simply about creating unique experiences that guests are willing to pay more for. Building, F F&E, etc can make a great product but experiences are what create luxury.

I'm surprised that 'authenticity' was not highlighted as a key part of creating a luxury travel experience. The typology of authenticity and 'why' people travel vary widely, but beyond mere objective authenticity (or authenticity as knowledge), constructive authenticity and existential authenticity (or authenticity as feelings) are important for tourists to develop connections and feelings to certain places, businesses, or people. In the day and age where almost everything can be commodified, learning about different types of authenticity and how to create authentic experience will create a difference in luxury tourism market

I think the greatest luxury is to experience authenticity. Getting close with actual communities through experiences. Learning of the history and life of the destination, making an impact to local small businesses while forever changing the life of the traveler. The greatest luxury is to experience the world as it is... Of course, with nice accommodation, but the accommodation is not the focus, the experience is.