And Speaking of... The Journey of Becoming a Luxury-Focused Agency

I am obsessed with the Four Seasons tagline:?Luxury Is My Love Language.

I didn’t always know what luxury meant or what was even possible for a luxury travel experience, but now I have been admittedly spoiled after being immersed in 5-star experiences from our partners.

For this week's newsletter, I felt inspired to share a little part of?Gifted Travel Network 's journey to luxury as a host agency.

Gaining Access to the Luxury Space

One of the first major turning points for GTN entering the luxury space was when we officially joined?Virtuoso Travel ?in January 2019, and could offer luxury travel access for our advisors and their clients.

Joining Virtuoso unlocked an entirely new world of possibilities that has completely changed the trajectory of our business. I would say that this decision and our acceptance is still the most important thing to ever happen to GTN.

The next turning point was when we started getting accepted into hotel elite programs, starting with Hyatt Privé in late 2019. Each program provides a level of access that adds so much value to a luxury travel experience.

We are now part of the following programs:

• Belmond, Bellini Club
• Hilton, Impresario
• IHG, Luxury & Lifestyle
• COUTURE by Langham
• Shangri-La, The Luxury Circle
• Hyatt, Privè
• Marriott, STARS & LUMINOUS
• Jumeirah, Passport to Luxury
• Four Seasons, Preferred Partner
• Rosewood, Elite
• Accor, Step
• SLH, withIN
• Dorchester, Diamond Club

It truly does make a different to be a part of these programs. Advisor?John Rees ?of?J5Travel ?just shared with his colleagues how a recent Rosewood booking yielded an immediate upgrade because of GTN's Rosewood Elite status. Travel advisors booking a Rosewood hotel without the Elite program simply do not get special perks like this.

Another recent example came from advisor?Heather Parker ?of Bliss Travel Experiences. Because GTN is part of Marriot's STARS & LUMINOUS program, Heather recently scored her clients a $700 per night discount at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara, plus complimentary breakfast and additional hotel credit.

Outside of being in several hotel elite programs, another way we build and maintain connections in the luxury travel space is by attending luxury-focused industry shows. Attending events like Virtuoso Travel Week,?ILTM ,?DUCO Travel Summit ,?PROUD Experiences , and?L.E/Miami , that are all specific to luxury hotel companies, has been eye-opening and a total game-changer on our journey.?

Luxury is Personal

Beyond the amenity access, what we’ve learned above all else is that the definition of luxury is subjective and personal.

Advisor?Tammy Murphy ?of?VIP Travel Experience LLC ?recently stayed at?Andronis ?Luxury Suites, a?Forbes Travel Guide ?Star-rated hotel. Since GTN is a Forbes Travel Guide-endorsed agency, Tammy and her clients were greeted by name by the staff throughout their stay and given a memorable rose petal experience in their respective rooms that wowed these seasoned travelers.

This is just one very short example of the high degree of personalization in the luxury space.

In preparation for my upcoming presentation on June 28, titled Elevate Your Travel Business:?How to Transition to Selling Luxury Travel, I asked some of GTN's Top Producers to share their thoughts and experiences on luxury travel.

I loved?Jen Campbell Boles ?of?Explore More Family Travel ’s answer:

"I think my biggest ah-ha in recent years is the definition of luxury. I thought it meant 'fancy,' like white glove service and crystal glasses.

Over the past four years, I have realized it means something else (at least for my business) - Seamless travel with a focus on experiences.

I have realized that relationships are everything in this business, and that is where I add the most value. Budget and moderate properties are selling to the masses and don’t necessarily have the bandwidth to develop relationships with travel advisors. Thus, the more elevated the brand, the more likely I can develop a relationship with them that benefits my clients. That is why our affiliation with Virtuoso, Forbes, and preferred hotel programs is so important."

If you want to learn more about what I shared for this week’s article, join me for my masterclass on June 28 at noon ET. I look forward to sharing this new presentation and inspiring our participants on what is possible for their travel business.

Drop a comment below if you love luxury, and share what luxury means to you!