Getting the Little Things Right in High-End Travel

Luxury Travel News

The Skift New Luxury column is our weekly column focused on the business of selling luxury travel, the people and companies creating and selling experiences, emerging trends, and the changing consumer habits around the sector.

Not many hotels can justify employing a dedicated upholstery specialist, but as The St. Regis New York’s general manager Senih Geray told Skift, “there’s a lot of fabric” in the building.

“We believe our surroundings and our furnishing are so important to guest satisfaction that we want to take care of it every day,” Geray said.

Little details matter, especially if things look out of place. A frayed edge to a chair or a missing button gives the idea you’re staying at a tired property that’s seen better days — not the kind of impression you’d want to project if you’re a five-star luxury hotel in the middle of Manhattan.

For feedback or news tips, reach out via email at [email protected] or tweet me @paddywhyte.

— Patrick Whyte, Europe Editor

6 Looks at Luxury

Material Matters at The St. Regis: Covering the Job of Hotel Upholsterer: Whether it’s hanging on the walls or blanketing chairs and sofas, fabric plays a starring role at The St. Regis New York. That’s why the hotel employs a full-time upholsterer, who is constantly canvassing the premises to keep material in tip-top shape.

Namibia Lures New Travelers Seeking Desert Solitude: It would be easy to see Namibia’s ascent as a run of great PR, but the country has been playing a long game to attract visitors from around the world. And now there’s both more access and new product to match rising demand from travelers who crave isolation — not to mention social media cred.

Expedition Cruising Is Still Small But Going Mainstream for Travel Advisors: Expedition cruises have come a long way from bunk accommodations on old Russian ships, with a growing fleet of luxury vessels presenting lucrative opportunities for travel advisors. It’s especially so for those looking for unique holiday solutions for their well-heeled customers.

The Paradox of Taxing Travelers for Overtourism: Are destinations taxing visitors because they don’t want them to show up? Actually the conversation around tourism taxes shows that it’s not really fewer visitors that destinations want — it’s more resources and management tools to deal with them properly.

Skift Global Forum Preview: Away’s Jen Rubio Created Cult Luggage by Creating a Community: Jen Rubio didn’t just co-create a luggage brand — she created an online community by understanding the way travel is an aspirational good in the age of social media. Plenty of companies could learn a thing or two.

The Highs and Lows of a Growing Wellness Beverage Market: A new wave of drinks is coming to market — and aiming to supplant predecessors that have less of a wellness edge.

Subscribe

Skift Europe Editor Patrick Whyte [[email protected]] curates the New Luxury newsletter. Skift emails the newsletter every Tuesday.

Sign up for Skift’s New Luxury Newsletter