The Lure of the Luxury Road Trip

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.

Taking a road trip across the United States remains a right of passage for plenty of international tourists.

Of course, there are plenty of ways to travel: You can do it by picking up an old rust bucket, slap Born to Run on the stereo, and head off into the sunset, or you might want to opt for something a little more refined.

There are now a number of companies offering people the chance to head out on the highway and look for adventure in a more refined way.

It's not a total surprise that the likes of Black Tomato and All Roads North have figured out there's market for this kind of thing. As we keep telling you, luxury has changed. The American road trip is one of the most quintessential travel experiences out there and a new generation of high-end tourists is happy to pay for it.

For feedback or news tips, reach out via email at pw@skift.com or tweet me @paddywhyte.

— Patrick Whyte, Europe Editor

5 Looks at Luxury

Tours and Hotels Look for Innovative Ways to Cater to Luxury and Budget Road Trippers: While most American road trips are DIY, created piecemeal on a budget, the luxury set has options and smart travel brands know who to target.

Meet the Stealth Inspectors Who Ensure Luxe Stays in Luxury Hotels: We don't already see it, but there is a complicated ecosystem to secretly assess and uphold standards at the world's best hotels. And some of the details reveal a lot about how important the human factor and emotional intelligence are to the future of luxury hospitality.

China Aims to Attract More Luxury Travelers to Hainan: Chinese luxury travelers are making a mark on resort destinations around the world. But China itself is not largely considered a luxury resort destination for inbound travelers. The Chinese government is looking to change that equation.

U.S. Intends to Loosen Rules for Supersonic Jet Travel: Boom! Supersonic flights just got one step closer to becoming a reality again, thanks to news that U.S. regulations about them are coming up for review with an intent to loosen them.

Private Islands Are Oasis for Luxury Travelers in an Over-Connected World: Renting out private islands isn't something that just started happening, but in a world where it's harder to unplug, having an island to yourself at least gives the illusion of seclusion.