Luxury Travel

Upon hearing the names Laguna Niguel and Newport Beach, do you start itching to experience the luxe life in Southern California? Probably so. On the other hand, unless you are from Orange County, the name Dana Point conjures ... well, not much. But a recently formed DMO is looking to put Dana Point on the OC's luxury travel map.

Mixing business with friendship can be a risky thing but it sounds like the prospective new owners of Abercrombie & Kent share the same views on luxury travel.

The richer you are, the more cash you have to spend on travel and tourism, presumably. Keeping up to date with where these high-net-worth individuals live is key for anyone hoping to make money from them.

As luxury brands look to expand their global reach, they would be wise to look into markets where the almost-rich and the rich are getting richer. A new report maps out where wealth is scaling quickly.

This week in hospitality, Caesars responds to changing consumer demand, a report finds that direct booking keeps customers in loyalty programs, and a "glamping" startup raises $115 million.

It makes sense for hotels to step up their cultural programming, and for a certain high-end guest, it will provide an extra incentive to book.

Virtuoso is a you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours kind of business. The luxury travel network has some good programs to help member agencies, and that increases engagement with Virtuoso. It also provides learnings on how to keep refining the company.

Luxury is no longer defined by pristine interiors and personalized service but limited knowledge-based access, distinct cultural experiences, and curated, specific references. Luxury hotels opening the doors to those experiences set themselves apart for future generations of affluent travelers.

Despite what the name might suggest, premium mediocre isn’t necessarily something bad. It’s just that after a while consumers are going to cotton on to the fact that simply adding avocado to every meal doesn’t always make it more luxurious.

Luxury brands are gradually realizing the power of experiences and this is leading them to buy or partner with traditional travel and hospitality companies. Expect this trend to continue in 2019.