Luxury Travel

Two of Accor's high-end deals have failed to live up to expectations. The big question now is: Can the company fix things?

It's probably good news that the first move Royal Caribbean made after closing its majority stake in Silversea was announcing improvements to its fleet. We'll be curious to see what those upgrades include — and how the experience changes for passengers.

Belize should serve as a case study for conscious luxury development. There will be successes and lessons to watch for in the coming years as the effects of a small group of hoteliers' decisions play out in the local environment and culture.

Booking a seat on a private jet is easier than ever, and there are lots of companies out there thinking more and more people will give it a try. But how low does the price have to go to gain any traction?

Any luxury industry experiencing an uptick in new, affluent young customers has a right to be bullish about growth, but it is a combination of logistics, customer service and branding that will eventually set the winners apart from the other players.

The tiny republic of Palau is striving to become a global leader in ecotourism. In recent years, the government has made moves to ensure the country becomes a pristine paradise for luxury travelers.

As the big hotel companies increase their focus on soft brand collections, it'll become even tougher for collections like Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Relais & Châteaux, and Leading Hotels of the World to compete. Ferret has some stiff competition to battle in the coming years.

It will certainly be interesting to see how Ace approaches both luxury and micro-hotels starting in the next few months.

It's a difficult topic for the travel industry to discuss, especially as experiences get more immersive. But just because it can be uncomfortable doesn't mean we should shy away from confronting it and calling out bad behavior.

Education delivered directly from local communities, and informed by tradition, is what distinguishes immersion from appropriation. It's the job of luxury professionals to facilitate the experience without adding the influence of their own lens.