Luxury Travel

As strong as the luxury travel market has been for the past few years, can that success continue? One&Only's COO Philippe Zuber thinks it can, as long as brands don't forget about the essentials of service.

As a growing company with global ambitions and a $3 billion stockpile, Airbnb wants to buy stuff. You can expect that more acquisitions are on the way as Airbnb expects to branch out into related sectors.

... And here comes Airbnb Lux.

Onefinestay's parent company, Accor, and homesharing juggernaut, Airbnb, aren't the only companies interested in the traditional vacation rental market.

Luxury hospitality groups and tour operators are saying that their guests today are craving more simplicity, better wellness options, and a greater convergence of experiences combined together in one place.

We spoke to hoteliers from Viceroy, The Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt, Brandmark Collective, and Pendry Hotels to gain a better perspective into where the luxury hospitality market is headed.

Because the rewards are so big, luxury is always a noisy sector. Accor is smart to give the group its own CEO while it continues to acquire companies and focus on integration.

Marriott is promoting the fact that its eight luxury brands answer to the demands from different segments of luxury travelers, but it needs to make sure consumers understand what makes each brand unique.

In a world that seems in constant flux, luxury travelers are pivoting a bit. They're prioritizing a stronger connection among themselves and with the people they meet, which hotels are attempting to facilitate with travel experiences designed around engaging guests on a more personal level.

With so many brands that fall under the luxury space, this makes sense but we wonder: what will happen to the other 20+ brands? How will Marriott contend with differentiating them, too?