ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS Lia
ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS Lia Batkin Seth Kaplan In the Know Experiences BORDEAUX HAS BECOME EXTREMELY POPULAR, AS FOOD AND WINE AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS ARE GROWING AS KEY FOCUSES ALWAYS IN THE KNOW Europe seen through the eyes of a top-line US agency Launched in 2007, In the Know Experiences was created by Lia Batkin and Seth Kaplan, after noticing tremendous potential for a travel and lifestyle company that catered to a younger and more savvy demographic. Specialising in luxury travel and lifestyle experiences, the company now caters to celebrities, executives, athletes and people all over the world. We met with the couple after ILTM Cannes and asked what they brought home from the show… Lia Batkin: More than ever there were interesting new products coming out that I haven’t seen before. Companies are putting more thought into what’s going to differentiate them in the luxury market, coming up with unique ideas that set them apart. Seth Kaplan: Luxury is definitely booming. Major hotel brands are launching more hotels, and there are more and more small brands popping up. It seems people are not “steering away” too much from Europe despite the events of the past year or so. Why do you think this resilience is continuing? LB: Fortunately and unfortunately we’re starting become immune to all this. People are starting to realise that they need to get on with their lives, while still being smart and heeding travel warnings. What are the “sweet spots” in Europe at the moment for American travellers? SK: Eastern Europe is becoming popular again and we’re getting a lot of interest for Slovenia. Different parts of Italy, such as Puglia are becoming more popular. People are looking for destinations away from the major cities. Bordeaux has become extremely popular, as food and wine and health and wellness are growing as key focuses. LB: Interestingly, the hotel is often now more of a focus than the destination itself. People are seeking out more modern hotels appealing to a younger demographic. I am also seeing many more people travelling to Europe in the winter than they ever did before. What kinds of tourism are growing the fastest for you in Europe? LB: Health and wellness has always been big, but it’s definitely getting bigger. People are looking at Medi-spas as places to go on vacation rather than just somewhere to go to lose some weight. There are some incredible properties focussing on health and wellness, but also making it an “experience”
Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #33 2017 Winter Edition 19 ILTM Entrance ILTM CANNES 2016 La crème de la crème of the travel industry gather in the city of stars for the not-to-be-missed annual event Exploring the role of travel in the modern luxury landscape, the fifteenth edition of ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) in Cannes was the platform for 5,000 luxury travel influencers to come together to highlight “love as the greatest luxury of the world and travel as the mechanism of that love.” Opening the event on Monday 5 th December, the ILTM Global Forum profiled author and psychologist Andrew Solomon who highlighted the guiding principles and motivations that lead people to travel, citing the fact that travel is not only a language but also a liberation. ILTM Exhibition Director Alison Gilmore addressed the attendees “tongue in cheek”, saying 2016 could “possibly be a year to forget”. She asked a leading question: “Why do we all come back?” – Answering in the same breath: “Because we all love this industry. Many have tried to leave, but it’s in our blood!” Gilmore went on to underline the fact that “Luxury is no longer about money… It’s about anticipating wants and needs of clients.” Indeed, as the new generations arrive into adulthood and bring with them new technology, the luxury travel industry finds itself facing a strange new world. Travellers have become adventurers. Smarter, more demanding and more empowered – brand loyalty has been thrown unceremoniously from the window of a refurbished 1950s Pullman, and in its place, the rise of the antibrand mentality, characterised by an endless desire to find new ways to travel and more meaningful relationships with hosts. Where loyalty points and programmes once ruled the roost, modern affluent consumers are less concerned with rewards, and increasingly focused on independence. Personal growth, a cerebral work out and lasting social impact rank high on the modern affluent traveller’s agenda, and luxury operators are racing to create exceptional experiences that speak to personal passions, help customers explore the things they love more deeply, and provide real-world experience of the global issues we care about.
