We made it to 2020 and it’s not only a new year, but a new decade. The last 10 years brought about a lot of change for those of us in high-end travel. The concept of luxury became less prescribed and more personal, destinations once considered off the beaten path instead offered coveted stories, time was dubbed the new luxury… and for those of us in the business of offering experiences, Instagram changed it all.
The world is undergoing a significant economic transformation, and as the luxury market continues to grow, there has been a fundamental shift in luxury consumer values. It is a move that prioritizes experiences over goods… in other words, a week in the Maldives is the new Hermès handbag. This is great news for all of us in luxury travel as we play an outsized role in this space. This evolution ladders up to the buzzworthy concept of transformative travel, which I see as travel motivated and defined by a shift in perspective, self-reflection and development, and a deeper communion with nature and culture. While there are many aspects to transformative travel, the one I am focused on and intrigued by for the years ahead, is the idea of purposeful travel. It is giving way to a new breed of traveler, which we have dubbed the new purposeful luxurian. They look at travel as a means to affect personal growth, connect with new people and passions, and affect positive change – all while still delighting in the indulgence of global exploration. In order for us to stay relevant, it means that we need to constantly elevate and evolve our approach to speak to this guest who is more global, skews younger, and has a different idea of what luxury looks like.
