High-end back in style
Luxury travel is making a comeback, according to Karen Weiner Escalera, president and CEO of the KWE Group.
“Concierge floors on ships and in pricey hotels are selling out first, the bar on restaurant purchases has been raised to $30 prix fixes, and a major private jet rental firm reports sales not seen since the mid-1990s,” she said.
“Luxury is well again,” concluded Ms Escalera in a Hotel Online report.
Another indication of the comeback is that the number of Americans traveling overseas for the first five months of this year was up 19% over last year.
She added, however, that luxury has a “new face.”
“It’s not just about ‘things,’ but also wellness – physically, mentally and spiritually,” she said.
There’s also another new category of luxury in the growing number of middle-class Americans who are spending more on high-end products, she said.
She urged travel providers to stress VIP or special services.
KWE Group has spearheaded programs for brand leaders such as Visa USA and ASTA for 26 years.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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