Luxury Travel & Lifestyle Trends

Kids have become a significant new revenue stream that’s growing with a vengeance. It seems that kids (as with pets) are recession proof and parents are forking out the big bucks on everything from designer clothing and six figure playhouses, to private jet travel to summer camp.

Using the word “luxury” has been a hot topic among marketers. On its own “luxury” has joined other debased words like “gourmet” and “spa” to the extent that some see fit to add a distinguishing modifier such as Haute, Ultra, or even HNW (high net worth) Luxury.

Move over beaches, Berlin is knocking. Berlin has always been a city rich in night life—its vibrant cabaret clubs in the 1920s and 1930s helped inspire an award-winning Broadway play and movie—and the current club scene can trace its roots back to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which left East Berlin littered with empty buildings.

To meet the ever-changing travel desires of consumers with new experiences, we’re seeing ever-fracturing niches in travel So far we’ve seen the likes of religious tourism, beekeeping tourism, graffiti tourism, danger tourism, and grief tourism.

Travel these days can be cumbersome –crowded airports, long lines and rude people, all as airlines are cutting back on amenities for coach travelers. At the same time, airlines are shelling out big bucks to upgrade first-class service experiences – there are new seats with more entertainment options and larger lounges to pamper customers paying top dollar for their flights. These travelers have higher expectations and expect a higher level of personalized service for their sky high fares. In fact, some airplanes and airport lounges are so impressive, rivaling some world class hotels, so much so that you may not want to leave.

Travel marketers take note: A December 2009 MarketingSherpa survey indicates that deals aren’t the top motivation for social media engagement, but users also want deeper engagement – learning about new products, features or services. Sharing interesting content that users care about, alongside the deals and discounts they have come to expect, will keep users engaged and spur them to pass along your marketing messages.

With 300 million tourists annually, religious tourism is the fastest growing tourism niche worldwide, according to the World Tourism Organization.

Anyone working in PR can tell you about the bombardment of invites in their inboxes for seminars, webinars and conferences for social media and SEO training. This indicates a demand for more education on the topic, and according to these results, it’s paying off.

Back in November, we wrote about Loyalty Marketing in Turbulent Times, whereby loyalty programs can be a key differentiator among competition these days, as individuals are taking a closer look at these programs for added value and benefits. Although hotels have also had these programs for years, they recently have had to relax restrictions to keep loyal members on board.

Travelers are more cautious these days and want a summer vacation that’s going to give them the best experience for their hard-earned dollars and vacation time. When we’re all pinching pennies, it’s great to know your price for everything up front (accommodations, meals, and entertainment), with no surprises later. All-inclusive properties also offer the ultimate in relaxation—everything is provided for you, especially attractive in these high-stress times. Cruises and luxury all inclusive resorts have been offering discounts abound, and are thriving despite the economy.