David Lowy

David LowyDavid Lowy of Renshaw Travel continues to focus on creating intricately designed itineraries, with details sophisticatedly planned out for clients at the very top end of the luxury market. He shared with us the full details for a two-week journey for two families via private jet that went to Iceland, Montenegro, Croatia and Russia, so robust with destination information and tips, we were personally wowed. (A highlight for Iceland was a directive to “please disregard announcements that the Blue Lagoon closes at 9 p.m., we have special arrangements.”)

“It definitely was a fantasy trip”, says Lowy, whom we profiled in our December 2011 issue.

Lowy and team were pulling in $17 million in annual revenue in 2011, and since then, have seen “steady and significant growth year over year." He credits that with staying “true to our specialty of high-end individual travel. Our main way of growing our business has not changed,” he says. “It is by referral only. The luxury travel advisor profession is still unknown amongst so many potential clients so that when they find us, they are very relieved.”

While the luxury travel advisor prefers to keep the specific details about his clients under wraps, he told us in 2011 that his customers run the gamut from entrepreneurs to high-end professionals and everything in between and that their wealth is such that they weren’t negatively impacted by the dips in the economy.

“You would hear about ‘doom and gloom’ all the time, but the wealthy still had the need to travel and I managed their most precious asset, which is their time,” said Lowy.

December 2011
 
December 2011

He credits his colleagues for the agency’s success and gives a special shout out to Christa Craig, his first-ever hire. “We have an incredible partnership and I am very fortunate to work with Christa every day,” he tells us.

The Renshaw Travel team travels extensively to learn about destinations first hand. The most recent fabulous trip for this Vancouver-based luxury travel advisor, whose agency was Virtuoso’s first Canadian member back in the day, is Laucala Island in Fiji. “Just when I thought I had seen it all, I visited Laucala and realized that it is one of the most incredible places on earth,” Lowy tells Luxury Travel Advisor. “I continue to be drawn to Italy, it has it all, and in my opinion the best part about the country is the wonderful people.” He also just visited Havana in February. “I’m really glad that I saw it before it changes too much more. I have some very interesting observations about how tourism will change the country,” he says, adding that he also “had a phenomenal stay at Claridge’s this past fall. It is one of the oldest hotels in London and is as modern, timeless, and a flawless experience. The service is outstanding and it truly is one of the crossroads of the world. The ‘vibe’ in Claridge’s is second to none.”