Content is king — you hear that all the time; and the message rang loud and clear at this year’s Luxury Travel Advisor Ultra Summit held at Disney World’s Four Seasons Orlando. Content includes not just written words but also photography, video and, most importantly, knowledge. Larry Pimentel, president of Azamara Club Cruises, presented snapshots from a study conducted by Boston Consulting Group that looked at future travel and lifestyle trends for the affluent. Personally, what hit home was that affluent consumers are willing to pay more for the experience than the product. According to an example, cruising the Galapagos is one of the most expensive itineraries in the industry in terms of adventure, not luxury. Consumers will simply pay for the experience of viewing a 300-year-old turtle on a sandy beach. Ultra takeaway: Sell the experience, not the product.
Also brought front and center was the fact that travel advisors need to specialize, rather than sell all types of travel. In the future, advisors specializing in, say, romance or multigenerational travel will pull clients away from you. Ultra takeaway: Specialize, don’t generalize.
Peter Yesawich, of MMGY Global, followed with a deeper dive into the generational travel trends of the future. The good news is that the use of travel advisors is not declining in any generation. Ultra takeaway: You are here to stay.
Layered in were supplier one-to-one meetings, with fully hosted, handpicked curators of travel having conversations and making connections.
The good news for all you travel curators is that Luxury Travel Advisor has authored a white paper that captures all the content from Ultra and will share it throughout the year. Ultra takeaway: Stay tuned.