Democratization - The Next Big Thing in Luxury Marketing?
In an age when terms like “massclusivity” and “democratization of luxury”: are tossed around, is it possible to run a luxury travel event with 3500 delegates visiting representatives from a broad stratum of exhibitors?
The folks at Questex give it a solid shot each year in Las Vegas with their ever-expanding Luxury Travel Expo. This year saw another sprawling show – bookended by the conference of the education-oriented Luxury Travel Institute aimed at highly trained professional travel agents – and the Signature Travel conference, for member agents of that group of upscale-oriented travel agents.
Bottom line: In one week, roughly 10,000 travel agents traipsed through meeting rooms, auditoriums and trade shows in Vegas, connecting with suppliers -- much of it in the name of luxury, a category which most agents see as the best bet for revenue growth
What's really happening here? Is the luxury niche simply becoming
un-niched ? Are middle class travelers, reaching for a luxury travel
experience, able to find affordable luxury by selecting specific
premium elements in hotel stays, or in fine dining, that are
luxuriantly memorable?
Has technology made on-demand luxury with pay-as-you-go pricing the next new thing in business and leisure travel?
And now, on to Illuminating Luxury Tastings that caught our attention in recent weeks
Ipsos Mendelsohn and American Express Publishing-Harrison Group OfferFreshInsight on Consumer Behavior in 2010
According to new studies from two blue-chip research sources, Ipsos Mendelsohn and American Express Publishing - the affluent are not only ready to travel -- they are frequently going to spend more on it. While the Ipsos study focused on intent and American Express Publishing on mindset, they both point to a surge in affluents taking to the road (Amex sees an increase of 6 to 8% in spending on all luxury categories).Interestingly, both studies agree on a positive attitude despite lingering concerns about the economy. Here's a look at the highlights of both 2010 studies.
LuxuryTravel 360 has long looked to the affluent as a burgeoning market in business and leisure travel, fueling growth in more affordable, common sense luxury - less glitz and glamour, but ready to pay extra for memorable family experiences and genuine local culture.
Issues & Insights 
