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Roadtrip Luxury? A New Internet Startup is Counting On It Print E-mail

The word “roadtrip” conjures up images of families piling into the car – stopping at McDonald’s for meals and staying overnight at a Ramada – or camping.

 

But a hot new startup called LeisureLogix sees gold in luxury road trips

LeisureLogix. chosen as hottest new start-up at the recent PhoCusWright e-travel conference, is a well-funded startup that launched with a major partnership with Travelocity. The thinking behind LeisureLogix is that, with 88% of all leisure trips being taken in the car, there was room for a site built around that. The site allows travelers to plan their trips based on their interests and in the way they like to travel (type of vehicles, etc.)

 

Mike Hulley, CEO for LeisureLogix, said there is a luxury roadtrip contingent. He told LT360 recently that, “When we looked at the numbers we decided there was an untapped market place for upscale road trips. We saw that road trips often involve high-end resorts or big cities. Even in natural park areas you will find high-end Bed & Breakfasts – and we have a lot of content around that.”

 

Hulley said that even affluent customers have trouble redeeming their air miles and are happy to avoid airport hassles. And they can use their miles for hotel nights.  In addition, there are newly popular road themes – like recreating the old Route 66.

 

There is even an affluent motorcycle market said Hulley who noted that he was in Winter Park recently where 20,000 motorcyclists arrived for an annual festival. “Every hotel was full,” said Hulley, “because these are doctors and lawyers."
       
Harvey Chipkin

 
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From the Editor

Luxury Branders All - Do Not Run for the Exits. Luxury Lives!

A little quieter, yes. With sensible adjectives like authentic, natural, affordable,  even "simplistic and humble,"  as Jeff Weinstein, Editor of Hotels Magazine puts it. Indeed, he adds, "..opulence may be going on a much needed vacation."

You will notice, however, that important travel brands defining themserlves as "Luxury"-Small Luxury Hotels, Luxury Link, Starwood's Luxury Collection, and Luxury Travel 360, of course---have no intention of changing the name plates on the door.

I, for one, see affluent consumers simply refining the descriptors to reflect what really counts: the best of service, a caring attitude, and the assurance of a level of comfort and mostly quiet ambience that continues to enrich the travel experience. We are, I believe, simply ‘turning down the noise" to a level that suits a less exuberant mood everywhere in the world. When I am told I can get "luxury accommodations for less", that takes nothing away from my feeling of enjoying a special reward.

We may well be moving to a healthier time in travel, where more and more aspiring middle class and mildly affluent people will be sharing experiences of life long dreams that they will live over and over again.

So, as I leave for our annual summer sabbatical-no newsletter issues until September-I am confident that Fall will bring better news and less wringing of hands over the future of the New Luxury-a better place for all.

Hershel Sarbin

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From the Media-Snapshots on Luxury Marketing

Posh has become a four-letter word -- Now What?

The headline said "Guilt trip; Luxury travelers are toning it down, keeping it quiet or canceling vacations to avoid flaunting wealth in hard times".  The story in March 6 USA Today was by Jayne Clark, who ‘carried it off' in splendid style. Here's the saucy essence, followed by the link to the full treatment.

"In a time when posh has become a four-letter word, forget about keeping up with the Joneses. It's more socially expedient to stay down with them. Economic turmoil is giving luxury a bad name, it seems, and not just among the private-jet set, either. The desire to tone down consumption is affecting how some Americans vacation -- or at least how they say they vacation." Much of the anecdotal material in this USA  Today piece comes from travel agents -worth the trip.

Hershel Sarbin

“If a five-star hotel costs the same as a three - star, where’s the high end?”
That's the question put by Joe Sharkey in his NY Times column on January 27. Hey, Read it! The snappy ‘headers' are "What Price Luxury?" followed by " As Rates Drop, Fancy Hotels Fear Losing Air of Exclusivity, "and all the rest is right up to Sharkey's usual high standards. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/business/27hotels.html?scp=1&sq=Joe%20Sharkey-What%20Price%20Luxury?&st=cse
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