Indians are no longer buying gold. They are buying experiences. And, as this adage comes true, it has led to the emergence of the new age middle-class jet setting traveller in India.
These are people who are earning well and travelling far and wide. They are redefining luxury travel.
Luxury travel not only means opulence, comfort and a plethora of amazing amenities on offer at a destination, but also a laid back, relaxing and effortless experience with the idea that every aspect will be taken care of beyond your expectations.
It is about having time to enjoy the landscape; an opportunity to luxuriate in culture, to unwind, observe and loose yourself in the place you’re visiting. Interestingly, the current economic climate has deepened the definition, making it much more multi-layered than it once was. It has pushed consumers away from conspicuous consumption towards more authentic, simple and genuine experiences that incorporate elements of environmental awareness and social responsibility.
Of course it will be unfair to say that where you stay and how you experience the destination is not a part of the “luxury”. Some key factors:
Accommodation: Where will you rest after a day’s adventure, be it a safari, a rail ride or along the sand dunes of Jaisalmer, the choices are fabulous.
Customized travel: A private driver and guide allows the traveller the luxury of a custom tour where they can decide whether to spend more time or less at a particular site, and to end the day when they so please.
Private passage: For instance, visiting select rooms within the Forbidden City in Beijing, otherwise prohibited to the public or perhaps an evening with the Maharaja of Jaipur… all interpret as luxury for the evolved travelling Indians.
New-age Indian travellers are evolved and globetrotters. They know what they want and they don’t want cookie-cutter. They want curated, unique experiences with access to people, places and experiences that represent all that is authentic about a destination.
The new definition of luxury is no longer a 6-star hotel with flunkeys and banquets and exquisite spas, but "an experience created for your own personal preferences that combines enrichment, enjoyment and education, with the time to appreciate your surroundings at a price that represents value for money".
Comfort factors still apply and high standards of accommodation and gourmet dining will always feature on the luxury traveller’s wish list. From Jaguar pick ups to private jets flying them off to celebrity hideaways, Indians are wanting it all.
Fabulous resorts in mindboggling locations or extensive selection of luxury villas in the most sought-after places around the world. Luxury travellers are choosing from artfully-restored farmhouse in the Tuscan countryside to a villa in the hills of Chianti with swimming pool, or resorts overlooking the beaches of Juan les Pins.
