You didn’t have to attend Luxury Travel Advisor’s ULTRA Summit at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona in late June to know that the air travel system is being pushed to its limits—but if you were in attendance, you would have participated in several sessions where the topic came up again and again.
Advisors spoke about how flying—the first and last thing your clients do when traveling—can leave a bitter taste in their mouth, potentially souring an otherwise wonderful trip. So, what is there to do about it?
Some advisors spoke about booking VIP meet-and-greet services at airports, while others noted the various private suites available at airports to make use of (and others still suggested flying private).
Considering the numerous planned strikes in Europe over the summer, as well as the continued lack of pilots and aircraft—not to mention that, according to MMGY Travel Intelligence’s latest “Portrait of American Travelers” study, nearly half of all U.S. adults are planning to travel this summer—it’s possible your clients will experience some level of disruption while they travel.
(In other good news for the industry, Allianz Partners USA found that as travel and confidence have rebounded in recent years, the average number of nights spent away has been steadily creeping up and now sits at 4.5 versus 4.3 (2022) and 4.1 (2021). In addition, the average cost per night also is on the rise. In a reversal from 2022, those committing to three, four or five nights away have displayed solid growth year-over-year with average nightly spend jumping nearly $100 compared to last year (up as much as 30 percent) at $418, $422 and $445, respectively.)
To determine the “best airports in the world,” Cabin Crew HQ curated a list that factored in the fewest delays, most economical parking prices, drop-off costs, and availability of choices in restaurants and shops, while also considering total passenger volume. Coming in at No. 1 was Tokyo International Haneda Airport. As for why? It has an impressive on-time flight average of 88.4 percent and the highest number of restaurants and shops among the top 10 airports.
That said, six airports in the United States made the list.
In addition, Air Canada this week opened a Maple Leaf Lounge at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the airline’s 28th lounge worldwide and its third in the U.S. The 165-seat lounge, located in Terminal 2, spans 8,168 square feet. Beyond its outdoor terrace and two vapor fireplaces, the lounge offers E-Gates and biometric identification for seamless, hands-free lounge entry, showers with heated towel racks and a VIP room for up to 10 people.
On the East Coast, Lufthansa's Airbus A380 returned to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on earlier this month. With its return to JFK, Lufthansa’s A380 sharply increases capacity this summer season to/from the New York market. With this flight, Lufthansa expands its premium offering at its Munich hub, especially with additional seats in Business and First Class.
In addition to New York, Lufthansa also introduced its A380 service to Boston Logan on June 1 and will resume flights to Los Angeles International Airport in the upcoming winter season.
Florida Hotel Updates
South Seas Island Resort, located on Captiva Island along Florida’s Gulf Coast, is celebrating the first phase of reopening following Hurricane Ian in September 2022. It is undergoing a rebuilding process slated to continue into 2024. Currently, more than a dozen refurbished accommodations of varying types, including beach villas and beach homes, are available for booking. By late summer, the resort will have more than 50 accommodations available with the addition of marina villas, beach villas and tennis villas.
The Yacht Club Marina is also open and offers short- and long-term dockage. The Bayview Fishing Pier is currently being rebuilt and will be reopening soon. By mid-November, the resort will open the new, 12-hole, Beau Welling-redesigned golf course; around the same time, South Seas Bayview will open with three family-friendly pools, complete with water slides and chaise lounges, private cabanas and more.
A bit further north on the same coast, Mainsail Lodging & Development announced the July 18 opening of Mello on the Beach, a modern beachfront retreat on Anna Maria Island. Located directly on the island’s Manatee Beach, the resort offers 11 one-, two- and three-bedroom vacation rental units.
Property amenities include a pool area, communal BBQ grills and a fire pit, a lawn with private beach access and room for games, and Mello bike rentals to explore the island. Units are complete with a full kitchen, outdoor dining, a washer and dryer, and more.
Technology and the Travel Advisor
Voyagu, an AI-powered travel management platform and marketplace that connects travelers with travel experts, found via recent research that travel advisors and specialized operators perceive technology as a potential catalyst that can both boost their revenues and make their operations more efficient.
Despite the proliferation of online travel agencies (OTAs) and their ability to scale their tech features, the type of customers that seek to save costs via OTAs and the type of customers that look for the services of a specialized travel advisor are very different—and, therefore, tech advancement in this regard will likely have little effect on travel agencies. To that end, 53 percent of advisors believe that integrating technology-based solutions to manage new client relationships and travel inventory is positive for the industry, as it helps to streamline the booking process and to make better decisions in real-time.
The survey also found that:
- There is a higher demand for personalized services and, overall, the travel market is expected to grow.
- Strong relationships with clients and a solid reputation boost the effectiveness of word-of-mouth marketing through referrals.
- Travel advisors can expect more opportunities to increase their earnings from the latest trends, such as niche markets, blended travel and micro trips.
A Moment of Your Time
Travel Agent has launched the first iteration of its quarterly "Travel Trends & Advisor Insight Survey." We will use these quarterly surveys to learn more about the current state of the travel industry, as well as your business. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey; following its conclusion, we will publish the findings here, so you will gain insight into the larger travel ecosystem and your colleague's businesses.
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