At its recent Luxury Product Showcase on the Gold Coast, Luxury Travel Collection hosted a panel session for luxury travel advisors to address the changing profile of luxury travellers and what that means for advisors.
During its recent 2024 Luxury Product Showcase, the first Luxury Travel Collection event hosted on the Gold Coast, a special panel session took place to examine the changing profile of the luxury traveller and the implications for luxury travel advisors.
The Luxury Travel Collection says that luxury travellers are now younger, and more digitally savvy and responsive than ever before.
Luxury advisors need to be aware of key trends, with the ability to respond to changing expectations.
The panel session was attended by more than 200 luxury advisors. The speaking panel was moderated by Anna Burgdorf, Brand & Marketing Director of the Luxury Travel Collection. Joining Anna was Anna Thairs, Trend Forecaster & Group Strategy Director TBWA Agency; Wendie Lee, Global Chief Technology Product Officer for the Luxury Travel Collection; and Ricky Morelli, Digital Media Lead for BCM Agency.
In Anna Thair’s role, she examines where trends are currently, where they are heading, and then builds marketing strategies for international travel brands. Anna’s session focused on ‘Trends in luxury travel types and themes – what do we need to be focused on?’
Wendie Lee is responsible for the strategy and technology ecosystem of the Luxury Travel Collection, including delivery of a seamless client experience and increasing productivity through technology solutions. Her session was centred around research into luxury travel clients and the opportunities that lay ahead, and what role tech can play.
Ricky Morelli is an expert in identifying the best ways to locate luxury clients in the digital world and channelling marketing strategies to the right audiences. At the session, he discussed how to reach luxury travellers via digital channels.
The sessions revealed the need to integrate technology to the experience as a key priority – for both the client and the advisor – to simplify processes and to embrace new tools that support productivity and seamless communication.
“We know our clients want personalised communication and inspiration that suits their tastes and desires, delivered directly from the travel advisor they trust,” said Anna Burgdorf.
About the Luxury Product Showcase
LTC’s Luxury Product Showcase took part during the annual Luxury Travel & Cruise event, where more than 500 consumers came through the doors of the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre on Sunday 25 February. The inaugural Luxury Travel & Cruise Event was hosted in Sydney in April 2023.
Several consumer visitors made on-the-spot bookings, taking advantage of value-added benefits and special offers running on the day.
More than 30 QLD-based travel advisors, including experts from the Travel Associates brand and new member brand, Travel Experts, spent the day with consumers, providing advice, insight and expert recommendations to clients as part of the experience.
Attendees were met at the door with a glass of champagne and guided to meet directly with suppliers, depending on their travel desires, or were invited to peruse the entire selection of 40-plus luxury travel brands at the event.
Two 80-seat cinemas ran throughout the day providing additional insights into the exclusive product offerings of around 15 brand partners.
The group reports that more than $1.5 million in bookings were made on the day, with many more holidays expected to be booked subsequently.
For more information, visit luxurytravelcollection.co