TravMedia’s International Media Marketplace (IMM LUX) took place in London for the first time last week, bringing together luxury travel brands, media and PR professionals at Sofitel London St James. Across two days of panels and one-to-one appointments, National Geographic Traveller (UK)’s editor-at-large, Pat Riddell, learnt how the sector is responding to changing traveller expectations. 

The takeaways were: 

1. The influence of gen alpha:

Gen alpha (those born between 2010 and 2024) are already influencing where people go on holiday, according to Carla Buzasi, CEO of trend forecasting company WGSN. “Seven in 10 parents say the holidays and travel experiences they book are influenced by their children,” Carla said, adding that the internet and social media has changed young people’s relationship with luxury by making it more accessible: “Statistically, from a very early age they get access to products they deem luxurious.” Her advice for travel companies was to consider gen alpha in their marketing strategies. Parents are looking for trips that expose their children to a variety of cultures and experiences, so incorporate the whole family into the itinerary. 

2. Understanding ultra-high-net-worth individuals:

Access rather than excess was a theme throughout several of the sessions that focused on understanding the modern luxury traveller. Edward Hooper, group CEO of LQA Group, explained that what ultra-high-net-worth individuals want is value. “They can pay for anything, but they want to feel it’s worth it,” he commented. Personal connections and less formal service are also becoming more important. What’s more, flexibility is increasingly essential. Kate Thompson, senior vice president of marketing at Abercrombie & Kent, said that cruise guests are often booking four years in advance, reflecting a scarcity of product and experience, and Francesca Swan, chief strategy officer at VistaJet, added “for hard-to-come-by experiences they’ll still book in advance, but for nipping to a villa for a weekend they want to retain flexibility.” 

3. Opportunities in AI:

Although AI is driving 70% of hotel recommendations, luxury travellers still want independent validation from editors, tastemakers and travel agents. They still see AI and LLMs as a filtering tool not an oracle, says Abigail Malbon, global audience development manager at Condé Nast Traveler. “If they want something very specific, say the best safari lodge in South Africa, it filters down to two or three and then they do further research. AI streamlines the research phase, but luxury is still built on trust and taste.” AI is still underexposed in the travel sector and opportunities remain, particularly in storytelling rather than homogenised content, said Tilly Gray, PR & AI director at Mason Rose. “Only 16% of the world’s hotels are currently visible in AI models, so 84% are invisible. The early starters who embrace the change, not fear it, will benefit.”  

4. Defining luxury:

Lucy Cleland, co-founder and editorial director of Country & Town House, used six words: time, rarity, feeling, personal, human and responsibility. Paul Croughton, editor-in-chief of Elite Traveler, simplified it even further: “Ease: reducing every pain point of luxury travel and making the whole experience seamless… And delight. If you can buy anything, do anything, go anywhere, it’s really hard to be surprised.” 

Claire Irvin, head of travel at The Times and The Sunday Times, said that older readers are paying for multigenerational travel and want to share their experiences with family. “The ultimate luxury is to experience all this and share it with the people you love most,” she commented.  

5. Luxury yachting:

Within the buoyant superyacht industry, clients are increasingly seeking experience and personalisation as well as privacy and freedom. Tom Batchelor, vice president, deployment, product and port operations at Scenic Cruises, said guests want to be welcomed personally, for the crew to know them by name, and they want the voyage to feel personal to them. “They also want cultural experiences. They’re well travelled and have been to the main tourist points, so they want something different.” 

On the subject of owning yachts, Rita Luskovic, charter broker at Fraser Yachts London, said that today’s yachts are “floating palaces”, and that’s a big part of why clients stay on board for longer periods. “You’re on your own little private island. Probably 80% of charter time is spent on the yacht. Clients love visiting other destinations, but the yacht becomes a destination, too,” she said.  

Find out more about TravMedia’s IMM Lux here: https://travmedia.com/immluxuk/  

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About APL Media      
APL Media is a multi-award-winning content marketing agency and publisher, creating high-quality print, digital and live media across the travel and lifestyle sectors since 1997. It’s published National Geographic Traveller (UK) under licence from National Geographic Partners LLC since 2010, alongside brand extensions including guides, events and digital platforms. Its portfolio includes Living360, a digital lifestyle brand spanning wellness, travel, food, sustainability and culture.       

APL Media delivers custom content, branded campaigns and editorial consultancy, internship schemes including Step Up and produces leading events such as the Travel Media Awards. It’s also a leading reseller of advertising for national newspapers. Its trade titles include Postcards and the ASTA Worldwide Destination Guide, with content also created for national newspapers. aplmedia.co.uk