#Trending This Week - The Rise of Tailor-Made Vacations, Amazon's Role In Travel, A Fashionable Spin On Hotels, And Cruise Ships Overnight In Port
Issue 156 • September 5, 2023
We hope you had a fabulous Labor Day Weekend. To ease yourself back into the work week — and the crush to the end of the year — here are the latest trends going on in travel and hospitality. Virtuoso’s Travel Week included a recap of the latest trends including the growing demand for tailor-made travel. If it’s exclusive, private, and curated just for the guest, luxury consumers are all in. A lot of people have been wondering if Amazon is going to enter the travel space. Well guess what? They already have — just not in the way you were expecting. The fashion industry has always been enamored with hotels, and now they are seeking ever more clever ways to work together. And there’s a big change afoot in the cruise industy as ships begin spending the night in port to enable passengers to experience a destination after dark. Check it all out in our three-minute read below.
Tailor-Made Travel Is In High Demand
Virtuoso’s recent Travel Week saw the release of its latest trend report. Amongst other topics, one of the key findings was the continued demand for exclusive-use experiences, such as private aviation and yachting along with itineraries that incorporate next-level stimulation and engagement (think scientific expeditions in Antarctica). Read more on Travel Daily Media here.
Amazon’s Foothold In The Travel Industry
Many people wonder if Amazon is going to enter the travel industry. Surprise! They are already in it, but not in the way you think. The company has a growing behind-the-scenes role in travel, mostly through Amazon Web Services, a subsidiary that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and applications on a pay-as-you-go basis. Amazon is actually revamping the old legacy technology running on mainframes and helping everyone from airlines, OTAs, and even well-known travel guidebooks manage their data better to deliver a far superior product and service to the consumer. Read more in PhocusWire here.
Fashion Is Getting In Bed With Hospitality
Fashion and hospitality companies are increasingly finding new ways to leverage the guest experience by aligning with like-minded brands. Think a New York City hotel providing guests with a choice of 24 sunglass styles to shade them while lounging at the pool (they can also take them home and have the charge added to their bill) or an international hotel company collaborating on a line of silk scarves and clothing accessories featuring member hotels in Italy. Read more in Media Post here.
Cruise Ships Are Now Staying Overnight In Ports
Big changes are happening in the cruising industry to help passengers spend more time getting to know each destination. Traditionally most cruise ships only spent a half day or day in a port, setting sail by cocktail hour to maximize the time passengers spend at onboard restaurants and bars. But now passengers are requesting overnights to enable time to experience the local culture at night and cruise lines are abiding. Read more in Condé Nast Traveler here.