Luxury travellers want more than just visits to the usual hot-spots – they’re seeking bespoke experiences that can’t be replicated by anyone else. The Luminary Experiences is one brand looking to meet this need by matching travellers with celebrity ‘guides’ in destinations around the world. We explore the insights behind this shift and why HNWIs want more from luxury travel.
Officially launched in January 2020, The Luminary Experiences aims to give customers 'next-level personalised travel'. It offers seven four-to-seven day ‘tailored trips with the notable,’ limited to 10-20 guests at a time. The intimate experiences are tailored to give people quality access to their featured celebrity host or 'luminary'. Trips include exploring Paris and Normandy with historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin, Milan with model and actor Jeffrey Bowyer Chapman, and Iceland with Game of Thrones actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.
“Our ultimate vision is to connect people to some of the biggest names in today’s cultural arena through shared interests, while providing new and thrilling experiences that money alone cannot buy,” says Eric Grayson, co-founder of The Luminary Experiences.
The luxury travel industry, worth $831 billion USD in 2019, is growing at an even faster pace than overall tourism. But sun loungers and piña coladas are no longer enough to satisfy HNWI travellers. With experiences now more sought after than goods, these high-end travellers are looking to flash their cash with ultra-tailored, once-in-a-lifetime trips.
As a result, more brands are upping the stakes with trips that prioritise culture and knowledge as well as rest and relaxation – SuRI, for example, is a superyacht that takes passengers deep-sea diving in a private submarine, and Off the Map Travel invites people to see the Northern Lights from the vantage point of a hot air balloon.
For luxury travellers, this is all about going above and beyond the typical bucket list. “They are investing in their memories and want to feed their passions when they travel, including art and design, food, adventure, and history,” says brand strategist Jen Barr.
Isabel Evans is a junior behavioural analyst at Canvas8. Fascinated by how and why people do things, she has an MSc in cognitive and decision sciences from UCL. You can often find her drinking endless coffees, running around Regent’s Park, or delving into a book.
