As French people look to trim their budgets and spend more free time on home turf, hotels are launching new concepts to cater to these staycationers. So what do they look for in a hotel? How can Gen Y’s expectations be met? And is there a French way of living that can be applied to hospitality?

Once staunchly anti-social, with working-class roots, tattoos are experiencing a renaissance. A new collaboration between Swiss watchmaker Hublot and tattooist Maxime Buchi is the latest in counter-culture luxe, demonstrating that distinctions between high and low culture have all but disappeared.

Airports account for 6% of global luxury spending, and as the number of passengers from both emerging and mature markets increases, the amount of money splashed out by jet-setters is expected to boom. So, how can brands capture the hearts – and wallets – of luxury travellers?

High-end hospitality and retail are natural bedfellows, with expensive boutiques a fixture in many a fancy lobby. But there’s been a surge in partnerships that see fashion houses and hoteliers collaborate for retail experiences that enable a brand to immerse prospective customers in their world.