WITH the face of luxury travel changing across Asia-Pacific, the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia 2012 taking place from June 4 to 7 in Shanghai will open doors to four days of education and luxury travel insight. TTN speaks to Alison Gilmore, exhibition director, ILTM Asia, who highlights on travel preferences of the affluent Asian traveller.
Who are today’s luxury travellers’ seeking high-end travel? What source markets do they represent?
China and India are the key growth regions within Asia and experts predict 100 million outbound travellers from mainland China and 50 million from India in 2020. South Korea and Taiwan are also notable in terms of predicted growth in outbound travel. A new trend is that more and more young Asian’s in their 20s and 30s are amongst luxury travellers.
Luxury travel has evolved over the years from just posh hotels to new and unique experiences. What lies ahead?
Luxury travel today takes many shapes and forms and can be found in all four corners of the world. From off-the-beaten-track adventures to gastronomic trips and responsible environmental projects involving local communities, the choice is increasing and exciting. Visiting an emerging destination such as Myanmar or Cambodia is a priority for many, as is cruising down the Amazon and engaging with nature as well as local life. Family luxury and wellness experiences are also growing trends.
What are the key highlights at ILTM 2012?
ILTM Asia is essential for any elite travel suppliers wishing to increase luxury travel business from across the diverse regions of the Asia Pacific.
The ILTM Asia Opening Forum supported by Condé Nast Traveller on Monday June 4, will set the scene by welcoming leading figures from the industry to define emerging trends, explore specific regional needs and hear from a legend in their midst.
Various subjects including ‘Why a changing luxury traveller demands change: Fostering entrepreneurship to address multicultural needs’ will be discussed by luxury travel professionals at this year’s opening forum event.
Ho Kwon Ping – founder of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts – will take part in a live interview on stage with Klara Glowzewska, editor-in-chief of Condé Nast Traveller US. Ho Kwon Ping will discuss the village life that inspired him to reinvent the idea of the luxury resort, as well as his life experiences as a journalist and a prisoner in a Singapore jail before founding Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in 1994.
The ILTM Asia Opening Forum will also include a presentation of exclusive research undertaken by leading consultancy for trend forecasting, brand strategy and consumer insight, The Future Laboratory, entitled: ‘Luxury Travel Futures: A global snapshot of new and emerging trends in the Asian luxury travel market.
ILTM Asia 2012 will also host the second in a series of valuable educational programmes to assist buyers and exhibitors in understanding ‘What motivates the Indian traveller’; ‘The spending habits of travellers from Greater China’; ‘Luxury travel: bringing families together’; ‘Social media case studies for luxury travel’; ‘The many faces of ‘green’ travel’ and ‘How lifestyle can enhance luxury travel’.
Has there been an increase in exhibitor participation this year?
This year’s ILTM Asia will welcome approximately 420 hand-selected buyers from the Asia Pacific to meet with the same number of invited exhibitors. This is an increase from those attending ILTM Asia 2011 – ILTM only accepts new exhibitors once we have accredited new and even higher quality buyers.
This year we will welcome not just leading brands in luxury travel but also some new and very exciting independent new suppliers to the market such as a boutique hotel and museum in Naoshima on the Japanese inland sea; Camperio House – an historic 15 apartment treasure in the heart of Milan and Gayana Eco Resort with its own on-site Marine Ecology Research Centre.
Is there much participation from the Middle East?
Although ILTM Asia is not the event for buyers of luxury travel from the Middle East, Dubai has a large presence at this year’s show as does Jumeriah Hotels & Resorts; new regional companies include The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah and Aerospace Tourism.
What kind of such unique experiences will be showcased at this year’s edition of ILTM Asia?
Last December at ILTM in Cannes, France, we saw the introduction of many new and exciting luxury travel destinations for the luxury traveller to look out for.
These experiences included a five-star eco-lodge on the banks of a volcano in The Galapagos Islands, luxury wine tourism in France and ‘glamping’ on a glacier in New Zealand.
Continuing to define the future for luxury travel, ILTM Asia will profile river cruises on the Zambezi in South Africa, private beach resorts in Zanzibar and Sri Lanka, luxury ice-breaker exploration voyages to the North Pole and dog-sledging and ice-walking in Japan.
How can classical luxury providers adapt to this changing trend?
As well as the experience itself, luxury travel today is about value - personal value and value for money. An experience that can bring families together, enhance a passion and ultimately create unforgettable memories really is invaluable and it is for this that providers and curators of luxury travel should strive.
There is equally a strong appetite for the classical luxury travel market as we can see from the growth of the luxury cruise and private jet markets. ILTM Asia exhibitors including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Mandarin-Oriental Hotels will all announce the expansion plans or new openings at this year’s show.