Why current age traveler's value experiential holidays: Nibhrant Shah, Founder & CEO, Isprava & Lohono Stays
The concept of luxury holidays has evolved with time, and the same can be concluded about the travellers. Luxury holidays today are no longer limited only to billionaires, but also to millennial or working people with disposable incomes who want to experience a healthy dose of luxury that their routine lives do not permit. The current day traveller is far more informed and values an experiential holiday way more than the usual touristy scenario.
Another trend that is rapidly taking over in the hospitality industry is the preference for ‘luxury homestays’ rather than the usual 5-star hotel accommodations. Surprisingly, this does not take away the element of ’5-star luxury’ as one would think. While hotels will always be in demand as they provide high-quality standardized service; luxury homestays offer similar aesthetics layered with exceptional service as well as the much-needed privacy and exclusivity when you’re travelling with friends or family. Luxury homestay properties are usually categorized into villas, estates, vaddos or Hamlets (for community-style living).
Luxury homestays also have the added advantage of being surrounded by exotic locations, natural landscapes and proximity to local places which one can explore at leisure. Recent surveys conducted on ‘homestays’ have shown that hospitality is indeed shifting forms as per the current trends, without compromising on the quality of services to ensure an unforgettable holiday.
Luxury is now synonymous with experience and has multiple definitions for a consumer on holiday in today’s times – right from efficient customer care, intuitive concierge service, and premium quality cuisines to overlooking the smallest details such as a welcome note, child-friendly room arrangements, an impromptu order for pizza at 3 am or arranging a tour to explore some local delights. The classification of luxury has become so versatile that the entire experience brings satisfaction to consumers with the most diverse requirements.
Despite so many avenues available to satisfy the ‘touch of luxury’ that travellers seek predominantly these days, it is the eye for detail, the warmth of service, the impeccable taste for art and architecture, the lavish spread of cuisines ranging from local to custom made and the ultimate vision of grandeur that sets an experience apart from another. Luxury Holidays are soon metamorphosing into the ‘Golden Escape’ from life’s daily rut and an instant rush for both – the Master of the Mansion or the Man on the Move.
