Want to rent a Porche next time you go on vacation? Hertz can make that happen. Want a butler and private chef for your private beach? You can now make that happen as the luxury travel market is starting to expand into the travel market.
It used to be that you booked a hotel and car rental that offered the best value, but today’s aging Boomers, who have a lot of income, and young millionaires want the experience everything their fat wallets can afford, and that’s a lot.
The key question is whether someone who wants to drive a Porche for a weekend will go to Hertz or Expedia? Chances are that if you’re laying down a big wad of cash for a great part-time island you’re going to also want to be treated special as you wait in line to get the keys to a dream ride.
One thing I learned when doing work for online travel sites is that you don’t sell someone a car for the weekend at a discount if they are willing to pay more. This is why so many travel sites change prices from minute to minute, leaving visitors to ask “what happened to that low airfare?”
In addition to cars and new luxury resort business hotels are going to have to fight for business travelers who are demanding more perks as expense accounts are cut. Paying for high speed WiFi is no longer acceptable and expensive room service prices are forcing many business travelers to look for cheaper eats.
Excellent service is the new standard for the travel industry and they are going to have to adapt to consumers who expect white glove service.
