Luxury Travel Report by EliteVoyage, 2025 (ENG) - Report - Page 19
by EliteVoyage
Analysis: Hyper-Personalisation
From Personalisation to Creation
Emotion: The New Driver to Client
Booking Behaviour
Luxury travel is moving from reactive service
to creative collaboration. Pre-arrival, hotels
are requesting more detailed information
about the clients. For example their size, so
the right slippers and robes are waiting in
the room. Concierge services by WhatsApp
are replacing the concierge in the lobby,
preferred because they manage guests’ stay
in real time, even when they are outside
the hotel. Resorts are improving internal
communication systems so guests only
express preferences once: order sparkling
water on day one and every resort restaurant
will know and remember. If personalisation
means doing a game drive at the time you
choose, an option based on comfort. Hyperpersonalisation means going out with an
anti-poaching unit at the time they go on
patrol, an option focused on experience.
Efficiency, faultless service and some
form of personalisation have long defined
luxury travel. Emotion is the new marker
of value. As Lorenzo Maraviglia, General
Manager at Collegio alla Querce, says:
“Somebody looking for square metres
in the city will use Airbnb. We are in
a completely different business – we sell
experiences.” Amila Handunwala, General
Manager of W Maldives adds: “Luxury
comes down to hyper-personalisation, so
each guest feels their stay was designed
just for them. Second, creating moments
they will talk about and remember for
years.” Personalisation has typically meant
customising a stay or trip from a menu of
pre-defined options. Hyper-personalisation
means anticipating clients’ needs and
creating something singular for them.
A New Generation of Travellers using
Travel Agencies
Distinctive Stays, Not
Replicated Standards
This trend enhances the value of travel
designers. Established relationships with
hoteliers make it easy to communicate
preferences, create one-off extras and
preferences, and maintain a feedback loop.
A newer generation of clients are attracted
to travel agencies: twenty-four percent of
this year’s top spenders are new clients, and
their average age has dropped. These clients
are comfortable using apps and websites to
book every part of their travels. AI will soon
provide these clients with a simple booking
service too. But it’s the highly personalised
moments that can’t be found online that
generate the most emotion.
For decades, the growth of major hospitality
brands was based on replicating known
standards across every property. Today,
sameness is the antithesis of luxury and
individuality is an essential starting point
for a hyper-personal stay. A distinct
character and personality are essential for
new hotels to compete in today’s market.
Good examples are Rosewood’s emphasis
on sense of place and Auberge Resorts,
where every property is one of a kind.
“We’re not counting stars. It’s more than
providing a great place to sleep. We want
to create experiences that last,” summarises
Martina Lenkenhoff, Hotel Manager at
Rosewood Amsterdam.
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