A New World of Personal + Curated Travel
Gone are the days when you would go to a travel website and go through hundreds of options for your destination. By comparing by price or quality, you are supposed to arrive at your vacation choice. The classical travel agency world is pretty much gone. However, the concept of someone advising you, has not. Enter, the travel influencer. With perfection in appearance and hotel views to die for, the Instagram travel influencer presents ultra travel experiences. Their every image inspires their followers who wait breathlessly for the next installment. So easy, right?
How do you jump the gap between the visuals and to booking your own trip? How do you separate the TRAVEL FACTS from the TRAVEL FICTION? There are classes for that, my point here is that we are depending on a myriad of influencers to make our travel decisions. Yikes.
Certainly, if you see that amazing Maldives travel package, wouldn’t you sign up? The number of people who have arrived at booked hotels that don’t resemble the photos, is a pretty classic travel scam. Once again, the plethora of “instagrammable” influencers is almost as confusing as the Mega Travel websites. What is a traveler to do?
Find Your Community: What is your travel vibe?
Are you ‘Young and Restless’, ‘Chic + Glamorous’ or ‘Boomer Bohemian’ or ‘Traveling Gay’ or ‘Travel Noire’ or ‘Traveling Luxe’ or all of the above? Each community has its own aspirations and should be served accordingly. These niche groups are on Instagram and other digital platforms designed to entice you to travel.
Curated Travel + Personalized Service is Back: Meet the CURATED Hotel Platform
One of the most useful travel tools, is the curated website platform that has a niche audience that appeals to you. For example, TABLET HOTELS. “Travel Uniquely” is their motto, so no chain hotels will be presented. “Small Luxury Hotels of the World” is a boutique travel website that has vetted, curated hotels that appeal to the chic boutique traveler. Both websites guarantee their properties, and also offer travel clubs with perks and ways to earn more goodies while you travel. Want a home that is perfectly suited for the whole family, but with a touch of glam or a view? Enter THE PLUM GUIDE which has a unique set of properties that are owned by people who want to earn back on their exclusive investments. Let’s just say it out loud what you are thinking – It’s AIR BNB for really chic people who can afford it and want to rent from a human, not a conglomerate. (*special note to SLH.com many boutique hotels are family owned).
The Travel Influencer and travel platforms to drive Business
The travel industry is fractured, and almost like a crazy quilt of options that can be both confusing and costly. Once you decide where you want to go and at what time per year, you can begin to narrow down the hotels, apartments, villas or places you want to stay for your trip. Finding your ‘travel style’ is also important as well as defining your budget. So, with that in hand, you won’t be overwhelmed by all the choices before you in the newly refreshed travel industry.
EDITOR’s NOTE: The editor is a partner of the following hotel platforms: The Plum Guide, Tablet Hotels, Small Luxury Hotels of the World and the owner of a travel website/magazine channel Kaleidoskope Travel.
ARTIFICE Atelier 