It has been an exciting week for me, personally. I ventured out of my house — after receiving my two vaccinations — and, for the first time in more than a year, went to a physical retail store. My big trip was to my local golf shop, and the first thing I noticed was that it was packed.
I figured everyone there was emerging from their homes, just as I was doing, but the guy who worked there told me the store had been busy for most of the year.
“This place has been making a killing,” he told me with a whisper.
I know that golf has been a popular activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, but I was still a little surprised to see all those shoppers. It reminded me of something David Kolner, senior vice president of strategy for Virtuoso, said in this issue’s cover story (“Luxury Leads the Way,” page 12): “[Many clients] are wealthier than ever, which is a major difference [from] the 2008-2009 financial crisis.”
The true definition of luxurious travel is the freedom from worry.
In fact, there are a lot of industries that managed to report substantial profits over the past year — technology, shipping, healthcare and yes, golf, to name a few. In the cover story, Kolner reminds travel advisors not to be shy about offering their clients luxury options; even some customers who did not have an above-average year are looking to splurge on travel and book a bucket-list trip.
As people get back to taking vacations, there are some considerations that will remain important. Multiple surveys have indicated that safety and cleanliness, as well as flexibility, are now top of mind for travelers.
“Safety” and “flexibility” are not necessarily the first words people associate with luxury, but in my opinion, the true definition of luxurious travel is the freedom from worry. With their expertise, advisors are in an ideal position to ease their clients’ concerns — and, after the year we’ve all had, what more could anyone ask for?
