It’s certainly no secret: in the past two or three decades, the luxury resort and hotel industry has grown significantly. The market was dominated by North America when measured by total revenue but in the past couple of years, this has begun to change. Other areas of the planet, such as Asia Pacific and Europe, began to develop sites to appeal to the luxury traveller.
This remarkable growth is based on the increase in discretionary income and on the changing lifestyles of a small percentage of the world population. The number of travellers interested only in luxury hotels and resorts is growing with even the North American market expected to increase in activity every year until at least 2021.
All Regions
Luxury resorts and hotels are increasing in numbers across all regions, providing competition for the few corporations that have been leading the industry for several years. One of the driving factors in this growth has been the convenience of online booking along with the more efficient methods of checking in and checking out. In fact, it’s becoming more common for luxury travellers to arrive and leave without devoting even a few minutes to interacting with resort staff unless they wish to.
Studies by industry observers divide the luxury hotel market into several categories with the list including hotels only, resorts, airport hotels, and a few other categories. The industry has traditionally been dominated by the business hotel type of accommodation, thanks to the significant growth in the global economy. These locations have also benefited from aggressive branding and strong promotion. Resorts will also grow in numbers and in total revenue as the slice of the world population mentioned earlier begins to seek alternative destinations offering the same level of luxury that they’ve experienced elsewhere.
Resort companies such as One&Only are part of this growth. It’s possible to arrange for a holiday or getaway in Mexico, the Bahamas, South Africa, and several other desirable locations. In addition to having a choice of amazing destinations, you can make your arrangements through an online booking and review site reserved for members only. The benefit, of course, is being able to depend on advice and recommendations from others who have personal experience with luxury resorts, hotels, airlines, and cruise lines.
Free or Pay
When you consider using one of these convenient luxury booking sites, you have a choice. You can use the free services with access to all reviews and direct bookings online. But you’ll also be able to access the bespoke service if you choose. Many of the booking sites focusing only on luxury airlines, resorts, hotels, and cruises also offer a paid membership level with added benefits such as room upgrades and personal contact with reviewers.
These online benefits will become even more important as the luxury accommodations industry continues to grow. Because the online sites have the almost unlimited ability to increase their data and services as the locations increase in number, travellers will be able to seamlessly review and book sites with no interruption in connection and contact. And, they’re easy to use.