Luxury travellers opt for concierge services

CHENNAI: This may sound incredible but the next time you are contemplating a trip abroad, you can opt for a guided private shopping tour in Paris or let your head down in a private yacht in the French Riviera. From reserving a table at an Indian restaurant abroad, to buying a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates for a friend overseas, Indians are opting more than before for travel concierge services.

Such services are also popular with luxury holiday goers whose travel plans are unaffected by the rupee movement. "Given their highly evolved and sophisticated palates, today's luxury travellers are on the lookout for an amazing story-telling experience that they can share. With attention to every detail of their holiday, India's discerning luxury audience is increasingly looking to concierge services, esoteric packages and one-of-a-kind experiences when booking vacations," said Shibani Phadkar, senior VP, Thomas Cook (India).

In fact, the company's luxury brand Indulge has catered to travellers asking for chartered flights, reservations at top Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, a private yacht charter in the French Riviera, an adventurous horse-back safari in Africa and a guided private shopping tour in Paris.

Similarly, Kuoni — another major outbound tour operator — has a dedicated travel expert for the luxury segment who tailor-makes travel solutions. "Luxury travellers are not only more discerning but they have a high willingness to buy as well and they seek a luxurious custom-made holiday experience that showcases their individual style over standard holiday options," Vishal Suri, CEO (tour), Kuoni India, said.

That's not all. Some companies like Trawelltag also focus on the ordinary, like medical assistance and providing help in case of lost passport and baggage. The company provides a travel tag to each member that can be attached to their luggage. Each tag has a unique serial number which can enable it to be traced. Finders simply have to log on to the company site and key in the tag reference number.

"Around 2,50,000 travellers across the globe lost their luggage last month," Dev Karvat, MD, Trawelltag India, said. "We have traced lost baggage to internet cafes in Australia and in Trafalgar Square, London," he added. The company also provides medical and on-road assistance (in case of car breakdowns) for family members back home.

Even travel aggregators have jumped onto the concierge platform and are offering customized services. "Our group tours to Europe offer customized Indian meals and an Indian chef accompanies the tour bus," Mohit Gupta, chief business officer, holidays, MakeMyTrip, said.