5:42pm Sunday 3rd January 2010
Luxury travellers are increasingly looking for tailored experiences that represent value for money, according to a new report from villa holiday specialist CV Travel.
Research collated from a range of sources by CV, who sell luxury villa holidays in Ibiza, Dubai and Thailand to name just a few destinations, suggests that the future of travel - particularly the villa holiday - will be one of "austerity chic" rather than "bling fling".
'The Villa Market 2009/2010' report said consumers will select holidays based on the perceived value of the offering rather than on the actual price.
The added 'value' can't be found in fixtures and fittings which include air-conditioning, Wi-fi, satellite TV or iPod docking stations, which were once considered as the extra touches that made a certain holiday stand out from the mainstream.
In fact consumers now expect these 'extras' as standard, the report said, and are now hoping to see bespoke additions to their holiday in the form of experiences such as classic car holidays in Italy, horse-riding holidays in Ibiza or cookery holidays in the south of France, which will offer them a more "fulfilling travel experience".
Another entity that will become increasingly important for villa guests from 2010 onwards is the concierge services which include the arrangement of things such as babysitters, drivers, in-villa chefs, golf, restaurant reservations and spa treatments.
CV Travel managing director Debbie Marshall said: "The villa hoiliday market has grown but become very fragmented. The biggest challenge has been the growth of villas available via the internet and promoting that what CV represents are the benefits and security of booking through an established tour operator.
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