This holiday season, take a guided shopping tour in Paris

Travel companies see increase in Indian luxury travellers with exotic demands

Renting a private island; visiting Finland’s Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa Claus; chartering a yacht in the French Riviera; or taking a private guided shopping tour in Paris have become the travel preferences of the well heeled in India.

“A few years ago, luxury was a stay in a five- or seven-star hotel and first-class travel. But all that is changing,” said Pawan Chandra, marketing head, TUI India. “Indians are spending more on holidays and have taken a fancy to exotic locations, luxury experiences, local culinary delights and shopping holidays.”

Travel companies such as Thomas Cook and Cox and Kings are targeting the luxury travel market with specially designed and customised itineraries, to suit the tastes of the high-spending customer. Such packages could range between Rs 10 lakh and 15 lakh a person for six days. Also on offer are cooking sessions with celebrities from TV show MasterChef in Australia, chasing the aurora borealis in Canada or going on an ice-breaker tour in Finland.

“The luxury travel segment is witnessing not merely resilience but impressive growth — upward of 26 per cent,” said Shibani Phadkar, a senior vice-president at Thomas Cook India. “Luxury travel in India is uniquely powered by an inherent brag quotient. Hence, slowdown or not, luxury travel will see continued momentum. Our brand, Indulgence, has created uber-chic experiences — from a stay in a glass igloo in Finland, on an exclusive tree house or literally on the edge of a cliff in California.”

It is usually the well-travelled tourist who chooses such luxury trips. “They travel business class or first class, they also stay in luxury suites and pamper themselves by indulging in, say, a spa therapy, which is a big draw for this segment. This segment is growing at a modest pace of 10-15 per cent,” said Karan Anand, head-relationships, Cox & Kings.

Indian travellers are also spending a lot on domestic luxury travels. Several Indians have booked rooms in the Oberoi Vanya Vilas in Ranthambore or the Raj Vilas, where each room could cost Rs 35,000-40,000 a night. Cox and Kings has also designed luxury camping packages for Nagaland, Tarai in Awadh and Chamba Camp in Thiski. The prices ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh a person.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head, Expedia, said: “We are seeing a lot of demand from the younger lot who have a lot of disposable income and risen fast in their careers, and also from the older generation who are willing to spend on luxury travel after retirement.”

Where are you heading for?

* Corporate head honcho group in South America land 6 nights Rs 8 lakh a person

* French West Indies with a private yacht island hopping Rs 7.5 lakh

* France an exclusive art-fine dining-couture itinerary at Rs 5 lakh

* South Africa luxury honeymoon with a stay at Pezula castle Rs 5 lakh

* Arctic ice breaker experience and cruise, stay in igloos Rs 2 lakh

* Iceland dining in a volcano and luxury accommodation in Reykjavik Rs 4 lakh