Skift Take
Visit California developed an integrated research and content framework to support its travel and media partners' ability to better engage luxury consumers than it can do alone on its own brand.com website and paid marketing platforms.
Visit California just released a new comprehensive strategy paper and branded content platform designed to engage next-generation "Super Affluent" travelers with a household income north of $250,000.
The destination marketing initiative, called "California: The Golden State of Luxury," was rolled out at the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) this week in Cannes with a new video produced specifically for travel industry members.
The thrust of the business-to-business branding mission promotes California's version of what it calls "laid-back luxury." It's an evolving definition of luxury championing aspirational and healthy travel experiences revolving around local food, outdoor experiences, and luxury resorts and spas, but without the pretense and showy hubris often associated with the luxury segment.
The introduction of the Golden State of Luxury research paper states: "Compared to the luxury goods product category, destinations appear less likely to create distinct or differentiated positioning targeted specifically to a luxury audience."
Meaning, most tourism bureaus in destinations with luxury hotels, fine-dining, and upscale shopping tend to still promote themselves to all budget segments to increase overall exposure. Only a select few in North America such as the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau exclusively target high-end visitors, illustrated by Beverly Hills' "Future of Luxury" research and marketing report developed earlier this year. That report partially inspired and informed the development of the Golden State of Luxury paper.
However, Visit California isn't trying to brand the state as a luxury-only destination.
It's attempting to communicate more directly to its top-tier travel agent and tour operator partners that California was the birthplace of modern luxury travel as we know it today. One could argue that the rise of 21st century luxury hospitality and tourism in North America began to take shape about three decades ago in California's culinary scene along the Pacific coast between Monterey and Napa Valley.
U.S. winemakers in the region were beginning to compete successfully with top European wineries for the first time back in the early 1980s. Likewise, California pretty much invented farm-to-table fine-dining experi
