Luxury Travel

Stick or twist? Plenty of destinations have to wrestle with the idea when looking to develop their tourism offering. By changing too much or too quickly, you risk losing what made the place special to begin with.

While the growth of international visitation to the U.S. is slowing, travel advisors see rising interest among Americans in exploring their own country, often in new ways. Cultural itineraries exploring everything from civil rights history to regional culinary specialties are on the agenda.

Small towns across the world like Montauk are becoming luxury destinations. Hoteliers building luxury experiences within them face a handful of challenges to balance the local community and original allure with high-end service and amenities. It will be interesting to watch how these brands and locations evolve as tourism continues to boom.

Hilton understands the true conundrum of running a hotel business: Customer preferences will always change faster than the market can react. That is why the company has invested throughout the customer experience, from booking to loyalty partnerships, to keep guests happy.

Even if the product on offer is not traditional, high-end travelers have certain expectations. It's not as simple as slapping the word luxury onto a website.

As we frequently report in Skift New Luxury, five-star accommodation is no longer confined to the hotel sector. Shipping containers, tiny homes, and tents are all being tricked out to satisfy the high-end traveler's need for novelty. And now, cowboy wannabes can even go posh by renting out a ranch.

For years Intercontinental Hotels Group lacked the brands to truly compete at the luxury end of the hotels market, but by buying Regent and Six Senses, it has totally transformed its high-end offering.

With new hotel brands popping up every day, it can be a challenge to establish name recognition among consumers. That's one challenge InterContinental Hotels Group doesn't have to deal with as it works to revive the Regent brand.

Here are some of the most inspiring innovations in design, service, and guest experience in hospitality and travel so far this year. The more the industry can cross-pollinate, learn from others, and experiment, the better it will be.

Marriott is obviously pleased with the initial response to its homesharing product. With Airbnb making a big play in the luxury sector, it will be interesting to watch how things shape up.