Luxury Travel

Gone are the days when duty-free retailers could lazily rely on consumers to freely spend their cash in airports. The rise of online shopping has forced them to become much more creative when it comes to generating sales.

With competition from online retailers rising, airport duty-free shops selling luxury goods need to up the ante. Some methods they are using seem to be successful, while others may start annoying potential customers.

Even an established tourism city like Washington, D.C. needs new destinations. While the capital city's newest attraction has nothing to do with politics (thank goodness), it has everything to do with breaking down the walls between tourists and locals.

Although the auto industry sits adjacent to travel with its own tricks and trials, executives in both camps are looking to respond to luxury consumers' shifting priorities with the right balance of brands and packaging. Avenir is a good example of a team that's doing it right.

There are so many parallels between the luxury fashion and travel industries. Consolidation in both is bringing challenges as well as opportunities.

Through a new venture with KSL Capital Partners, Aspen Skiing Company (Skico) is broadening its scope far beyond Colorado. But it's not only about amassing mountains. Skico is concentrating on building a new boutique hotel brand, which is raising eyebrows in its newest destination.

Fashion has in many ways been steps ahead of travel when it comes to Web design, online engagement and marketing prowess — but there is still so far to go for luxury brands in both industries.

The success of this, and all brand partnerships, is dependent on a synergistic approach to luxury whether that be sleek and understated or bold and brash. We expect to see more cross-industry partnerships emerge as brands wrestle for the attention and trust of the new luxury consumer.

For years, Baltimore has been portrayed on television and other media outlets as a city that's down on its luck. But a close look at what's happening in terms of investment in the city's luxury space reveals another side of the story.

A true test of any business is how they cope when things go wrong. This is especially true when it's out of their control. Hotels hit by the recent hurricanes will have learned plenty of lessons from their varied experiences.