One of the things we do all the time is keep our eye on consumer trends and how they might help us innovate and expand our own private aviation offerings. Over the past year or so there have been many predictions and observations from myriad sources that have given us pause for thought. Today we’ll highlight some of these and what it made us think when we read them.
Here are 4 interesting trends that pundits have suggested are having an impact on those who provide travel services.
- Bigger is getting even better.
The observation here is that wealthy travelers are able to experience so many different opportunities that it can get harder and harder for them to find experiences that seem even better than their last. That means exclusive travel related industries need to work harder to up their game. In the private charter world, one example is a 777 that has been outfitted with only 88 seats (instead of 380) in staggered formation so everyone gets a window. The service is further amplified with cashmere blankets and goose down pillows for all. But there’s more – in addition to massive space to move around in, this charter is providing next level catering by including an onboard Sommelier to help you get just the right wine paring at 40,000 ft.
- Skip-Gen travel is a thing now.
This is a phenomenon brought on by a retiring generation of wealthy baby boomers who list among the things they value most as family and travel. Now that they have more time to enjoy life and the bank account to support it, they are driven to spend more time with their grandchildren (perhaps because they were out making all that money when their own kids were still at home). So now they’re taking their grandkids on epic holidays to bond and enjoy life (alas… still leaving their own kids at home). Marketing your own private aviation services to appeal to families and offer the kinds of trips that serve this trend may create new business opportunities.
- Slower travel is making a comeback.
People are starting to tire of the never ending rush of life. Even going on vacation seems to have the same preparation and anxiety that we feel when we’re trying to manage business travel. But now there are some who are working hard to take their collective feet off the accelerator when it comes to the kind of travel that is supposed to help us put stress behind us. This is manifesting into some different kinds of travel. For example, there has been a resurgence in longer, slower travel by train. Not just any train, but services that operate like a 5 star hotel (or better) and make the very act of travelling an integral part of the experience. Rather than be threatened by that, we think the private charter industry should consider ways to provide an experience that works hard to slow things down by considering everything from how they get passengers from their homes to the airport, the onboarding experience and the pace at which everything on their trip transpires.
- Personal discovery travel is rising.
This may be related to point 3 in this blog. There has been growth in spiritually driven travel to destinations that include shrines, temples and other sacred locations. In a similar category, something called “literary travel” is becoming a thing as well, where travelers seek to expand their intellect through literature and art including connecting with the artists and writers who create it. Imagine a private aviation firm that could create themed flights – perhaps with special guests on board such as writers or spiritual figures who could enhance the value of the trip (kind of like the onboard sommelier does for the trend discussed in item 1 of this blog).
If nothing else, these trends show us that the opportunities are endless and the secret to our success will be understanding what customers want and adapting our services to deliver in spectacular fashion.