Luxury Travel Advisor - February 2008 - (Page 72) LEADERS SPEAK Jaume Tàpies Chairman and President, Relais & Châteaux In November 2005, Relais & Châteaux (www.relaischateaux.com), the association of fine hotels and restaurants, did something it had never done before in its 53-year history—it elected a nonFrench president. He is Andorra's Jaume Tàpies, who, at 39, is fluent in seven languages, which come in handy when dealing with the association’s 470 luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants spread across 55 countries. When Tàpies took the helm, he declared that his objective was to maximize the potential of Relais & Châteaux’s membership. However, he isn’t scared to shake things up a bit, from dropping the Relais Gourmands designation for the association’s restaurants to creating satellite Relais & Châteaux storefronts worldwide. What defines luxury today? It’s the total “experience” that distinguishes today’s luxury travel, from the finest accommodations to, perhaps most importantly, service. Luxury today is also defined by time. Americans, in particular, are time-deprived and need to maximize every moment. We make our experiences as seamless as possible. People today want to spend on experiences rather than material goods. What is the best way to tap into these travelers? Nice rooms and luxurious amenities can be found anywhere, but it is the experiences that result in the most unforgettable travels. While each of the Relais & Châteaux properties adheres to the association’s ideals and a philosophy based on “art de vivre,” each property remains faithful to the spirit and traditions of its culture and offers a definite sense of place. What are Gen-X and Gen-Y clients looking for in a luxury experience these days? We are seeing more and more young, affluent travelers. They are looking for more than just a nice hotel, but also personal touches that offer a definite sense of place. Some trends that we are seeing among Relais & Châteaux properties are multiple restaurants within a property, tapas-style dining—which has long been popular in Europe, but is now extending to the United States—and more lavish, American-style beds. Younger clientele are also looking for flexibility and options, not rigidity. Ksar Char-Bagh in Marrakesh, for example, encourages guests to dine anywhere on the property. What can we expect of your new ad campaign? Relais & Châteaux has a new tagline, “All around the world, unique in the world,” and we JAUME TÀPIES, chairman and president, Relais & Châteaux. have decided to explain our specificities by focusing on our five ideals. Over the past six months we have worked to launch a dynamic print ad campaign for 2008 in Relais & Châteaux’s four major markets, the U.S., the U.K., Germany and France. The first ad has already appeared in the International Herald Tribune and subsequent ads shall appear in the U.S. in 2008. We hear that Relais & Châteaux is setting up boutique storefronts where consumers can learn about the brand—even make reservations. The opening of the La Maison de Relais & Châteaux in New York (February, 2008), London (December, 2007) and Paris (2002) allows us to bring the brand to life and share the personalities and the qualities that define our properties. Our New York Maison has been designed as an experiential space with a demonstration kitchen where we will bring in world-renowned chefs from our properties and educate travel agents, press and consumers about our destinations by providing them with a feeling of the environment and tastes they will encounter while at our properties. What's the value of the luxury travel advisor in today’s market? Luxury travel advisors are essential to the success of Relais & Châteaux. They are ambassadors for the properties and are able to share the brand standards that each and every property adheres to. We could not be where we are today without them. —Dave Eisen 72 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | February 2008 http://www.relaischateaux.com
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