[LifeStyle] Health security will be the new luxury

[#Steeven.™]

The pandemic has turned the relationship of brands with their customers upside down. These have been forced to innovate to adapt to concerns and new forms of consumption, as well as to legal requirements in the field of public health. A phenomenon to which the luxury industry is no stranger, where consumers are more demanding and companies must offer greater added value.

In the post-Covid-19 scenario, this additional attraction of the high range goes through offering sanitary guarantees. This is the belief of the founder of LuxStyle Consulting, Juan Borges, who defends that "security will be the new luxury, just as technology was a few years ago". A maximum that is accentuated by the demographic variable continues, since traditional luxury clients are between 45 and 65 years of age, with a more established economic position, and it is this age group that has been the most successful. plagued by the disease, and consequently, those who are most afraid and insecure when resuming activities.

Borges, who predicts that hotels, restaurants and tourism will be the most affected industries, reasons that, for businesses to prosper, it will be necessary to invest in security measures, but without letting fear dominate decision-making. "You have to pay attention to profit margins," recalls the expert, who insists on keeping in mind that the current situation is temporary. Therefore, it is advisable to inform yourself in depth before implementing the protocols and to reflect carefully on which investments are more efficient so as not to spend more than necessary.

A challenge in which communication and transparency are essential. Les Roches Marbella Executive Director, Carlos Díez de la Lastra, explains that clients in the world of luxury are more demanding with the information they are given. “For them it is not enough to include the information on the website. The measures may even be the same as those of a more massive establishment, but they value the feeling that the staff has dedicated time and attention to individually explaining the protocols, ”he justifies.

The head of the hotel management university ensures that complying with safety distances is not a concern in the premium segment, since most establishments are spacious and already complied with this measure before confinement. On the contrary, Díez de la Lastra does forecast a greater demand for private services, even in clients with a more moderate purchasing power.

Along these lines, the director of Vip Today, Albert Simó, foresees a boom in private transport and, specifically, jets. "Many will bet on private aviation, so they can also offer more competitive rates and approach other audiences: segments with a high purchasing power, but somewhat more aspirational," develops the entrepreneur.

The challenge is, says Simó, in finding formulas that guarantee security, but without isolating customers. “There has already been enough isolation, the consumer of luxury does not want to be completely secluded, but rather seeks to relate to people of the same economic and social rank. A person who travels does not want to be isolated again, "says the expert. For this, one solution is to have private spaces and others for highly controlled interaction. "Luxury is innovation. Compliance with regulations is taken for granted, what matters is who is able to offer better added value under security criteria, ”he adds.

An idea with which the president of the Spanish Luxury Association, Cristina Martín, agrees, who believes that this tragic stage is going to intensify even more than before the value of the experience above the material. “People are going to seek to enjoy the moment, especially if this is expected to happen again in the future; what can generate a new tourism model based on offering parallel experiences ”, he points out. In this sense, the expert defends that trends such as slow travel, rural tourism or the rental of villas can be accelerated instead of suites to share with friends in a more intimate setting.