Luxury Villas Are Becoming Travellers First Choice
It doesn’t take an industry expert to work out the holiday sector has changed dramatically in the last few decades. Whilst package holidays were the once the mainstay, the landscape of 2015 looks markedly different, with a particular rise in the popularity of luxury villas.
People are increasingly looking to secure one-of-a-kind, individual experiences, substituting five-star hotels for private residences that truly offer a home from home, far from the madding holiday crowd.
The reasons for this rise go beyond the mere desire to get off the beaten track. As far back as 2013 people were pointing to the rise in online advisory websites written by locals, which had begun taking a bite out of the professional tour guide market. As guests in a foreign land, we’re increasingly keen to assimilate ourselves with the resident population, see the country through their eyes, understand the indigenous culture and take home better knowledge of what life is really like in the area.
We no longer prefer to have everything decided for us in a pre-determined itinerary, but instead ask for more autonomy with our holidays - in everything from the food we eat to where we stay. Why not hire a professional chef with expert knowledge of the traditional cuisine to come and prepare meals in the villa kitchen, or narrow down a search for an address to rent to within a select few miles? The choices are endless for those with the budget to spend and the appetite for something truly ‘bespoke’ seems to be insatiable.
Whether this is the result of an increasing inclination to purchase experiences rather than products, or merely fatigue following decades of mass market holidays- it’s clear that hotels are finding it increasingly difficult to counter the rise in independent rentals. Whilst the majority of visitors to London, Paris and New York are perhaps likely to opt for a hotel due to availability, even here budget options such as AirBnB are indicative of the emerging trend of holidaying like a local.
It would seem then that the old approach of an isolated travel experience, far removed from the local community has definitely had its day. It’s time to embrace a new type of trip that affords a certain level of indulgence, whilst allowing travellers to truly experience a country - luxurious local villas.
To book luxury villas email: enquiries@edgeretreats.com
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