Luxury Tourism in the New Normal: In Search of the New Memorability

Abstract

This chapter explores in-depth the particularities of the luxury travel industry during the coronavirus pandemic. The chapter begins with a literature review on the concept of the experience referred to as luxury travel, followed by a brief overview of the measures adopted globally in the tourism sector for the prevention of COVID-19. Due to the impact of the crisis, high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) have changed their motivations, preferences and behaviour. To meet the new demands prompted by the pandemic, the luxury travel industry has adopted a wide range of strategies that have been classified into three groups: (1) reducing new moments of friction; (2) experiencing protection and (3) building new memorable experiences. A selection of examples from the luxury travel industry illustrates each category. The chapter ends with a case study that describes the strategy adopted by Fiji to respond to the pandemic. The manner in which Fiji has tackled the pandemic may be inspiring for other tourism-dependent destinations as Fiji has been able to protect the health and safety of the inhabitants of its islands while preserving the local economy, which relies on tourism.

Citation

Gavilan, D., Balderas-Cejudo, A. and Martinez-Navarro, G. (2022), "Luxury Tourism in the New Normal: In Search of the New Memorability", Kotur, A.S. and Dixit, S.K. (Ed.) The Emerald Handbook of Luxury Management for Hospitality and Tourism, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 513-532. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-900-020211026