Access, exclusivity and experiences: What it’s like planning holidays for uber-rich travellers
Creativity and attention to details matter a lot when it comes to putting together itineraries for the ultra-high-net-worth
HOW do you plan a trip for someone whose holiday budget is bigger than that for a brand-new car, certificate of entitlement included?
The answer, it seems, lies in hyper-personalisation, supported by an extensive network of contacts built over the years.
After all, planning for the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) traveller who has the means to globe-trot in uber-luxury has to be on a whole other level.
Keen to learn from a bonsai master in Tokyo who’s created one of the world’s most expensive bonsai, see the Mona Lisa on an exclusive after-hours private tour of the Louvre Museum with an expert curator, or have a private audience with the Pope?
Sure, can do.
If you like, a few indulgent days at a French Riviera villa residence that belonged to the late Karl Lagerfeld or a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum before it officially opens by early 2024, are also possible.
When budget is not an issue, all these and more can be arranged.
How it works
Travel agents who serve the uber-rich get to know them mainly through word-of-mouth recommendations, referrals and private networking events, and to a lesser extent, connections via private banks and luxury lifestyle brands.
Once they’re in, people such as Jean Tay, a relationship manager at Scott Dunn Private’s (SDP) Singapore team, manage all their future travel plans, with a complete overview of their travel calendar.
“Think of us as an extension of your family office,” explains Tay, who looks after the travel brand’s highest tier of UHNW guests across Asia. The UK-based travel company, which specialises in tailor-made luxury holidays, launched its invitation-only service here in 2021, with advisers based in London, California and Singapore.
The city-state serves as its Asia-Pacific headquarters, which is also where most of its members in the region are based, followed closely by Hong Kong, then other key cities in the region, such as Sydney, Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila. Since last year, membership has grown by 25 per cent, driven mainly by Singapore-based guests.
Tay says she builds and maintains relationships with clients to understand their preferences “down to the minutiae”, in order to offer them “ultra-personalised” travel experiences. These she crafts with help from SDP’s travel consultants who specialise in different regions and countries.
Members enjoy VIP status throughout their trips and gain access to upgrades, benefits, “special moments of delight” and even security arrangements, if required.
SDP’s clientele base is “quite varied”, a point echoed by Wondergolander, a specialist in luxury bespoke travel founded here in 2007.
“They could be married with mistresses, single with 10 girlfriends, travel with their families, buddies or business associates,” says Lim Hui-Juan, its co-founder. “We don’t know, and we don’t ask what they do. That’s why they love us!”
It all boils down to understanding individual preferences and quirks, as well as managing demands and expectations, which are “fluid on a case-to-case basis”.
“For example, some of them must fly first class or stay in top suites at hotels, but they are okay to take an Uber around the city if they need transportation urgently,” Lim explains.
Such is the trust that Wondergolander has built that most clients – even at their first contact – interact with them electronically, via WhatsApp or e-mail.
Those who insist on face-to-face meetings tend to be fearful, too cautious and easily shaken by what their friends may say, Lim reveals. “Most of our clients are not like that, they are very decisive,” she says. They come from all over the world, though most are based in Singapore. “They sense that we’re confident in what we’re saying and go along with it.”
While many have a very clear vision of what they want, and may come with ambitious to-do lists – usually totally off-menu – there are also those who do not have specific interests. In such cases, Wondergolander designs itineraries that encourage them to step out of their comfort zones.
It helps that typically, UHNW clients don’t nitpick with the itinerary. They may ask a few questions pertaining to their personal comfort, such as whether they can swap a three-hour drive for a short helicopter ride, but not question the trip’s design.
“You just give them the price, they look at the overview, and they say, ‘okay, let’s go’,” says Lim. “They totally leave it to you.”
And after the trip, they may say they don’t need a certain experience on their next itinerary, or they may love it and ask for something similar in future.
What they value
Given that in general, SDP trips often start in the six-figure range, it is not surprising that the ultra-rich place the highest value on time, access and exclusivity.
“The one key consideration that I see nearly all UHNW guests have, is the expectation for quick, efficient travel solutions and completely seamless logistics,” says Tay. This translates into flexible changes, even during the trip itself, and speedy responses from her and her team.
Clients are sometimes so busy that they simply tell planners they will be in a certain country at a certain date and are able to extend their trip for a holiday, or that they have a week to spare for travelling, and ask for an itinerary to be planned for them anywhere in the world.
“So the brief usually starts like that, and they’re not going to answer a hundred questions just so you can find the best things for them,” explains Lim. “They literally respond to just a few questions, and you’ve got to figure out exactly what would work for and interest them.”
They are also generous tippers, handing out hundreds of US dollars to service staff, have large enough bank accounts to buy friends and associates meals and holidays, and request for the “best in the house” wherever they go.
“They will spend, and if money can solve small problems, they’ll ask you to go ahead,” says Lim.
That said, SDP’s Tay says these travellers also value exclusivity in the realm of “money can’t buy” experiences that make a trip truly memorable. This could sometimes involve outlandish requests and is also where its “special moments of delight” (see Hyper-personalised travel experiences that money can buy) kick in.
Another big priority for UHNW travellers is security and privacy.
“This enables them to enjoy a worry-free trip,” says Tay, adding that this necessitates a lot of care when it comes to the details of a trip and personalised planning. “It consists of much more than simply choosing the right destination and itinerary.”
Indeed, the essence of travel planning for such clients is the details.
Experiences that Wondergolander’s Lim has had to check on include who’s playing Santa Claus in Finland and what he is carrying in his bag, as well as the number of fireworks that will go off, where her clients are standing when that happens, and whether their views may be obstructed by anything.
“For the level of details we get into, we can’t just depend on the local partner,” she says, citing an instance where Wondergolander ensured that specific upgrades were done to create a customised, luxurious accommodation at a music festival grounds, along with the construction of a pool and space to host 50 people, complete with butlers and chefs.
“We’re like event planners and project managers.”
SDP’s Tay says the company relies on a “black book” of contacts who can open doors to places and experiences not usually accessible by the public, and secure meetings with field and industry experts for an immersive look at the destinations guests visit.
The secret lies in the personal relationships and connections that high-end travel companies have forged over the years, with partners and suppliers ranging from luxury properties and transportation providers to the best local guides and subject-matter experts across the world.
“These connections in turn allow us to extend insider and privileged access to our guests,” says Tay. She cites examples such as backstage access at the celebrated Opera Garnier with an expert storyteller, private tours of a renowned French vineyard with its owners, and exclusive entry to a recently discovered Egyptian tomb filled with ancient statues and hieroglyphics.
Interestingly, Wondergolander’s Lim says Singaporean UHNW individuals are not as bold or adventurous as other nationalities when it comes to travel.
Instead, they are “mostly particular with the best vehicles for transportation, first class seats on flights, top suites at luxury hotels…very practical elements”. Or, for familiarity’s sake, they stick to their usual safe choices, which “may not be the world’s most luxurious”.
And not all UHNW clients are travel-savvy, even if they cover many miles for business.
“Some don’t know how to enjoy themselves on trips or make the best of it,” explains Lim. “They may tell you they need to fly to a certain place at a certain time, and ask for options for hotels or dining. But that’s just solving a travel need, not providing a travel experience.”
Then, there are the “crazy rich Asian types” who are indeed travel-savvy in that they know there are endless possibilities out there.
“They are out to have fun, to filter out the best possible things and to look for experiences,” says Lim. “All they need is to find somebody to get it done.”
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