The new luxury: technology and wellness

Every time I talk about luxury, I get the feeling that this is something very personal. Every person has their own perception of luxury, whether talking about a holiday at a five-star resort, a Maserati, a multi-million-Euro house, a diamond ring or even something as simple as travel. I would highlight two points that, in my opinion, are the new luxury: technology and wellness.

Nowadays, it is already difficult to imagine luxury existing without some sort of use of technology. Imagine buying a Tesla that has no associated technology or a one-million-Euro apartment without any kind of automation. It’s almost 2020, and although flying cars are yet to arrive, we have everything else that we’ve seen in films from the last 30 years. Proof of this is next year’s arrival of the first YOTEL in Portugal - YOTEL Porto - which offers the latest cutting edge technology to guests and also a great innovation: additional services that are done by robots. In addition to this, many of the hotel’s services will be available from your own smartphone. Spectacular and exciting.

Another point that is definitely a trend, and that fortunately is here to stay, is how we take care of our body and our mind. A study by a Portuguese university concluded that health and wellness tourism is the fastest growing sector and that by 2030 it will be the main reason for travel. This conclusion is not surprising given that on a daily basis we have become more attentive and more willing to pay extra for healthier food, as well as to have a healthier body and mind. Services grow with demand for them, as does the amount which we are willing to pay for what we value. In this sense, we can look at Serenity - The Art of Well Being, a brand created for people who are looking for luxury service in luxury properties, as in the case of Pine Cliffs Resort and Sheraton Cascais Resort. Guests and owners value healthy eating, as well as the possibility of having different options that contribute to an improvement of their wellness. This is undoubtedly a trend that is being followed by the market.

The next step will be the micro-segmentation of these two trends that are increasingly connected. Whether by using technology to improve the way we control our physical activity; by the possibility it gives us to connect with our friends and family; by the power of consumer opinion; or because of the way in which brands and services respond and adapt to these new trends more and more quickly.