Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IRELAND SHOULD BE pitched as a “detox destination” for millionaires and celebrities looking to ‘soul-search’ without being hassled by crowds.
That’s according to a report by Kantar Millward Brown, which recommended that the national tourism development agency draft a plan to bring more wealthy luxury-travel seekers to these shores.
The study for Fáilte Ireland, released to Fora under freedom of information laws, estimated that the global luxury travel market will generate revenues of over $1.1 billion by the year 2022, indicating an annual compound annual growth rate of between 6% and 7% from 2016.
There are no specific figures for how much the segment is worth to Ireland alone, but the research estimated that visitors with the deepest pockets typically spend between €10,000 and €20,000 a week when they come here as a couple, or between €30,000 and €60,000 if they travel with family.
As part of the assessment, Kantar Millward Brown interviewed 20 property owners, destination managers, travel operators, bloggers and travel tech execs based in Europe and the US to gauge their perceptions of Ireland as a holiday destination.
It also surveyed 225 high net worth individuals – those with $1 million to $5 million in liquid financial assets – and ultra-high net worth individuals – those with assets of more than $5 million – from North America, the UK, Europe, China and the Middle East.
The report discovered that Ireland isn’t perceived as a “luxurious country”, although the authors suggest that’s not necessarily a bad thing since “no specific destination really is”.
“Luxury is not about bling anymore. It’s not about gold and diamonds and marble; it’s about service and more about the experience. It’s about being richer of something, richer of an experience, richer of an encounter,” it said.
Ireland is widely perceived as a safe destination compared to other European locations, some of which have experienced terrorist attacks in recent years.
The main barriers that prevent luxury travellers from coming here are the poor weather and a general lack of awareness of how Ireland differs from its main competitors like Scotland and Iceland.
Click here to view a larger version
Demands
In addition to capturing high-earners’ perception of Ireland, the researchers explored the typical demands of wealthy travellers.
Specific requirements differ from market to market, but clients generally want experiences that are “less touristy than the mainstream attractions, as they want to feel ‘special’ and ‘precious’ as their time is limited and they want to make the most of it”.
“Most of the luxury travellers want a more authentic experience where they can be absorbed in local culture, meet (the) local farmer, author, minister and politician,” the report found.
Other more general demands include “being pampered and surprised at each touchpoint”, “having encounters with local aristocrats” and “soul-searching in most scenic destinations”.
The analysis suggested that the so-called shoulder season – the quieter times of the year when there is more capacity in hotels – best suits wealthy tourists in Ireland, particularly famous ones.
“During the off-peak season (October to February), the sun sets early and that’s the time when the high-profile visitors enjoy,” it said.
“This is because they can go out, enjoy the beauty of Ireland, take a walk around the city all without the hassle of being noticed.”
Some of the shortcomings identified by the report include Dublin’s association with hen and stag parties – “something that doesn’t go well with the image” – and some concern among agents that destination management companies “tend to mark up the hotel costs which can create suspicions in the minds of the client”.
Click here to view a larger version
Recommendations
The authors noted that the midlands – which is getting a marketing boost under the guise of the new ‘Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands’ tourism brand – hasn’t received the focus it deserves as an area with unique properties and cottages.
The report recommended that in the short-term, Ireland should be “promoted as a detox destination” that gives visitors the chance to “reflect and indulge in soul-searching”.
It also encouraged Fáilte Ireland to use social media and other marketing tools to plug the island’s “culture and tranquillity”.
One of the mid-term suggestions is for the tourism industry to create more yoga camps and retreats so Ireland can claim to be a “wellness destination”.
It also recommended that the sector “establish a culture of discrete and instantaneous service” when dealing with luxury holidaymakers.
“This involves anticipating needs of the clients over time and implementing these without them having to raise a finger,” it said.
Following the Kantar Millward Brown report, Fáilte Ireland is collaborating with all-island marketing body Tourism Ireland to develop a strategy to grow the luxury travel sector, which will be unveiled in early 2019.
Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Forrest Gump must be closing in on Bill Gates at this rate
Not bad for Forest as his Apple letter was dated before Apple actually began selling any shares. Forest truely is special.
He could have been a venture capitalist who invested in the company before it went public. Would have made even more money that way.
My income tax would be lower if Apple actually paid their full 12 1/2℅ tax. Well, unless our gangsters in the Dail give it to our Rothschild/private bond holders.
The best thing about the new iphone coming up is it’ll kill off the Garth Brooks stories
What’s this about Garth Brooks?
Unless he gets one, then there could be the perfect storm. The Journal ‘towers’ would explode in orgy of ctrl-c ctrl-v, it would be like something from an Hieronymus Bosch painting
My revenue would not be near as good as Apples but it would be liveable if I didn’t pay taxes
Silly story! If you compared the profits of most successful companies towards their total staff and apply the figures through a per capita rating, you’d get similar results. All the same, maybe the might loan us a few bob…
Hush, John. It’s the start of Apple season on the Journal, expect blanket coverage, and incendiary articles, until the launch of the iPhone 6 in September.
Quarterly profit of 7.7 billion but it’s 600 million less than expected. Wouldn’t you just hate to be Apple right now.
Apples profits are based on semi slave labour – and not something to boast about .
Many are made in Chian at Foxconn factories
”On June 14th, a Foxconn worker jumped to his death from his apartment building in Chengdu, marking the 18th reported worker suicide at Foxconn factories in China in just over two years[1]. Many additional suicides may have gone unreported[2][3]. But these deaths and the focus on conditions at Foxconn reflect only a portion of the troubling conditions at Apple suppliers.
This investigation of other Apple suppliers in China reveals that serious work-related injuries and worker suicides are by no means isolated to just Foxconn but exist throughout Apple’s supply chain. For example, we found that at least two workers committed suicide at Flextronics[4]’ factories last year[5][6] (Ganzhou and Zhuhai) and that upwards of 59 workers were injured in explosions at Riteng’s Shanghai factory last December[7] (both are Apple’s suppliers). More broadly, this investigation of ten different Apple factories in China finds that harmful, damaging work environments characterized by illegally long hours for low levels of pay are widespread in Apple’s supply, with working conditions frequently worse at suppliers other than Foxconn. We also document for the first time the tremendous problems caused by the use of ‘labour dispatching’ by Apple suppliers in China…
This is Bangladesh all over again – low wages – long hours – and the author of this report has nerve to compare the profits with Bangladesh where their have been tragedies and many deaths as well – and again western suppliers take no responsibility – despite their claims – for the hours and wages that workers have to put up with
- Oh and this is the direction in which we are headed – the race to the bottom – Yes – great news .
We should be boycotting these products .
Lot of talk about boycotting Israeli products – seems an easy target – but the things we use ourselves ??
Number of suicides in Foxconn factories (according to your story above, not attributed anywhere): 18 in two years out of a total workforce of over 1 million. That gives a rate of 0.9 suicides per 100,000 per year.
Current suicide rate in China: 9.8 per 100,000
(Figures from 2009-2011. Source: http://www.economist.com/news/china/21605942-first-two-articles-chinas-suicide-rate-looks-effect-urbanisation-back)
This is old news and has been discussed in great depth many times over. Apple has been the focus of such stories, as its iPhone is the top selling smartphone brand. As a result, it has been at the forefront in trying to improve conditions for workers. It has been working with the Fair Labor Association (www.fairlabor.org) to audit its facilities in the China supply chain. There are still challenges to be met, and it isn’t just Apple who can solve them. It’s a problem that affects the entire consumer electronics industry. So if you buy an iPhone or a Samsung phone or whatever brand of smartphone, chances are it will have come through the Chinese supply chain.
@jim, spot on.
Statistics, statistics – not a very honest story, sorru
Tim Cook says he “can’t wait” to show Apple fanboys their new products in September.
If you believe that, I have a really cool limited edition invisible, non-tactile iPad for sale…
Does that figure include the amount they are tax dodging as well. Parasites.
apple, like many large american corporations, would, under American tax laws, be liable to taxation when they repatriate profits back into the USA. This is unfair as thru have already paid tax at source in the country where the profit was made. Why should they pay tax twice. They have a duty to their shareholders to maximise profit legitimately.
have your say