Good Travel Company in Ayr has seen a “direct increase” in bookings for luxury holidays following the launch of its high-end lounge.
The Scottish agency opened the chic client suite in December, after receiving financial support from business partner Hays Travel.
Speaking to TTG Luxury, owner Vanessa Good revealed the store enjoyed a 200% spike in bookings that same month, crediting supplier events with Silversea and If Only for accelerating these sales.
Situated on the high street shop's first floor, the lounge has been designed to feel like a “living room” rather than a commercial premises. Clients can expect comfortable leather sofas, flourishing plants and a signature scent, as well as a lifestyle TV that can be used for displaying both artwork and presentations. There’s also a coffee and wine bar, should customers fancy a refreshment during their visit.
The hope, Good explains, is to “start the destination experience” before the client has even booked.
“Conversations have gone from lasting 20 minutes to over an hour since opening this lounge,” she said. “But that’s okay – we never want clients to feel like they’re being chased out.”
Good emphasised that, while the ambience is more luxurious than the store’s reception, there is no pressure on clients to book a luxury holiday.
“Sometimes we just take people up there if the ground floor is too busy,” she said. “There’s no minimum spend and we certainly don’t expect everyone to book a luxury trip.”
The new lounge has, however, been an effective tool for tapping into the high-end market. “We’ve definitely had higher-value bookings from taking customers up there,” she said. “I feel like this has really put us on the map for luxury, while also cementing our clients' loyalty.”
Want to discover more luxury trends?
Apply now to attend Black Book – a new luxury travel event designed to build relationships and help travel designers unlock insight into the future of luxury travel.
Enjoy curated one-to-one meetings with leading luxury brands and delve into an inspiring conference programme, where travel designers can gain first-hand understanding of how to future-proof their business.
