Travel brands risk overlooking certain groups of potential luxury travellers “just because people think they’re not sexy enough”.
The warning came from Silversea Cruises’ chief marketing officer Barbara Muckermann, who said firms should be wary of changing their product and brand values to chase business from emerging trends such as millennials, adding that Silversea was focused on creating and honing experiences for its traditional clientele, the Baby Boomer generation, those typically born between 1946 and 1964.
“Baby Boomers are where the future of Silversea lies,” she said. “We don’t care about millennials – they can’t afford us and they are not loyal.”
She said Silversea was tapping into Baby Boomers’ desire not to see “a destination through a ship’s window” and get out [and] experience more. That process, she said, had led to the creation of its new range of land-based tours, the Couture Collection.
The programme enables Silversea to take its guests into some of the world’s most remote places, via nine pre- and post-cruise land itineraries ranging from five to 11 days.
“Luxury is moving from opulence to experience,” she added.