Booking websites, tour guides and travel agents are services most travelers take advantage of at some point when planning a trip. But for big-budget vacationers, there’s a deluxe version—the travel concierge.
Beyond booking flights and accommodation, a travel concierge oversees vacations from start to finish, realizing the extravagant wishes and whims of high-net-worth clients.
Elpida Kennedy, CEO of Kennedy’s Group and My Blossom Travel, has spent the last six years organizing the trips of the ultra-wealthy. “We take pride in saying that for us ‘sky is the limit’ is not just pretty words,” she says.
What is a travel concierge?
A travel concierge has a role akin to a travel agent but at a much more personalized level. Based on a client’s brief, a travel concierge will curate a proposal covering transport, accommodation, experiences, excursions, parties—and essentially whatever else the client has in mind.
“We take pride in saying that for us ‘sky is the limit’ is not just pretty words.”
Elpida Kennedy, CEO of Kennedy’s Group and My Blossom Travel
Kennedy seems to be able to cater to just about any wish. If you want to attend an event on the other side of the world, they’ll find you a last-minute flight. For a destination wedding, she sorts everything from decorating a secluded beach with the petals of 1,000 red roses to finding the desired dreamlike wedding dress.
Kennedy and her team can also organize showy corporate events and, should anything unexpected occur, “the best events’ crisis management on the market.”
High-net-worth individuals are swapping glitz for quiet luxury
Unlike what gets plastered across magazine pages, the ultra-wealthy tend towards understated luxury for their vacations, according to Kennedy.
“Recently we are seeing a trend in quiet luxury and slow travel where guests are looking to avoid the over-saturated tourist areas and finding the places which are off the beaten path,” she says.
“Instead of gravitating toward traditional, glitzy destinations, affluent individuals are now favoring more secluded and discreet locales that promise tranquility and privacy.”
Kennedy says one of the primary drivers of this trend is the desire for mental well-being amid a high-stress lifestyle. “These discreet getaways offer a sanctuary where travelers can disconnect from the chaos and reconnect with themselves,” she says.
This does not necessarily mean avoiding tourist hotspots altogether, but instead finding exclusive experiences within them.
Kennedy says the Cyclades are one of the most popular destinations for her clients, where she’ll arrange private beaches and swimming in hidden coves. Along with chef Teo Iliopoulos, guests are taken from Mykonos to the quieter Rhenia Island for swimming, sunbathing and snorkeling, while a lunch of fresh seafood is prepared.
Kennedy says the Cyclades are one of the most popular destinations for her clients, where she’ll arrange private beaches and swimming in hidden coves.
Further afield, Kennedy says she organizes excursions around Tulum that include swimming in cenotes, tours of ancient civilizations and learning about the history of the Mayas. In Costa Rica, her clients have enjoyed yoga sessions on the beach, private dining in the heart of the jungle, swimming with dolphins and helicopter rides over lush vegetation.
How much does a travel concierge cost?
Kennedy’s entry-level package costs €1,500 ($1,625) a week and includes destination guidance, a bespoke itinerary and personalized bookings. For €3,500 ($3,790) a week you also get a dedicated concierge expert at your service 24/7 on call, both remotely and on-site at selected venues.
The ‘7 star level’ package at €7,000 ($7,580) a week means a member of Kennedy’s team will accompany you throughout your stay, organizing all desired activities and coordinating every detail from transportation to VIP venue seating and all on-site arrangements.
Your concierge can also make ‘next-to-impossible’ bookings like last-minute reservations in exclusive restaurants, stays in villas with their own private helipad, a private view of famous designers’ latest collections and the chance to acquire exclusive luxury items.
