Numinous founder Tamara Kobiolke on luxury travel insights

Numinous founder Tamara Kobiolke represents some of the most luxurious hotels in the world, and has worked in-house for 20 years. Here she gives us an insight into the luxury traveller, and how you can best help them.

“Travel advisors are in the best position to help their clients, and they should be letting them know,” says Numinous founder, Tamara Kobiolke.

We’re sitting in her Melbourne office where she represents brands such as Relais & Chateaux; Rocco Forte Hotels; 1,000-year-old Umbrian castle, Reschio Castle; Canaves Collection Santorini, JOALI and Hôtel Madame Rêve in Paris.

Kobiolke has also worked in-house for luxury hoteliers in Scotland, Namibia, Thailand and Australia, and she set Numinious up to act as an “extension of the sales teams” in some of the world’s most luxurious hotels.

“We’re front of mind and can have conversations with travel trade and give them advice if the brands we represent are the right fit for that customer.

“We help guide travel agents with the right ‘route’ planning and room type and how long they might need to stay in destination, and then act as conduit to connect travel trade with the GM.”

Reschio Hotel – one of the properties Numinous represents

Kobiolke says the key to helping luxury travellers is about “sprinkling fairy dust” on the booking.

“In every luxury hotel there’s a morning meeting and you go through arrivals that day, and you can see how the travel has been booked; and if I’m sitting there and I know this is a booking from an agent that the hotel has a relationship with, their client is going to get looked after.

“Advisors should be promoting what they can offer to their clients. They are in a prime position through relationships to help give luxury travellers the best possible experience. Sure, the traveller might use AI for planning, but AI can’t VIP. Agents can.”

The arrival at JOALI another property Numinous represents

The little things

Kobiolke says as well as ensuring clients know you are well connected, it’s important to be ahead of the game in knowing what works for them.

“The wellbeing concept has really grown, and it’s about pushing boundaries and doing different things. A few weeks ago, I went to Carlton Hotel St. Mortiz and was ice bathing in Lake St. Moritz and we had an outdoor butler and she was hammering ice in the lake and brought down a carpet to stand on, and a big thermos – it’s those details that make it perfect.

“The devil is in the detail, like when you get a text from the driver saying where he’s waiting and ‘can I grab you a coffee’ … knowing you are in the best hands possible. And we know where these places are and it’s those things you can talk to your clients about that will inspire them to want to go.”

Canaves Ena

Trends in luxury travel

Kobiolke says the luxury traveller is open to travelling longer, particularly if they’re with extended family.

“We’re seeing multi-gen groups going away for a week to 14 nights in Dubai. It’s not a stopover anymore. And that’s driven by places like Atlantis the Palm and Atlantis the Royal where they have the world’s largest water park and more than 52 bars and restaurants – everyone is constantly entertained.”

She says there’s also a trend towards nostalgia travel.

“People are going back to places they love: Italy, Sri Lanka, India, and Africa, and they seem to be booking with a quick departure.

“We had a traveller calling on Monday for an arrival to the Maldives of that Thursday at US$3k a night, so to book that shortly is extraordinary and it happens often, and so knowing where the best places are to send them, where they’ll still get an exceptional experience at the last minute is vital.”

She says there are also more people wanting to take bleisure trips.

“They can work from anywhere, so why not? And that means considering properties where they have great Wi-Fi and places to work from, as well as play.”

Atlantis the Royal Horizon Penthouse

Looking ahead

Kobiolke says advisors should keep an eye on Saudi Arabia and the potential growth there.

And she says multi-gen will continue to grow with an element of getting off the beaten track, “places like Albania, Romania and Scotland”.

But she says ultimately, it’s about focusing on the detail.

“Engage with the right people to get your clients the right experience when they are on the ground.

“If the trip is seamless, they’ll come back to you time and time again and that’s about collaboration with the market.”

For more information, visit Numinous.

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