Now Integral to the Luxury Experience: Sustainability, Wellness, Creativity

A recent LinkedIn post from Sarah Threlfall stopped me in my tracks. “I’ve decided not to fly unless absolutely unavoidable. No more FAMs or networking in sunnier climes,” the managing director at Brightspace Events, in the U.K., announced. “Unfortunately, I just don’t see the same understanding/urgency in the rest of the industry, or indeed the wider population.

Since travel can be responsible for 70 percent of the emissions related to any event, “Sustainable aviation really is the key if we stand any chance of protecting our planet,” she said. And she’s right. We, as members of an industry that relies on air travel, could be taking more professional and personal responsibility to grow awareness, and also make some real-life changes in how we travel. Start with carbon offsets. Yes, they have a bad rap, but work is underway now to create standards to help ensure that these credits actually go where they’re supposed to go, as contributing editor Sue Pelletier reported in a recent article on prevuemeetings.com.

There are also steps you can take as an individual traveler. For example, try booking on a newer aircraft, since these tend to be more energy-efficient, and try to book a non-stop flight, since almost a quarter of fuel is spent during takeoffs and landings. 

And why not reach out to the associations that lobby our elected officials on behalf of the business events industry and ask them to put sustainable aviation on their agendas? Among them: the Global Business Travel Association and the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance.

Like Sarah, we can make a difference—one person at a time!

This month’s cover story by contributing editor Lisa Simundson focuses on the shift in luxury incentive experiences and how wellness and creativity are becoming an integral part of those. In South Korea, for example, termplestay programs have grown more popular, where visitors stay overnight in a Buddhist temple to meditate, drink tea and eat Buddhist/vegan style. In Los Cabos, Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the tourist board, says, “Attendees staying in a super luxurious hotel don’t mind getting their hands dirty with clay in a pottery class, or participating in farm-to-table, chopping vegetables, and learning with chefs in the kitchen. They really want that experience.”

Also in this issue, you’ll get the 411 on what new meeting and incentive experiences are on offer in the Tri-State region and in U.S. mountain resorts. When it comes to cruising, the Seashores column puts the focus on small luxury ships that are ideal for charters. There’s also a trio of on locations—New Orleans, Orlando and England. 

Enjoy the issue. —Barbara Scofidio