This article provides an overview of trends in luxury leisure travel, showcases Luxury Frontiers' business model, and highlights the rationale behind Luxury Frontiers' global partnership with HVS's Athens and Milan offices.

Over the past several years, and particularly after the 2008 global recession, there has been a notable shift in the preferences of buyers of luxury goods and services. Gone are the days of opulent excess as research has repeatedly shown "a shifting tendency among the affluent to seek and discover authentic experiences as opposed to purchasing and owning physical luxury items" (2014 MasterCard Affluent Report). For instance, over 72% of respondents in a 2013 American Express survey said they would rather spend money on experiences than material goods. Moreover, luxury consumers desire bespoke and personalized products and services, and nowhere is this truer than in luxury travel.