The Luxury Century
What does luxury means these days in China and across the world? And is Macau really becoming the new darling of the world’s luxury club? In the first part of this feature, Closer explores the new concepts of luxury in travel. In a world of private jets, Macau has found its place.
When the Chinese government commissioned Sir Norman Foster to design the biggest airport in the world, it was not only thinking about the natural waves of visitors coming to Beijing for the Olympics last August.
Beijing is becoming ‘hot” for the world’s travellers interested in quality shopping, fine dining and cutting-edge arts and design. And foreigners are flocking to the imperial capital, strolling in fashionable Wanfujing or wandering amongst the many galleries of the 798 complexes in the Dashanzi Art district. Never heard of them? Don’t worry because it’s just a matter of time before they become as famous as Tokyo’s Ginza, London’s Knightsbridge or Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue or bohemian Greenwich Village.
And China has the advantage of experimenting with everything, without the prejudices of Europe or the United States about what’s tasteful and acceptable.
After years of a forced diet of state-owned department stores, Mao style jackets, scarce food and grey buildings, the Chinese new rich want it all, and want it now: the cars, the brands, the best wines and delicacies, the glossy houses and the partying lifestyle. Of course the recognition of Western brands has made Vuitton bags, Mercedes and BMWs instant best sellers. But what’s amazing in Communist China is this ability of toying with iconic Maoist symbols and bringing them to the mainstream market culture: “1949” for instance is the year Mao Zedong entered Beijing, but in trendy circles of the capital, everyone knows it as a complex of high-end restaurants and bars where you can start an evening of chic dining, drinking and dancing. One day North Korea’s leader Kim Yong Il’s sunglasses will certainly become a “must have” item everywhere, after the fall of the regime, or after his fall (no one knows yet if one will necessarily be linked to the other).
Is fast-expanding capitalism the best breeding ground for luxury? Not necessarily, but money helps for sure. The truth is that the Chinese are now playing with luxury like a fascinated child plays with new toys on Christmas Day, with the only difference is that her dolls, little cars and consoles cost thousands, if not millions, at Bulgari stores, Rolls-Royce dealers and Chateau D’Iquem vineyards.
Travel and hospitality specialist Varun Sharma defines all the above as “McDonalds luxury” - great for the growing number of rich people, but hardly interesting for a connoisseur.
Many of the experts I’ve spoken to in the different areas of fashion, food and wine, concierge services, travelling and hospitality, define ‘luxury’ as having time to do what they want, where they want and with whom they want. It can be hiking in the Andes or snorkelling on an island in the north of Mozambique, or simply escaping to a country retreat on the weekends.
So free-time, which was a granted right in our parents’ and grandparents’ days, is now a precious rarity. We have become hostages of non-stop work due to an ever-evolving technological world that makes it virtually impossible to be unreachable no matter where you are. What became a key necessity though, unlike in our parents’ times, is travelling, and with that, the need to do it in comfort and style. If time is luxury, one wants to use it with all the perks available, whether you’re working or enjoying yourself on a well-deserved break.
A jet to slow down your stress
Macau’s Jet Asia (part of the SJM group) CEO Chuck Woods has just seen his eight private jets being “baptised” in a hangar transformed at a glamorous cocktail event. The times might be tainted by recession, but Mr. Woods doesn’t see the credit crisis determining his clients’ decisions to give up private jet trips. Not for now anyway.
“Operating private jets and serving clients that are perhaps a bit more insulated from the credit crisis, in that they don’t have to borrow the money, really gives us an advantage over other operators that might be selling seats,” Woods says.
And one can understand why you wouldn’t want to give up what is by any definition a luxurious service.
“What luxury means to our clients is that door to door service, from the moment the limo leaves their residence to the moment that the limo drops them at their destination,” Mr. Woods explains.
That means arriving at the airport and not having to line up and queue for tickets and immigration clearance, being able to go into an executive lounge where customers are given a snack, a nice place to sit and Internet access, and having their documents whisked away and returned five minutes later. Then, be better thanthey go out in a nicely appointed car to the airplane.
“Things just move along”, Woods explains, “I think in many cases our clients, whether they are high net-worth individuals or corporate clients, they are kind of looking for the same thing, they are looking for the maximisation of their time.”
Attention to detail is also vital at this level: the uniforms, the handling, and the concierge supporting conveniences for the extra-things they want to do. And once on board, the service has to be better or perceived to in first class on standard airlines. Plus, there’s the question of image among your friends and society in general.
“I think that image has got a lot to do with luxury too. When they arrive, now they’ve arrived, because their friends see them stepping off the private plane, and your image is set,” Woods says.
What Jet Asia does, is done all over the world these days, but the fact that it is being conducted successfully just four years after the liberalization of the gaming industry, means that Macau can now attract a type of customer who would not have considered the city as a necessary stop-over in the past.
“I think that with all the competitors in Macau, they are all very good in providing their own brand of service and luxury”, Mr Woods says, “I think you can put that luxury pin on the map called Macau.”
