Six Luxury Hotel Trends Apply To Limo Industry As Well

As brand loyalty diminishes in importance, and hotel chains come to look more and more the same, how can an upscale property stand out in the crowd?

We asked a number of hoteliers what they thought, and came up with these six trends:

1. High-end clients value their privacy.
2. Affluent travelers want a trip that goes above and beyond the standard concept of luxury.
3. As multi-generational travel surges, luxury properties are thinking long-term.
4. Hotels are incorporating state-of-the-art technology into guest rooms and front desks.
5. Expect hoteliers to continue expanding their footprint in Asia, where tourism continues to rise.
6. To give travelers the local experience they crave, hotel spas are using their surroundings as inspiration.

Travel Market Report article here

Keywords

building your clientele   customer service   hotels   industry trends   leisure travel   luxury market trends   VIP service   wealthy clients   

 

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Florida Operators Fight Unfair TNC Registration Advantage

FORT LAUDERDALE Fla. — Now that TNCs  can operate legally in Miami-Dade County following a May 13 city commission 9-2 vote, the Florida Limousine Association (FLA)  has set its sights on rectifying a vehicle for hire registration ordinance that gives TNCs an advantage.

FLA President Rick Versace told more than 40 members gathered at the association’s meeting May 13 that luxury ground transportation operators are required to have their cars registered in multiple counties, while TNCs are exempt from such registrations — and costs.

“Some of our vehicles on the road have as many as seven different decals on the windshield, while the TNCs are not hampered by the conflicting and overlapping licensing we are forced to endure,” said Versace. He said an Uber driver can be licensed in neighboring Broward County, but can cross into other countries without having additional registrations creating an “unfair playing field.”

“We are not looking for a free ride, we will pay the fees required but we need the ability to operate in all counties, just like Uber,” Versace said. The FLA is working with the various county authorities to revise their ordinances to allow reciprocal operation in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

In related action, some Florida operators are considering a lawsuit against Miami-Dade County for loss of business and permit values since TNCs started operations in Miami. Currently, the taxi industry has filed a $1 billion class-action lawsuit against the county for losses stemming from TNCs.

Keywords

FLA   Florida Limousine Association   Florida operators   limo associations   Rick Versace   TNCs   

 

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Star Tracks From The 2016 LCT Leadership Summit

The annual conference and recreational getaway brought together 133 industry friends and colleagues for some deep thoughts and serious fun May 22-24 at the SLS South Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla. As always, the best stories are told in photos. (Most photos by Sergey Yusin)

Keywords

Florida operators   industry education   industry events   industry leaders   LCT Leadership Summit   leadership   Miami Beach   networking   

 

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10 Most Expensive U.S. Business Travel Cities

Business travel in the United States only looks bad until you have to leave its borders.

London-based firm MVF Global and its U.S. Expert Market team compiled a list of the world’s most expensive cities for business travelers, and U.S. cities failed to crack the Top 20. By their measure, only New York ($442.59 per day) and San Francisco ($444.66) cracked the Top 30.

The Street article here

Keywords

business travel   business trends   corporate travel   industry trends   operating expenses   

 

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Veterans Become Chauffeurs In New York, London

After driving an armored vehicle along dusty, IED-rigged roads of Iraq and Afghanistan, navigating luxury vehicles through the streets of New York and London is a breeze for a growing team of chauffeurs whose transition to civilian life is being eased by an international startup.

The company is Capstar, and while the main service it provides clients is transportation, it also offers aviation, security and other personal services. But what it offers its highly disciplined employees may be even more important: a chance to use their habits and skills to build a successful civilian career.

Fox News article and video here

Keywords

aviation   chauffeur training   hiring chauffeurs   London operators   New York operators   security   startup   VIP service   wealthy clients   

 

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CEO Grows Company Into High Profile Baltimore Limo Service

What started as a dare resulted in a multimillion-dollar business for Gary Day that has served celebrities including Ray Rice, Jada Pinkett Smith, Prince, Courtney Love, Muhammad Ali, Janet Jackson and the Beach Boys.

After Day’s sister was killed by a drunken driver, his mother made him promise to never drink and drive, so he and his friends sometimes hired limousines for nights on the town. The limo services varied widely in quality.

Baltimore Sun article here

Keywords

business growth   business strategies   Maryland operators   operator profiles   

 

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NYC-DC Bus Service Adds Scheduled Luxury Class Runs

NEW YORK – Vamoose Bus, the intercity bus company that moves more than 7,000 travelers a week between the Washington, D.C. area and midtown Manhattan, is expanding its scheduled Business-class Gold Bus service.

Starting June 1, every Monday through Thursday travelers desiring a full day of business and pleasure in Manhattan can board a Vamoose Gold Bus in Arlington, Va., at 6 a.m. with an additional pick-up in Bethesda, Md., at 6:30 a.m., and arrive at West 30th Street and Seventh Avenue, one block from Penn Station in the heart of midtown Manhattan before 11 a.m.

No other bus company offers this service between New York City and the Washington, D.C. area.

“With the expansion of our premium Gold service, business travelers can now ride in the comfort of the Gold Bus and be in midtown Manhattan in time for lunch,” said Florence Bluzenstein, a company co-owner. “You will be able to do more – business meetings, theater, shopping, dining, or enjoy a full range of tourist activities during your day.”

In addition, the new Gold Bus departs at Noon for the DC area on Monday through Thursday each week. This new service supplements an existing late afternoon Gold Bus departure from New York.

The early morning departure from the DC area will supplement existing Gold Bus service which offers a scheduled 9 a.m. daily departure from Arlington, Va., with a single pick-up stop in Bethesda, Md., at 9:40 a.m., and an estimated 1:30 p.m. arrival in midtown Manhattan.

For fare and schedule information, or to reserve a seat, visit www.VamooseBus.com.

About the Vamoose Gold Bus
The Gold Bus serving the Washington-New York corridor features wide-body, “two-and-one” leather seating with extra arm- and legroom, on-board free Internet service (Wi-Fi), and 110-volt AC electric outlets. It carries only 36 passengers, compared to 56 seats on standard coach buses. The Gold Bus is in high demand for corporate travelers seeking an alternative to air travel or train. Vamoose believes its luxury service will appeal to any traveler who values comfort and amenities over standard lower cost service. Vamoose Bus was awarded “Best Bus to NYC” by Washingtonian Magazine in 2015.

Related: Vamoos Runs Gold-Level Motorcoach Service

Keywords

commuter services   line runs   luxury buses   motorcoaches   New York operators   Vamoose Bus   Washington DC operators   

 

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