Redefining Luxury Travel: Insights from Finland's Approach

The New York Times gave me an opportunity to comment briefly on our research about luxury travel, and I thought I'd share the findings a bit more widely.

Commissioned by VisitFinland, we investigated global luxury travelling and Finland's offerings in 2018, discovering that luxury doesn't have to be flashy, formal, or self-centered. The essence of a luxury experience isn't dictated by its appearance. We found six key criteria that define a luxury service
experience

1) everything is preplanned and effortless
2) It feels like tailor-made for you
3) the service is flexible and adapts to your needs
4) you feel undisturbed and safe
5) you are provided with unique experiences
6) there's a sense of exclusivity

Therefore, experiencing luxury isn't about where you are or what
you're wearing; whether you're in overalls in a winter forest or dressed up in
a high-end hotel or restaurant, it's about consistently meeting these key
criteria.

The Finnish luxury experience often lies beneath the surface, not immediately visible to everyone, which adds to its allure to those who are really experienced travelers. I feel that since 2018, Finland's luxury tourism has seen substantial development, creating a network capable of delivering authentic luxury experiences from the south to the north. This progress is also nicely noted in The New York Times article.