Wildest dreams

With its dream itineraries - and hefty price tags to match - the bespoke travel trend has started to take hold in Hong Kong. Local high fliers are turning to travel 'designers' to avoid having to book and plan their own trips or settle for cookie-cutter package deals from travel agencies. Luxury travel trade veteran Lorenzo Urra, who started Global Nomad (www.global-nomad.com) in Hong Kong in 2008 and has been in the trade since 2002, spotted the opportunity in the Hong Kong market. 'Although the concept is relatively new to Hong Kong, I see it has huge potential because people here are very savvy about travelling and it's about time they realised that price is not the luxury; time is.' Lucy Jackson, director of Lightfoot Travel (www.lightfoottravel.com), which launched in Hong Kong in May, says: 'The trend is really going strong. Hong Kong clients are tuned in on what's happening in Asia and beyond now. Before, they didn't know the other options available and now they don't have to settle for second best.' Before opening their Hong Kong branch, a quarter of Lightfoot's clients in Singapore were from Hong Kong. Exotic destinations such as Africa and Antarctica are becoming popular destinations for bespoke travel, says Jackson. Urra agrees. 'In the late '90s people were taking all those trophy trips - they loved to go shopping abroad. But now I have clients even from China who'd book a trip to Antarctica to celebrate birthdays. People are picking up on it quickly.' Business took off when former Nomura loan chief Jose Cortes and ex-banker Victor Dizon started Asia to Africa Safaris (www.atoasafaris.com) in Hong Kong in 2002. 'People seem to want to avoid group packages and sign up for the better experience,' says Shy Perez-Sala, Asia to Africa's Hong Kong-based managing partner. 'Ninety-five per cent of our clients have never been to Africa and many have never tried a bespoke service before. They hear about us mainly through word of mouth.' Local interest in Africa is increasing, she adds. 'Hong Kong people have always been adventurous. We've seen the market shifting. Before, there were a lot of expats [interested], but now most clients approaching us are locals.' 'I love the more exotic places,' says banker Shirley Kwok, who booked her 10-day honeymoon in Kenya with Asia to Africa in January. 'I want to go to those places that may need a bit more effort. I can always go shopping in Paris but probably not safari in Africa.' Kwok says she had an incredible experience. They stayed at three different camps and enjoyed activities that they chose, including safaris, hiking, hot-air ballooning and candlelit dinners in a tent in the middle of a jungle. 'The dinner was the highlight of the trip. We had 10 people serving just two of us. We danced with people from the local tribes,' she says. She says she was thrilled when, during the safari, they found themselves surrounded by 20 lions in the wild. Business analyst James Luk was also left smitten by his wilderness honeymoon in South Africa, booked through Asia to Africa. 'I've never been so close to wild animals. If I was given a chance to go back, I would definitely do it again,' Luk says. 'The agents actually have personal experience and know the people who run the camps and the safaris.' Perez-Sala used to be a client as well - she booked her honeymoon trip with the company before taking on the venture. 'The founders and I are all passionate about travelling in Africa. There are so many magical places there. It's pristine and the experience is unique and quite addictive,' she says. The secret to bespoke travel, Perez-Sala says, is in the details. 'We cater to your requirements for the trip. We know which table in which restaurant has the best view, which safari is more child-friendly, when to go and what to see. It's all very specific,' she says. 'And these things make a difference.' Urra and his team of consultants have also visited the destinations they suggest to their clients. 'It's different if you have insiders. Even if you've been to Rome before, a visit to a private palazzo and having the owner talk you through their family history is nothing like a group tour,' he says. 'You see the same place with fresh eyes, travelling like a local,' Jackson says. 'We do familiarisation trips every year, especially to areas we don't have many connections with. We want to speak with knowledge because that's the key.' Booking in advance is essential with bespoke services. Global Nomads charges a deductible US$500 per head consulting fee to suggest an initial itinerary. No booking fees are required for Lightfoot Travel and Asia to Africa. The price range at Asia to Africa is from HK$31,000 per person for a week-long trip. Both Luk and Kwok paid about HK$65,000 per person for their trip, while local travel agencies offer one-week packages to Africa that cost from about HK$6,000 to more than HK$30,000. Kwok feels it was a fair deal. 'You can probably go through a local agency that is a lot cheaper and end up checking in to hotels with another 200 people from Hong Kong; nothing as exclusive and pampered. I've never been a big fan of those packages.' Urra says: 'My biggest challenge now is to change people's habits in settling for those very price-driven packages. We also work with a budget, but we don't want to compromise on quality. 'You know, it's better to take the kids to Africa before you get old and grey than being buried with a half-a-million-dollar crocodile bag,' he adds, laughing.