Plush interiors and impeccable service are no longer enough to attract high-net-worth-individuals (HNWI), according to Australia’s tourism industry. They believe that what luxury travellers are looking for these days is access to remote locations, exclusivity and a deep connection to a place.
Delegates attending Tourism Australia’s Luxury Getaway in the UK last week said that growing demand for off-the-beaten track locations confirms that, for HNWIs, the true value of a trip lies in what others cannot experience.
Matt McCausland, who represents G’Day Group – home to properties including El Questro, a luxury lodge in the East Kimberley in far northern Australia – said remoteness itself defines luxury in Australia. “No light pollution at night, you’ve got the Milky Way above you, you’ve got the Southern Cross above you,” said Matt. “It does have that sense of exclusivity. Guests travel to the end of the world into this super unique area.
“I think Australian luxury is really different from Dubai luxury in that it’s much more about the exclusivity of access to somewhere and that connection to nature, where you literally step out onto the back lawn here, and all you can see for miles around – well, there’s nothing apart from nature. So it’s just you, 19 other people, and the hosts who run the lodge.”
Tourism Northern Territory (NT) Regional Account Manager Fleur Sainsbury said the appeal of the NT lies in both the privilege of entry and the uniqueness of place.
“It’s about the luxury of the experience for us, and it’s a privilege to be allowed access to some of these places, which are still Indigenous-owned and just so special.
“It couldn’t be anywhere else but the top end of Australia, and that’s something really worth shouting about.”
Discover Aboriginal Experiences Executive Officer Nicole Mitchell added: “With Earth’s oldest living culture and more than 65,000 years of Indigenous history, there is a real privilege of place in some of the more remote parts of Australia.
“Because you haven’t seen Australia until you’ve seen and met someone who’s a knowledge holder. I think people want to travel for connection. They want to meet people, particularly in the luxury space. They want to decompress, they want to learn more, and they don’t want to do the tick-box experiences.”
Justine Mastin of True North, a luxury cruise operator in the Kimberley region said: “The gold taps and chandeliers aren’t what it’s about anymore. It’s more about the service, the touch, the feel.”
True North operates shallow-draft vessels that can access places larger ships can’t reach. “Because of that, we are in a good place at the moment. A lot more people are looking to immerse themselves more in a destination. This is totally immersive. The bigger boats are at the mouth of the river, and we can get right into the whole river network. We’re alone,” she said.
“We get up close to waterfalls and waterholes people don’t even know exist, let alone get to. We take our helicopter up there, you can’t get more immersive.”
Mark Renshaw, Director of experiential luxury hospitality brand Beckons, said clients’ expectations have shifted significantly. “Twenty years ago, you could put an iPad charger, fluffy towels and slippers in a room and call it luxury. It was about the product. Now that’s just expected, if it’s not there, clients question it.
“Some of these clients have multiple homes and all of them are stunning. No matter how good your property is, you can’t compete with that.
“So the only thing you can offer is experience – things they simply can’t replicate at home, like a private helicopter flight to the Great Barrier Reef or a First Nations cultural experience. You have to lean into what you have.”
For Penny Rafferty, Executive Chair of the membership association Luxury Lodges of Australia, this shift reflects a broader global trend. “What people are seeking in true luxury travel is not about consumption and bling things, but it is about rare access to places and experiences and nature.”
When selling Australia, she said: “I hardly ever talk about rooms. It’s about why you go and how it’s going to make you feel. When we talk about our luxury, it’s rare access. Place. It’s not about following what everyone else is doing… seeking remote is a really common trend.
“But, the luxury is, you’re not just in a remote place, you’re there with a guide that’s teaching you something, someone else has just handed you a perfect gin and tonic, you’re in a beautiful four-wheel drive safari vehicle, but you’ve got access to places that nobody else can go, unless they’re staying at that lodge.”
Wellness continues to play a role, but suppliers noted it is increasingly tied to nature and authenticity rather than traditional spa-led offerings. “People are seeking remote, but also seeking connection,” Penny added.
“There’s an understanding that our wellbeing is directly connected to the wellbeing of the planet. People want to regain a sense of self through connection to place and nature. They’re seeking knowledge, something real – meeting the gin maker and seeing where the botanicals are picked. It’s not factory-made, it’s personal. So seeking real, seeking remote, seeking self.”
Journey Beyond Business Development Manager Richard Howarth highlighted Western Australia’s Sal Salis’ eco-luxury safari resort as an example of experience-led luxury defined by location and restraint.
“You think of a very fancy hotel, somebody in a hat and bow tie standing outside, but that is not what the luxury of Sal Salis is,” he said. “It’s about its very unique location – it’s kind of a safari-style resort. You’ve only got 16 rooms and it’s all about getting there and really being involved with nature.
“That remoteness is intentional rather than incidental. The resort is totally off-grid and that is very much on purpose. That’s what we know our clients want, that’s why they’re going there,” he said. “There’s no air conditioning… little electricity… water has to be tanked in, so it’s a rare commodity. But that becomes part of the eco awareness of our guests.
“We explain that water is limited, use it sparingly. When I stayed there, people were almost competing over how little water they used. It becomes part of the experience.”
