TIME STOPPER

SEAMASTER AQUA TERRA BY OMEGA

Swiss watchmaker Omega has cra ed two unique timepieces in tribute to the grand sporting event - the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Omega is the o cial Timekeeper of the Olympic Games since 1932, and serving in this role for the 29th time this time. Cra ed in full 18K yellow gold, and o ered in 38mm or 41mm sizes, the new Seamaster Aqua Terra watches are distinctive in their radiant yellow gold cases, embodying the premium standard in watch and jewellery making, and its mesmerising balance between usefulness and purity. omegawatches.com

The need of the hour - bespoke trips

Customised vacations have become more important than ever, says the co-founder of a bespoke travel agency

JUHI CHHEDA CO-FOUNDER, CUSTOMHOLIDAYS

Travel, they say is no longer a luxury but a necessity. e advancement of transport technology along with the internet have made it possible to not just access a destination but also the information about it.

But that is not enough. A ight ticket, hotel reservation and a city tour does not make the perfect holiday for today’s consumer. Each generation consumes di erently and today’s travellers want more. Be it luxury or a ordable travel, the contemporary consumer aspires for a holiday that not just looks great on their social media feed but also helps them grow and develop new facets of self. ey want bespoke travel experiences designed keeping them and their interests in mind. ey yearn to discover not just the destination but themselves through travel.

LUXURY AND BESPOKE TRAVEL

Luxury and bespoke are words thrown around casually by many today. But what is luxury and bespoke travel? Does it mean expensive travel?

Well the answer is much the same for travel vis a vis a luxury brand. Luxury and bespoke does not only mean high quality and price. Staying in a 5-star hotel or ying business class is not di cult, anyone can do it. Today, luxury means more.

It means exclusiveness, uniqueness; not because it’s o ered to a few but rather because it’s designed for a few. Luxury and bespoke travel actually requires a lot of research, o ering new routes and unpredictable ways to experience a destination. It’s being unique not for the sake of being unique but because it actually adds value to the journey.

SOME EXAMPLES OF BESPOKE AND LUXURY EXPERIENCES

Many go to Switzerland and buy a Swiss watch for their loved ones, but a bespoke travel experience is to actually make that watch under the guidance of a master horologist; it makes the gi and the experience that much more special!

Winter and ski trips are very popular lately. But how about a place where you can not just ski but enjoy après ski activities like ice-karting, (it’s go-karting but on a frozen track!), mushing, night sledging etc or use ski li for a private romantic dinner?

At CustomHolidays we marry our destination knowledge and research with your travel dreams. e result is a holiday that

A ight ticket, not only o ers you the hotel reservation and a city tour best of everything you asked for but surpasses your expectations. does not make the Imagine a private luxury perfect holiday for camp setup for just you today’s consumer in the middle of the Moroccan desert or highlands of Scotland or mountains of Peru! Being able to experience the landscape so intimately and in complete privacy is bespoke luxury! e possibilities are exciting and endless! And we would be lying if we said we don’t enjoy planning these bespoke trips as much as you enjoy experiencing them. Today’s consumer wants these experiences, bragging rights to say I stayed at an invite only hotel or partied at a secret underground club or dined at an alfresco table set in the middle of the forest and served freshly foraged ingredients by a Michelin star chef! Today, everyone wants to #TravelBetter! BTI