You can have the world at your beck and call

Having a personal butler, tickets to a sold out concert, or a last-minute flight to a tropical island are some of the luxuries that many can only dream of. Yet, Dubai is the city where such dreams become reality, experts say.
The link between such a dream and reality are the skilled teams at concierge companies, which dedicate themselves to creating a truly memorable moment.
"I remember my first client and his special request: a proposal in Saint Tropez," says Anaïs Peyraud, CEO and founder of Horizon-Concierge.
"We organised everything he wanted on a beach restaurant - flowers, sun beds, music, a huge pièce montée cake, and even a plane dragging a flag with 'Will you marry me?' written on it. It was memorable for me, as it was the first time that I saw in someone's eyes that I had made a difference and how happy they were. That makes what I do so rewarding."
Rob Nicholas, CEO of myconcierge.com, explains that his company specialises in bringing concierge curated experiences to those short of time. "Affluent consumers these days want to spend their time and their money well, but of these two assets, time is by far the most important. Nobody wants to spend a valuable day of leisure on an experience they don't enjoy," he explains.
Asked about the type of clients that her company handles, Peyraud said that the company's clientele mostly consists of customers who don't want to stay in hotels and request a full butler service in their private properties.
Many of the travelers request a full organisation of their stay, from their business flight tickets to trendy restaurant reservations and private bespoke desert safaris. Horizon-Concierge organises between 12 and 20 complete journeys per month.
GCC residents travelling abroad want the best out of the country they visit, and will normally demand private chefs, grocery shopping delivery, private drivers, luxury sports cars, and activities such as dining in some of the most famous restaurants in town.
Such tailor-made activities and services don't come cheap, and Peyraud estimates that such travellers are willing to pay around Dh7,500 per week.
While the demand for such services isn't new, market research has shown an upswing in the industry in recent years.
The worldwide industry market was valued at $1.5 billion in 2013, with 60 per cent of that concentrated in the US.
However, when it comes to future growth, the focus for many companies will be on developing markets with improving per capita disposable income.
The global industry today is worth more than $297 million in annual revenue each year, registering an annual growth of 4.2 per cent from 2011 to 2016.
New entrants into the market, such as Emirates World Club, have taken note of the growing opportunities in recent years. Founder Romika Fazeli describes it as providing exclusive services to the world's elite.
"Our mission is to satisfy our members' search for a more comfortable, worry-free and luxurious life and an unforgettable experience for travellers... or when relocating and even personal shopping." The company offers traveller packages and memberships for both private and corporate. Membership packages are priced from Dh18,000 to Dh35,000, while corporate packages can go up to Dh50,000.
While many concierge companies operate on a membership-based system, some such as myconcierge.com have carved out their own niche.
"Our business proposition fills a gap between online travel agents [OTAs] and concierge companies as we cross-over into each area but also occupy our own unique space. Differently to an OTA, we are very selective of the experiences we carry on-site and they are all designed for mass-affluent consumers; and differently to a concierge company, we extend bespoke services but charge no membership fees," says Nicholas.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com

Rohma Sadaqat

rohma@khaleejtimes.com