Rising in luxury
Opening a new luxury travel agency in the middle of a pandemic may seem like a bold move, but Wells Luxury Travel Ltd.’s founder and president Kemi Wells is seizing the opportunity to gear up to cater to affluent travellers seeking concierge-style travel management for luxury getaways. Travel Courier caught up with Wells to discuss the opportunities of luxury travel, learn more about their hourly fee-based model and much more.
Congratulations on launching Wells Luxury Travel. What led you to start a new agency during the pandemic?
Thank you! There were a number of factors which led to me deciding to launch Wells Luxury Travel. I was at a crossroads in my career. I had been working at North South Travel for six years and had learned so much about the business wearing many different hats in my role; which was amazing and kept me busy.
However, over time it became clear that I had a much greater interest in the luxury side of the business. During the pandemic I adapted to working at home for the first time ever, and I really enjoyed it. I also had time to take a step back and think about my personal and career goals.
Travel has always been my first love and I’ve always considered myself a hard worker, going above and beyond in every job I’ve ever had. It was a difficult decision to leave as I was so close with my General Manager, Liz Fleming, however, it almost felt like a “now or never” time for me to make a move and invest the time, money and energy into starting my own business. I always grew up with my Mum telling me to reach for the stars and my father was a big driver in this as well, encouraging me to take the leap of faith to become my own boss as he said I would never look back.
I know some people may think I am crazy, but many have commended me on the bold move, believing it is actually the perfect time to launch a new travel company. And I agree. I think the pent up demand our industry will face on a global scale, is undeniable.
I felt launching at the start of 2021 was the best idea, allowing me to start fresh as we entered a new year of hope. I knew these first six months would still be a rollercoaster. I prepared for this with my business planning and finances. It also gives me time to properly plan, strategize and get all my processes in place so I am ready for the boom! I will be able to hit the ground running once the pandemic is over.
Wells currently sits on Travel + Leisure Magazine’s Advisory Board, Virtuoso’s Global Member Advisory Board, and the Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network Board. Wells has managed the community for the Young Vancouver Travel Professionals for the past five years and was awarded the “Tomorrow’s Leader Award” in 2015.
My tagline is “exclusive by nature, spectacular by design.” I know I am not for everyone, nor do I want to be. I believe having a niche, luxury focus and primarily dealing only with clients who come to me by referral, will best help my company start on the right footing with a qualified clientele who are excited to work with me and reap the benefits.
Kemi Wells
What kind of opportunities do you foresee in the luxury space?
I truly believe the opportunities are endless. I think as an industry, we can really elevate ourselves and raise the bar of our profession.
Research is showing, and I strongly believe, that luxury leisure travel will be bouncing back first. I think the fact that many hotel brands have not slowed down on their growth plans during the pandemic, shows their confidence in the return.
I also believe there is a huge opportunity in the fact that many people still don’t even work with a travel advisor or know that we really exist. The role of a travel advisor will become more important than ever and I think that’s why ensuring you are a true advisor and not just an agent/ “order-taker” will help set you apart from the rest. Clients will want to have an advocate and travel professional by their side for advice, expertise and support.
Tell us about your approach to charge an hourly fee and accept clients based on a referral system, and why that will be a successful method going forward?
Time is our most precious resource. It’s what we often say to our clients, but the reality is so many of us work incredibly hard for our clients and most are not compensated to match. The pandemic has only further solidified this, with many working for 12-18 months without pay. It is not a viable way for our industry to survive.
Charging hourly is the only true way to ensure we are compensated for our time and expertise. I also think clients will respect our time more with a dollar value attached to it. I noticed this when I started to play around with charging fees in the past couple of years; often a client would say “oh, actually I need to speak to my partner again as we aren’t sure we are actually going on this trip…” Bingo! This is exactly why we should be charging and collecting at least an initial retainer upfront before we do any work.
I have seen the incredible success from those who already charge fees. One example is Wendy Davis at Zebrano Travel in Toronto, who has been charging clients hourly for over 20 years! Another major advocate is Dr. Bob Joselyn, who has been promoting charging professional fees since 1984. He is often a key speaker at Virtuoso conferences, and I have learned a lot from his sessions.
My goal is to get to a point where my hourly fees cover my business and base life expenses. By seeing the commission as the “cherry on top” it will remove the risk of us working for free. If you do work and the clients decide to change their mind on the destination, or if something comes up and the trip doesn’t happen at all, it means we are still compensated regardless.
When it comes to referrals- I strongly believe referrals are the most valuable form of marketing. They require almost no financial investment, yet are more likely to result in high-quality, warm leads.
My tagline is “exclusive by nature, spectacular by design”: I know I am not for everyone, nor do I want to be. I believe having a niche, luxury focus and primarily dealing only with clients who come to me by referral, will best help my company start on the right footing with a qualified clientele who are excited to work with me and reap the benefits.
Industry veteran Samantha Jervis and travel writer Julie-Anna Vogel are founding affiliates of Wells Luxury Travel Ltd. Jervis brings over 28 years of luxury cruise and hotel experience to the business and Vogel brings many years of luxury travel and lifestyle writing experience and was recently nominated as one of Travel + Leisure’s Rising Stars for 2021.
Do you have any tips to share on how travel advisors can pivot their focus during this challenging time in preparation for future bookings?
I believe setting goals or having projects can really help with focus. Honestly, as I spent the last half of 2020 turning my idea of starting up, to making it a reality, it kept me so driven and focused, I did not have spare time to get bogged down in the day to day or the depressing news. The only way forward is to focus on the future.
I also suggest dedicating time to creating blog posts reliving your old trips and favourite travel memories. It will be a nice pick me up for you, reflecting on those amazing memories. Then you have content to share with your clients, which should equally inspire them to think back to those great trips you have planned for them. Making them remember your value even more!
I know many had extreme Zoom fatigue during 2020, but I do encourage you to start re-connecting with suppliers if you haven’t already. I love the creativity I have seen from our partners changing up the meeting formats and content to make it inspirational and fun.
We must remember, it’s not a matter of IF things will get better, just WHEN. We just have to hang in there a bit longer…
What do you think travellers are looking for from a post-pandemic vacation experience? With exclusivity and privacy, it seems like luxury travel really fits the bill.
Absolutely, and this is another reason I think the luxury travel industry is going to thrive more than ever post-pandemic. We all have realized how precious time is and how quickly our freedom was taken away from us. I believe travellers will be looking to prioritize some of those “bigger” trips they may have been saving for the future. I believe travellers will want to know what our partners are doing to keep them safe. Open spaces, being in nature and re-connecting with loved ones is going to be the priority for most.
Can you share a travel experience that has impacted who you are today?
Back in 2009, when I was 22 years old and just finished my degree, I left my home and security in England (where I am originally from) and went backpacking for a year around the world. This was a pivotal point in my life as travelling solo forces you to become comfortable in your own skin, to have confidence to meet new people and it allowed me to truly absorb the culture and traditions of the destinations I was visiting. Travelling alone forces you out of your comfort zone and I can’t recommend solo travel enough as I believe it is the best education you can get in your life.
I also think the fact I have backpacked and travelled on an extreme budget and seen some of the poorest regions in the world, makes me eternally grateful. I am thankful for my life daily. Though I often joke it’s a dangerous thing, as once you cross the line and experience luxury travel, you never want to go back and do anything else!
