Bespoke travel is booming – and that’s great news for Glion alumni Adam Rzane and Marie Jabre, who’ve both chosen to specialize in this segment of the travel and tourism industry. The Insider caught up with them to find out more…
The limousine is awaiting your arrival. Your name is on the board being held up by your personal driver for this trip. Tonight you’ll dine in splendor at the chef’s table; and tomorrow sees a day of exploring which includes exclusive access to two sites of national importance.
Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But it’s not a fantasy – it’s just another day in the rarefied world of bespoke travel.
Far from a new phenomenon (the Grand Tours organized for nobility in the 17th-19th centuries are probably the earliest examples) the bespoke travel sector has emerged from the pandemic years in rude health, as those with the means seek something unique to reconnect with the world, as well as an experience away from the crowds.
According to Maximize Market Research, the global bespoke travel market was worth $336 billion last year; and the India-based researcher predicts it to grow to $569 billion by 2030.
Though it tends to be associated with the luxury segment, bespoke travel can also be about making more fundamental connections with nature and ecology, as part of a wider goal of living more sustainably. And at its extremes it can involve adventures in hostile environments – mountains, deserts, jungles – that are a world away from the comforts of a 5* hotel or luxury villa.
Touching down in bespoke travel
To discover more about the business of bespoke travel, we spoke to Marie Jabre and Adam Rzane, two Glion alumni who have both made their home within it.
Marie recently launched ChillShams Travel Consulting, having graduated from her Master’s in Hospitality, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in 2021. Adam, meanwhile, completed his Bachelor’s in International Hospitality Business in 2021 and, after weighing up offers in banking and hospitality, answered the call to return to his native Morocco to take up a position with his family’s destination management company (DMC).
For Marie, this new venture is a way to build an enterprise from her own wanderlust, using knowledge picked up from her extensive travels to design bespoke travel experiences that blend cultural immersion, ecotourism and adventure.
“People tend to associate bespoke travel with luxury, but while I do have clients who want the full 5* treatment, I have others with smaller budgets. In both cases my clients are primarily looking for a trip that’s as sustainable as possible, and also one in which they can make a human connection with the area and its people.”
Marie Jabre
She says, “People tend to associate bespoke travel with luxury, but while I do have clients who want the full 5* treatment, I have others with smaller budgets. In both cases my clients are primarily looking for a trip that’s as sustainable as possible, and also one in which they can make a human connection with the area and its people.”
Although the learnings from her Master’s studies have helped Marie in establishing her business, it was study of a very different nature that she feels has given her an extra edge. “I took my Bachelor’s degree in Political Science as, coming from Lebanon, I wanted to get a better grasp of the wider geopolitical situation,” she explains.
“I think this has helped me to be more sensitive to my surroundings wherever I’ve lived and traveled. I moved to Latin America after I graduated, living in Chile and learning Spanish. And that region remains one of my main areas of expertise when it comes to designing travel programs.”
New York to Morocco
The trigger for Adam’s move into bespoke travel can be traced back to his time at Glion, and specifically a Bachelor’s degree internship that took him to New York to work for the international marketing agency BMF.
“That was a great experience, because we were creating bespoke events and experiences for some of the leading companies in the world. I learned a lot; and so when my father asked me to come back home, he tasked me with developing the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) side of the business, with a special focus on the incentive travel segment.”
Already aware of the business opportunity in North America from his time with BMF, Adam initially targeted that region, subsequently widening the net to the UK, Canada, Latin America and Italy.
Now the business, renamed Access Morocco, is diversifying its bespoke travel offer further, by developing new, authentic and different experiences for leisure clients.
“Morocco has basically been sold the same way for about 20 years. The same camel rides, the same medina over and over. But, you know, this country has so much more to offer. For instance, people are shocked when I mention that Morocco is the biggest wine producer in the Arab world. We produce around 40 million bottles a year, and we even have our own variety, gray wine (vin gris), which sits somewhere between a white wine and a rosé. We take our clients to some of the best wineries for VIP tours and tastings.”
Adam Rzane
“Morocco has basically been sold the same way for about 20 years,” says Adam. “The same camel rides, the same medina over and over. But, you know, this country has so much more to offer. For instance, people are shocked when I mention that Morocco is the biggest wine producer in the Arab world. We produce around 40 million bottles a year, and we even have our own variety, gray wine (vin gris), which sits somewhere between a white wine and a rosé.
“We take our clients to some of the best wineries for VIP tours and tastings. And we have access to places that other operators don’t, because we know people. For example, another special experience we can arrange is a private visit to Yves Saint Laurent’s house in Marrakech. Any member of the public can buy a ticket to the garden or the museum, but we can take our guests inside the house itself, thanks to our close relationship with the Foundation.”
Hunting the hidden gems
As a personal travel consultant, Marie is acutely aware of the need to go ‘off the beaten track’ to find hidden gems in the destinations she covers. “Wherever I go, especially if it’s somewhere new, I take lots of notes and have my phone in my hand ready to photograph and pin interesting places on my Google Maps. For example, when I was traveling around the coast of northern Spain, there are quite a few well-known beaches, but if you walk for half an hour, you can find the most beautiful, transparent blue water beach, like a postcard.
“You have to be on the spot to explore and find these hidden gems – and that’s my work during my travels.”
While inside knowledge of Morocco as a destination is fundamental to Adam’s business, the greater resources he can call upon have allowed more control over the delivery of the experience. For example, Access Morocco has recently invested in its own transportation service.
“This is all about quality of service – we have very high-end clients coming to spend 10 days here in Morocco, and they have the same driver and vehicle for all this time. So if you have a good driver, you have a good experience. And we’ve equipped our vehicles with extras like Wi-Fi and fridges for cold drinks. These simple details make a difference.”
The company is also developing its first hotel in the city of Ouarzazate, known as Morocco’s ‘Hollywood’ due to the area’s use as a location for major movies including Prince of Persia, Gladiator and American Sniper. The hotel project is helping Adam to reconnect with his hospitality roots and he hopes it will pave the way for other properties to be developed that will add to the country’s quality hotel stock.
Secrets of success
Having laid out some of the challenges and opportunities in bespoke travel, what do Marie and Adam feel are the crucial personal attributes needed to be successful in this field?
Marie believes that passion and persistence are both essential. “I am passionate about traveling – during the summer that’s just passed I visited six countries in less than three months. And of course, when I post photos on my social media people think my life is so glamorous and all about drinking mojitos on the beach! But it’s during these trips where I learn more about a region, explore new places, find the best restaurants. It’s my work during my travels – to find the hidden things that nobody knows about.”
“Flexibility is key” says Adam. “Because you have to deal with a lot of different suppliers when you put a bespoke trip together. Guides, hotels, experience providers – and then on the other side you have clients from all over the world, who each have their own interests and demands. So being flexible, proactive, and just adapting to different mentalities and personalities is really important.”
And what of future trends in this fast-moving corner of the travel business? Marie believes that the sustainable and ecotourism element will continue to gain in prominence.
“People are becoming more aware of their environmental footprint and are seeking destinations that are eco-friendly. I hear this more and more, and the hospitality industry will have to respond. With the trips I put together I try to balance the best possible experience with being as sustainable as possible,” she says.
“Something else we can’t ignore is technology, including AI. I’m often asked how I deal with AI, because it is possible to go into ChatGPT and write ‘make me an itinerary for seven days in Paris’. And sure, you’ll get an itinerary, but you won’t get that authentic experience, with the hidden gems, that a consultant like me can provide. I’m also able to use my languages to help build partnerships with local businesses, and these allow me to create even more customized experiences.”
Their approaches may be different, but at heart they share the same passions… we’ll be following Marie and Adam’s adventures in bespoke travel closely, and we wish them every success with their respective ventures!
- To discover more about Access Morocco, visit the website
- To discover more about ChillShams Travel Consulting, visit the website
Photo credits
Main image: EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER/Getty
Sunrise: John Crux Photography/Getty
Le Jardin Majorelle, Morocco: Balate Dorin/Getty
Spanish beach: Miguel Sotomayor/Getty
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