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DG Amazing Experiences
Insider Travel Briefs For Private Aviation Travelers



 
Vol 5, No 4:
Four executive travel security trends you need to know about
 
Check out our DGAE Library featuring:
Insider reviews of unique experiences from VIP supercar tours of Italy, treks to see the Polar Bears, safaris in Africa, Cuba by private jet and previews of top suites and villas at hotels and resorts across the USA, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brasil, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Seychelles, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Tahiti, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, Vietnam, plus on the high seas aboard Regent Seven Seas Explorer, Seaboard Encore, Crystal Esprit, Crystal Mozart, Crystal Symphony, Norwegian Breakaway, and Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas


 
Travel Security

In addition to great hotel suites and travel experiences, we also like to intersperse the latest news and trends about executive security. In this issue we tap into the expertise of AS Solutions to share what they are seeing in the market and what it means to you. If you need a dose of luxury travel, make sure to check out the Most Popular section at the bottom of this newsletter with some of your favorite Special Reports as well as over a dozen Jet Card Insider Reports on various programs. Next week, back to focusing on nice ways to travel

All the best,

Doug Gollan
Founder/Editor


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Table of Contents 

A.  Private Aviation Headlines
B.  Before You Buy Reports - Jets, Yachts, Villas
Four Critical Trends in Executive Travel Security 
1.  As people travel more in general and uncertainty abounds, demand for niche secure travel support is growing
2.  Corporate use of secure travel services is not only getting broader, it’s getting deeper, too
3.  More high net worth individuals and families are turning to secure travel services
4.   The scope of secure travel services is growing
5.   Executive Security Reports Library
6.   Jet Card Insider Reports
7.   Best Of DG Amazing Experiences Library


A.  Private Aviation Headlines




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Four Trends In Travel Security
 
Tommy Christensen, director of AS Solution’s Global Special Services department, takes a helicopter view of why more corporations and high net worth individuals are opting for a wider variety of travel security services than ever before. Increased uncertainty around the world certainly plays a role, but so do the productivity benefits of seamless travel support and the growing use of secure travel services such as intelligence analysis and GSOCs.

by Tommy Christensen
 
1. As people travel more in general and uncertainty abounds, demand for niche secure travel support is growing

As businesses, personal incomes, and globalization grow, so does worldwide travel. And as global travel grows in general, so does demand for niche travel services specifically. It’s true for boutique hotels and experience-based holidays, and it’s true for travel security services.
 
There is a growing awareness of secure travel services as an alternative to getting by on your own in by using limo services, cabs, Uber, or public transportation.  As we pointed out in a previous blog, Secure local transportation: The missing link of executive travel, it’s only natural that corporate travelers who fly at the front of the plane and frequent high-end hotels also want the convenience, safety, and productivity enhancement that high-quality, secure local transportation can provide.
 
As more people use these security services and tell others about them, more people learn about them. We know that a lot of our business comes from referrals, travelers who have tried security travel support and recommended it to others. We’re growing, and others in the industry are growing, too.
 
A growing sense of uncertainty plays a definite if hard-to-quantify role here, too. Media coverage of terror attacks, mass shootings and workplace incidents makes many think twice about travel to places they previously or otherwise would consider safe. This includes entire countries, e.g., England or Indonesia, but also cities e.g., Paris or Chicago, that are in the news for the wrong reasons. Whether or not these places are objectively more or less safe now than they were a year ago depends on many factors and a more extensive analysis. But perception is reality. Coupled with higher levels of nationalism and political extremism, as well as increased focus on income disparity in many countries, the growing demand for travel security can be explained at least in part against this backdrop of psychological insecurity.
 
Although it costs more to hire a well-trained security driver and a properly vetted vehicle, high-end travel security is still a minor investment compared to other executive travel costs. As we will see below, more people are becoming aware of its multifaceted benefits.
 
2. Corporate use of secure travel services is not only getting broader, it’s getting deeper, too

From our perspective, it’s clear that more and more corporations are providing employees with travel security support. We’re doing more details for more clients. Over the last four years, the number of corporate secure travel clients we have served has grown by over 60%, while the number of secure travel projects we have completed for corporations has grown by nearly 300%. Although we have no statistics for other providers, we know that many of them have also been increasingly busy.
 
Why? Duty of care is one reason. As corporate decision-makers become aware of the benefits of secure travel services and weigh these against known travel risks, they are increasingly likely to choose secure travel services when employees travel not only to far-flung emerging markets, but for domestic travel as well. This leads to more and more people in companies using it – also employees at pay rates lower than those in the C-suite. We routinely provide support for all types of employees who are going to conferences or sales meetings, visiting suppliers, etc. – and not just the CEO.
 
But corporations’ focus on their principals’ productivity is also an important growth driver. As boards, managers, and principals gain a greater understanding of the productivity-boosting benefits of seamless secure travel support, many companies are making this a standard element of the travel package. As the EAA of a major company once told us: “You guys make it easier to travel, so we travel more.”
 
Even though travel security support is becoming more common, it can, however, still be an afterthought rather than something built into travel itineraries from the beginning. We see more and more last-minute requests for trip support, indicating either that travel plans change quickly (which we know they do), or that the decision to provide secure travel support for corporate employees was made on an ad hoc basis for other reasons – or, most likely, both.
 
We can also see that corporations are realizing that they don’t have the bandwidth to arrange for the steadily growing use of travel security support on their own and are increasingly outsourcing this to specialist partners. As the number and variety of travel destination grow, so does the need to maintain domestic and international networks to source the vetted experts who provide these services on the ground around the world.
 
3. More high net worth individuals and families are turning to secure travel services

Travel security support, both for business and personal travel, is also on the rise for high net worth individuals and families.
 
The reasons behind growth in this segment mirror those for corporate travelers to a large extent. The high net worth, too, travel more than ever. They are also affected by the increased sense of uncertainty in the world and want the best security for themselves and their loved ones. And their needs to stay productive while on the road and reduce the time-and-energy-consuming frictions of travel are also similar.
 
But the high net worth and celebrities have another reason to opt for secure travel services: privacy. Like highly prominent business people, they are interested in staying under the radar when traveling in order to reduce exposure and risk, and to minimize opportunities for those willing to take advantage of their wealth and notoriety.
 
Experienced security drivers who know their way around town – as well as the back way to avoid crowds when necessary – are one form of security travel support. Executive protection agents for some circumstances is another, as is having a trusted local partner check the principals into a hotel anonymously to prevent name recognition and unwanted attention. As we will see below, these and other services are just part of the growing types of support high net worth and corporate travelers expect.
 
4. The scope of secure travel services is growing
 
Finally, we need to mention how the scope of secure travel support is growing, and now consists of five main service types:
 
Security driving: A well trained and vetted security driver, along with a vetted vehicle, are the standard components of practically all the secure travel projects we deliver. This has clear security and privacy advantages compared to alternative forms of ground transportation and covers the needs of most travelers. In addition to the attendant convenience and productivity boosts, getting injured in traffic is still the number one danger for most travel destinations, so secure driving support is a simple but effective form of risk mitigation that we always recommend.
Executive protection: The next step for clients is typically one or more executive protection agents in addition to a security driver. This provides added security both when the clients are driving but also when they are out and about for either business or leisure purposes. Our clients add executive protection as needed, depending both on their personal prominence and the nature of risks they will be exposed to in given locations.
 
Intelligence analysis: Secure travel support in the form of intelligence analysis is definitely on the rise. This can be provided prior to or during trips in the form of security evaluations of or updates on travel destinations; security travel professionals with extensive local networks often have information about emerging risks before these hit official travel warnings.
 
Technology: Technology plays an increasingly vital role in secure travel support. To cover this properly would require another blog, but we will mention a few products for reference. Stabilitas, for example, has developed a platform that combines customized and constantly updated intelligence reports for destinations worldwide with individual and mass-notification emergency alerts. ProtectionManager lets executive protection and GSOC agents track principal locations globally, and also lets principals use their mobile phones to check in to provide location information or request emergency support.
 
GSOCs: Global security operations centers, or GSOCs, are also a growing part of the security travel mix. These centers, staffed 24/7/365, function as communication hubs and provide constant backup for travelers and other stakeholders, from corporate security directors to executive administrative assistants and significant others. GSOCs are the places where emergency support requests arrive first. GSOC staff process such emergencies and facilitate their resolution. They can also provide a wide range of other services, from booking transportation to remote concierge assistance.
As clients come to understand the scope of available services and discover their benefits, their adaptation grows. We expect all of the five areas mentioned above to continue to grow separately, but also in coordination with each other.



6. Executive Security Reports



7. Jet Card Insider Program Reviews



8. Our Most Popular Special Reports

If you are looking for more ideas and inspiration, check out some of our most popular Special Reports below...

Cuba with your own private jet
 


From driving classic cars to cigars, nightlife, nature and the arts, Cuba has so much to do. Johnny Considine, the Irish owner of Cuba Private Travel, who has been living in Havana for 15 years, has been featured in the likes of the Financial Times, Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler and The Telegraph. He recently told How To Spend It, “The quality of experience that you can have now in Cuba is top-notch. He can also arrange a tour of the island nation using your own private jet. Read more..


Seven hot superyachts for charter this Winter
 


We checked in with Northrop & Johnson’s top brokers to find out which superyachts are hot for the charter market this winter, and in our report are seven picks arranged by pricing, high to low. For each super yacht, you’ll find a summary of length, builder, launch and renovation dates, capacity for guests, number of cabins, range of rates, where each boat will be based for the winter season, minimum charter length, captain as well as list of toys.

Crystal Esprit is perfect for groups up to 64
 

Crystal Esprit sits in the wide gap between chartering a super yacht and even the smaller luxury cruise ships that take 200-300 passengers. There are 91 crew and 62 guests, and the passenger areas are spread across four decks. 

Explore hidden harbors and out of the way island beaches, swim to shore, splash out on wave runners, water toys and your own private submarine. Crystal Esprit is a 5-star floating resort for just 62 guests. You even can charter the entire yacht for celebrations or meetings. Read more



Tour Italy Like a VVIP By Super Car
 

1000 All’Ora combines its insider auto industry connections with the best of Italian luxury experiences. They arrange everything from hotels to restaurant reservations, sourcing the specific super car types you want and accompany your group providing VVIP service. 

They will also video your experience, including filming by drones, providing you with a memorable look back at your adventure. They arrange factory tours and behind the scenes visits to wineries, ateliers and museums. Below is a sample four-day itinerary, but at the end they will do whatever you want, wherever you want in Italy. Read more…



Takeovers in The Bahamas, Costa Rica and Panama
 



Sometimes you want to takeover the entire place. In this issue we look at three private resorts, visiting The Bahamas, Costa Rica and Panama. Each provides the privacy and personalized service that comes with your own residence, but offer more than a typical villa, and are perfect for friends, family and special events such as wedding and even corporate retreats. Read more





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A billionaire’s private island resort in Fiji
 


Laucala Island in Fiji was once the playground of publishing mogul Malcolm Forbes. Now owned by Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, it is a private island resort with just 25 oversized villas bringing together high luxury and South Pacific romance in a playground of soft adventure, and even an 18-hole golf course. Each villa is different, designed with an eye to traditional Fijian style and all come with private pools set amidst the palms of coconut plantations, white sand beaches, turquoise lagoons and lush green mountains. Read more…



Sponsored:  Why You Should Buy An Airplane Now!
 
With the new tax laws, if you fly more than 50 hours per year it makes sense to explore ownership options. Ventura Air Services’ CEO Nik Tarascio has authored, “Own Your Own Airplane: It Costs Less Than You Think.”

You can schedule a free consultation with Ventura. They’ll handle everything from arranging a test flight to signing on the dotted line. For a copy of Nik’s book and to start the conversation, click here.


Why Waikiki is back as a luxury destination
 

 
Waikiki is back as a destination for luxury travelers. The Ritz-Carlton Residences Waikiki Beach has joined the Halekulani, Royal Hawaiian and Trump International as 5-star options. But the real change is that both Waikiki and Honolulu have become a destination fit for foodies, adding to the increasing quotient of luxury shopping. Most importantly, and often overlooked, a quick drive to the other side of Oahu and you will find deserted beaches, hiking, biking and all sorts of soft adventure on par with Hawaii’s outer islands.  Read more...

Montage Los Cabos is Mexico’s newest star
 

With luxury hotels and resorts popping up around the world like Starbucks, it says something that the lead travel story in the South China Morning Post’s luxury magazine was recently about a resort on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean, in this case the Montage Los Cabos, which opened in May. Conde Nast Traveler already put the resort on its list of “New Hotels and Spas Worth Traveling For” with the headline, “You Can Finally Swim in Cabo,” a reference to its location on one of the destination’s few swimmable beaches. In this Special Report we give you a detailed, inside look at its suites, villas and residences and all the amenities and facilities. Read more



Luxury on the Bund in Shanghai
 


If you are visiting on leisure or have extra time, or this is your first time coming to Shanghai, The Peninsula should be at the top your consideration set. It also has a board meeting room with stunning views of The Bund on the west bank Huangpu River. The area is notable for its beautiful waterfront buildings, many of which have been restored. If you are doing a product launch, there is some nice rooftop space, indoors and outside. Read more…
Fine and Fun Skyscraper Dining in Bangkok
 


lebua at State Tower in Bangkok has become the epicenter of Thailand’s move to award-winning internationaining, with 2-star Michelin restaurant Mezzaluna, Breeze, Sirocco, and soon Chef’s Table under the direction Vincent Thierry of the 3-star Michelin Caprice in Hong Kong. Of course, the nightlife is not restricted to restaurants with a multitude of specialty bars from The Flute A Perrier Jouet and Al fresco 64, a Chivas bar, lebua No. 3, with its caviar shooters and of course the bar that launched a worldwide trend, Skybar (pictured left). Read more...
Views of the lake in Geneva
 


In the center of Geneva, convenient to private banks and the United Nations, Hotel D'Angleterre is hotel with a view of Lake Leman, both from its top suites and fine dining restaurant. Part of the Red Carnation group of boutique luxury hotels, each suite and room has its own unique decor. Don’t forget to check out its new cigar lounge. Read more...

About DG Amazing Experiences
 
My name is Doug Gollan. I am a strong advocate of the private aviation industry.  You can read my frequent coverage of private jets and luxury travel at Forbes.com.
 
I’ve chosen you to receive DG Amazing Experiences because I believe you share my passion for both business aviation and the best travel and luxury experiences in the world.
  
DG Amazing Experiences is your e-newsletter guide to the best places and experiences for private jet travelers like yourself. The content is personally selected by me with the help of some of the smartest and best travel advisors in the world. My goal is to give you a look ahead at what's new, what's hot, and the best of the best. To make it easy for you, the stories are short, but detailed, and I provide plentiful links to additional, relevant information.

If you are looking for private aviation solutions from on-demand charter to jet cards, fractional and even full ownership, please visit our sister website Private Jet Card Comparisons to access our buyer’s guide to over 250 jet card programs and our exclusive on-demand charter guide. Our VIP assistance program can help you decide which solutions are optimal for you.

Credit: Photos in the fireplaces story provided by each hotel



 
 
 
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