When embarking on a leisure and luxury trip, travelers obviously want the best of the best. But selecting a dream destination, finding the best accommodation, and booking the most convenient flights is only the beginning: travelers often overlook ground transportation and forget how getting off on the wrong foot can affect the rest of the trip.
Concierges, Travel Managers and Tour Operators know this well. Whether for airport transfers in exotic locations, discovery tours in trendy city centers, or just to attend sporting or other cultural events in crowded venues lacking other means of transportation, making the right ground transport choice for your trip can perfectly make the difference for those traveling for leisure.
One company, Drivania, has been providing chauffeured ground transportation for over 20 years. Specializing in luxury, corporate, and private aviation travelers, Drivania facilitates the work of Travel Managers, Concierges, or Personal Assistants, who often find themselves with little time to meet the needs of exclusive and select customers.
Today we chat with Marta Brió, Account Manager at Drivania and luxury travel specialist.
Who is the target audience for your luxury travel services?
Initially, Drivania services were widely used by corporate travelers—senior executives who needed to cover their ground mobility needs on their business trips. These were very demanding travelers who couldn't afford to have anything go wrong on their trips. Many were so happy with the service that they started requesting it for their private trips as well, so we started to segment the business and specifically offer luxury and vacation transportation. So, today, the target is luxury and leisure travel agencies, as well as companies offering concierge services.
What is the added value Drivania offers to luxury travelers?
Drivania is there for more than just driving your VIP Customers. The chauffeur will advise on the destination, assist with queries, luggage, and ensure that elderly or vulnerable travelers also have a comfortable experience. Your customers will be able to relax and enjoy their well-deserved trip, knowing they are in trusted hands.
What are the tools that offer this added value?
Drivania’s online booking platform allows customers to find and book chauffeured vehicle services in less than 2 minutes in over 600 destinations worldwide. The process is direct and easy to use. A 24/7 Customer Care team is also at the customer’s disposal for any special or unusual request that needs to be taken care of. And, of course, there’s a network of vetted chauffeurs that is constantly updated so that only the most professional can meet the criteria to join and work for Drivania’s customers.
In order to thoroughly monitor the service, Drivania provides a series of service alerts that enable passengers, PAs, concierges, or any other stakeholders to know the exact location of the vehicle, when the chauffeur is either on the way or on location waiting for the passengers, when the passengers are on board, the estimated time of arrival to destination, and when the service is completed. There is also exhaustive control for early or late flight arrivals in airport pickups.
What are some of the highlights of ground transportation for luxury travel?
For someone going on a trip, it’s not unusual to worry a lot about flights or hotels, neglecting the importance of ground transfers. That can easily lead to starting a trip on the wrong foot and spoiling the rest of the vacation. Drivania takes care of all the details so that travelers can relax during their well-deserved holidays.
How far in advance is it advisable to book the vehicle?
While many people book airline tickets or hotels well in advance, the vehicle is often left for last. That is not advisable, especially during important events such as conventions, sporting or social events, or seasonal events during which there is little availability. However, being aware that often the decision to travel is not made until the last minute, Drivania's Customer Care Team will always do everything possible, and more, to accommodate your ground transportation needs.
What are some typical setbacks you help luxury travelers with?
We help avoid the most common issues faced when booking private chauffeur services, such as the driver not showing up at the agreed time and location, or doing so with the wrong sized vehicle. For example, often luxury travelers have considerably more luggage than corporate travelers, and chauffeurs show up with vehicles that cannot hold all of it. Whereas people going on business trips prefer a luxury sedan, groups going on luxury vacation might feel more comfortable in a luxury minivan or SUV.
Customers also appreciate the transparency that Drivania provides when quoting services and giving final, all-inclusive prices. For example, a common destination for luxury travel is Venice, a city where most companies do not provide final prices and then charge extra for each piece of luggage on the invoice once the service is completed.
