Samenvatting

This thesis was aimed to advice the management of a luxury travel consultancy agency on how to adapt a new luxury travel concept, which would reflect current perceptions of the notion of luxury in the Dutch market. The literature review and a pre-research showed that even though there exists a variety of definitions, conceptual frameworks and lists of characteristics of luxury, a conceptual model, which would summarise all contemporary values, is missing. The research was done using a multi-method approach, which included a visual associations analysis and web content analysis. Results of the multi-method research reconfirmed initial assumptions about the change in perceptions of luxury in the modern world and a more complex structure of this phenomenon than it was assumed in prior researches. The research revealed that nowadays luxury is associated with 8 different values, adding material, cultural and environmental values to the initial conceptual model.  Additionally, the research demonstrated that such variable as yearly gross income plays a remarkable role in determination of associations with luxury. Consumers with a high-income esteem non-materialistic values of luxury such as culture, history, authenticity, simplicity, wonder, knowledge, spiritual and emotional improvement. While in a low- and high-average income group the material value was dominating.
As a result of the research, an advice for the management problem was formulated. Due to the fact that luxury and tourism are interconnected, the values, which had been revealed from the research, were successfully translated to the travel industry. That resulted in creation of a luxury tourism model. The suggested model was used as a main input for the development of innovative luxury travel ideas. Using the Design Thinking approach, various travel concepts were produced, which reflected findings from the earlier performed research. Subsequently, the golden key travel idea based on the Analytic Hierarchy process, namely, ' 'Marathon of Senses ' ' was prototyped, tested with a focus group and improved. Lastly, a multipurpose plan of actions was created in order to ensure a smooth implementation of the advised luxury travel concept.