IF ONE THING CAN BE SAID about the readers of Global Traveler, it is that they are a passionate bunch — passionate about travel, passionate about the industry and passionate about the publication. That enthusiasm shone through in October 2016 when members of the Global Traveler Globility Board gathered at the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills for a day of meetings and presentations focused on one of their favorite subjects: premium travel.
Globility Board meeting in the Santa Monica Room © GLOBAL TRAVELER
Launched in 2012, the Global Traveler Globility Board is a vetted group of well-traveled subscribers who provide insight to both the magazine and the travel industry providers they use regularly. For our third Globility Board meeting, we brought these informed travelers to Los Angeles where United Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Global Traveler shared updates on services and products and gathered direct feedback from the attendees.
The Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills proved an excellent host. Meetings began with a welcome dinner at Le Jardin and The Aviary, the hotel’s outdoor French patio and intimate event space. Blending Hollywood glamour with European elegance, the property is designed for high-quality events: nine meeting rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, 14-foot ceilings and soundproof walls provided an ideal setting for a packed day in the Santa Monica Room. For lunch, attendees enjoyed the upper pool lounge and California sunshine. Guests also appreciated the hotel’s guestrooms and amenities, including the fitness center and the Estérel Restaurant.
United Airlines’ Polaris amenities © UNITED AIRLINES
Maria Walter, managing director of product and brand strategy at United Airlines, walked the Globility Board through the vision and development of the airline’s revamped business-class product, Polaris, which debuted Dec. 1, 2016. The presentation highlighted the 12 core product concepts behind Polaris — sleep, productivity, wellness, epicurean offerings, modern luxury, entertainment, connectivity, added service, private access, global connections, rich comforts and traditional service. These themes resonated with the board, many of whom are loyal United customers, and prompted detailed questions about service standards, rollout timelines to specific routes and other implementation details. The room left eager to experience United Polaris firsthand.
Saudi Arabian Airlines’ new 787 Dreamliner © BOEING
Next, a team from Saudi Arabian Airlines, led by account executive Jessica Arias, greeted the group with dates and tea and offered a preview of the onboard cuisine. Their presentation opened with videos showcasing the airline’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliner and its first-class cabin, then shifted into an interactive Q&A designed to learn how this group plans and books travel.
The discussion covered practical topics: who handles members’ travel bookings, how they choose an airline, which travel websites they use, adoption of mobile boarding passes and what makes airline advertising effective. The board shared candid impressions of the Dreamliner — some had actively sought flights on the type while others saw little noticeable difference — and discussed airline alliances, marketing and booking behavior. The session included photos from Global Traveler publisher and CEO Francis X. Gallagher’s trip to Saudi Arabia and raised awareness of Saudia’s premium offerings; many attendees said they would consider the airline for future connections.
Finally, Global Traveler used the opportunity to gather reader input on the magazine itself, presenting an early look at the 2017 redesign. The feedback from this engaged group helped inform our editorial and design direction as we headed into the new year.
As we move forward, the team at Global Traveler continues to travel with and learn from our Globility Board members, putting into practice our definition of “globility”: an openness to learning about and understanding cultural differences through travel.
JOIN THE GLOBILITY BOARD
We are always seeking new candidates for the Globility Board. To apply, contact Francis X. Gallagher at [email protected]. Applicants will complete a brief application and vetting process to be considered for membership.