Robb Report Limited Edition Summit 2016: The high seas and the high fliers

Chartering a technology-driven bespoke experience - that's the future of travel, as Indians increasingly charter jets for business trips and yachts for luxury leisure travel. At the Robb Report Limited Edition Summit 2016, Sheena De Boisgelin, country head, Vistajet Holding and Gautama Dutta, Managing Director, Business Development and Sales, Marine Solutions spoke about how Indians are taking to the high seas and the high skies with bespoke luxury experiences.

"It is a new market but within the past few years, India has seen the highest number of contracts signed with people travelling over 500 and 600 hours," says De Boisgelin whose Vistajet customizes experiences for every traveler, down to the smallest details of serving the right tea or ordering meals from their favourite restaurants across the globe. Vistajet, which is the on-demand chartered jet service for high net worth individuals, now plans to launch its jets in India by 2017. "People like the customization and the consistency," she says.

So, while the jets vary in size and capacity, every jet looks similar to the other. The experiences, too, are highly customized. From flying an Indian pharmaceutical scion to five countries within five days to flying back a US-based clients from Paris during the terror attacks, within three hours, the service is highly personalised.

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If most of Vistajet's clients are globetrotting business travelers, for Dutta's Marine Solutions, India's first luxury yacht company, it's all about leisure and recreation. "We were initially told that yachts won't sell in India because people are scared of the sea. People still ask us how much petrol the yacht guzzles. So we hand hold people through the entire experience of buying a yacht," he says. Although Marine Solutions has sold over 100 boats in the past few years, Dutta's company offers services ranging from registration to hiring the right captain and crew to buyers in India's nascent market. "A lot of Indians own yachts outside of India, in Phuket, Abu Dhabi or the South of France," he says.

The future of luxury travel, for business or leisure, they say, is chartering. "You can enjoy the luxury without owning the asset," says De Boisgelin. For New Year's celebrations, Marine Solutions already has clients renting luxury yachts to travel from Goa to Kochi on a leisurely holiday. Dutta also plans to have yachts at resorts in Maldives and Sri Lanka where people can hire them for a holiday. Ask them for travel tips and De Boisgelin says - "Travel with soft luggage."