Deepak Nangla, Premier by Brightsun on Redefining Luxury Travel
In the ever-evolving world of luxury travel, Deepak Nangla, Managing Director of Premier by Brightsun, has emerged as a visionary leader, steering Brightsun Travel toward becoming a globally recognized brand. With a keen focus on blending technological innovation with personalized customer service, Nangla has transformed the travel experience for discerning clients. Under his leadership, Premier by Brightsun has successfully expanded into competitive markets like India while addressing the growing demand for bespoke, sustainable, and immersive travel experiences. In this insightful interview, Nangla discusses his strategies, the inspiration behind Premier by Brightsun, and the future of luxury travel in a post-pandemic world.
Under your leadership, Brightsun Travel has become a global brand. How do you balance technological innovation with personalized customer service?
The key is to understand the customers’ touchpoints. While our customers expect information at their fingertips, they still require human assistance when their needs fall outside of standard search criteria. Technology such as AI-driven booking platforms and real-time updates enhances convenience and efficiency, but it cannot replace the personal touch that makes a travel experience truly exceptional. For example, a customer travelling with a young family may find a flight arriving at 7:00 am, but standard hotel check-in times are usually at 3:00 pm. Brightsun has negotiated special contracts with preferred hotels to guarantee early check-ins. Through technology, these hotels are displayed to both our team and our customers, ensuring a seamless experience. Plus, our travel consultants are always available to offer expert advice and tailored solutions.
Brightsun Group’s expansion into India is a major milestone. What are your key strategies for tapping into the Indian market?
We understand that India is a diverse country with unique needs across regions, so we ensure our offerings are localised, including having multilingual staff to cater to a broad customer base. Plus, we have deployed sales managers in key Tier 1 cities, which typically generate the highest volume of business. This helps the brand stay closely connected with local travellers and gain insights into evolving destination preferences and spending patterns.
Premier by Brightsun also benefits from extensive regional data on where luxury travellers originate and identifies key competitors in each region. With the launch of the new btpremier.com website, the Premier team offer a highly personalised experience, featuring tailored options such as “private airfares” and “exclusive hotel offers.”
We even go the extra mile by reminding our Premier customers about passport renewals and offering birthday holiday vouchers.
To attract new clients, we have established a separate digital presence and marketing strategy for Premier by Brightsun, distinct from the main Brightsun brand. This allows us to present premium, high-end products specifically designed for our luxury clientele. The best way for Premier to grow its customer base is through positive testimonials from satisfied clients. We achieve this by delivering exceptional service and providing tools that eliminate the hassle of travel, creating a seamless and luxurious experience for our customers.
What motivated you to create Premier by Brightsun, and how does it differentiate itself in the competitive luxury travel segment?
As our customer base expanded, we needed to cater to their evolving needs in a more personalised way. Much like how a car manufacturer creates different models to serve various customer categories, we recognised that part of our clientele, particularly those who were time-poor, required a level of service that went beyond what a traditional online booking tool (OBT) could provide. These customers were seeking a more bespoke, concierge-style experience, which led us to establish Premier by Brightsun as a separate division focused on luxury travel services. What sets Premier apart in the competitive luxury travel segment is our unwavering commitment to adding value and that is the reason the brand continues to grow. Since its inception, the Premier team has consistently prioritised personalised service, ensuring that our clients receive tailored experiences that cater specifically to their unique preferences and demands.
With luxury travel constantly evolving, what are some emerging trends that high-net-worth individuals are seeking in their travel experiences?
I believe that AI will play an increasingly significant role in curating personalised travel experiences for each individual customer. It will have the capability to analyse previous trips, understand the evolving needs of a family as it grows (for example, young children who may not be suited for adventure trips today could later become young travellers eager for safaris or hiking), and adapt recommendations accordingly.
Sustainability and responsible travel are becoming increasingly important considerations for our customers. To address this, the Premier brand is partnering with CHOOOSE, allowing us to display options that include airline CO2 emissions, along with opportunities to offset those emissions. Similarly, we are working towards vetting sustainable hotels through organisations such as GreenKey, ensuring that our offerings align with eco-conscious travel choices.
Post-pandemic, we have seen a continued rise in demand for unique and immersive experiences. Customers are seeking private yachts, specialised rail journeys, and are placing greater value on quality time with loved ones. Premier’s objective is to continue creating extraordinary travel experiences that cater to these evolving preferences, ensuring that every journey is memorable, meaningful, and aligned with our customers’ values.
How do you envision the future of luxury travel, particularly in light of geopolitical challenges and post-pandemic shifts in travel preferences?
There are many “safe-haven” destinations, ranging from the Caribbean to Australia. Even throughout the pandemic, the surge in domestic tourism has remained strong. History shows that during turbulent political times, countries experience both peaks and troughs in tourism. However, forecasts from organizations such as the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicate that travel will grow by 5-10% year-on-year over the next five years.
More and more countries are allocating larger budgets to their national tourism organizations to launch campaigns aimed at boosting tourism. This is especially important as tourism is projected to play an increasingly significant role in the global economy, with its contribution to global GDP expected to rise from 10.4% in 2019 to 14% by 2030.