Lotte Department Store’s latest bid to woo VIP customers: a cruise trip

[Financial News] Lotte Department Store is stepping up its premium services by offering luxury cruise travel packages to VIP customers.
According to industry sources on the 14th, Lotte Department Store will launch “AVENUEL GLOBAL TRIP,” a premium overseas travel program for customers in its “AVENUEL” VIP membership program.
AVENUEL GLOBAL TRIP is an overseas travel program planned by Lotte Department Store in collaboration with travel agencies to suit VIP customers’ tastes and lifestyles. It focuses on offering special experiences that are not readily available in everyday life, including fine dining, culture and the arts, rather than just sightseeing.
The first packages, unveiled this time, are centered on luxury cruise travel. All packages include cruises from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, where guests can enjoy fine dining and a range of leisure activities onboard. At each port of call, they can also choose customized sightseeing programs that showcase the local character.
The flagship package is an eight-night, 10-day cruise offering the chance to experience Alaska’s vast wilderness. Departing from Vancouver, Canada, the itinerary includes close-up views of Alaska’s glaciers and opportunities to observe wildlife, including bears and whales, during the salmon migration season. Round-trip business-class airfare and a stay at a Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property are also included.
A 10-night, 11-day package is also available for enjoying Japan’s cherry blossoms and cuisine. The itinerary starts in Tokyo and takes in Shimizu, Osaka, Hiroshima and Fukuoka before continuing to Busan and Jeju Province. Travelers can enjoy cuisine in major Japanese cities and views of Mount Fuji. Business-class airfare and use of a luxury suite cabin aboard the cruise are included.
Customized services are also available for each customer. These include one-on-one travel planning with a dedicated concierge and a “butler service” providing round-trip transportation between home and the airport. Exclusive gifts and credits worth up to $1,000 are also provided for use during the trip.
The program is part of a strategy to expand VIP membership beyond shopping benefits to experiential services such as travel, fine dining and culture. This year, Lotte Department Store revamped its existing “AVENUEL Points” program as “AVENUEL Curation” and expanded its benefits, giving members access to a range of premium services at around 100 partner businesses across six categories, including luxury hotels, fine dining, golf and leisure.
Park Sang-woo, head of marketing at Lotte Department Store, said, “AVENUEL GLOBAL TRIP is a form of ‘travel curation’ that selects and recommends the most valuable experiences for AVENUEL customers,” adding, “As customers’ lifestyles become more diverse, we will go beyond shopping to create distinctive customer experiences unique to AVENUEL across various aspects of life, including travel, culture and fine dining.”

[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter