Retail-enabled magazine combines convenience with luxury

June 28, 2017

Condé Nast Italia's AVDM app that provides concierge service in various destinations

Condé Nast Italia is connecting travelers with a bevy of concierge experiences through an interactive magazine that connects with local luxury department stores.

Aux Villes Du Monde is a new mobile application and online hub that provides a multitude of retail experiences for visitors in various destinations. The digital platform connects users with a concierge service that will provide retail experiences through partnered department stores in the areas such as La Rinascente.

"This app is clearly personalized with real people from the cities you want to visit," said Carrie McIlveen, U.S. director of marketing at Metia. "It is a unique way to connect people together in different parts of the world and experience a communities culture in a very special way."

Ms. McIlveen is not associated with Condé Nast Italia or AVDM but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Luxury travel
AVDM has built a series of guides and editorial content that visitors from around the world can actually act on through the app once they arrive. A team of concierge help accomplish anything the user desires.

Guests can schedule appointments through the app

The magazine is available in eight different languages to appeal to a wide range of affluent global consumers.

Those that register on the app will receive invitations for special events and gift cards that help visitors embrace the local culture at a luxury level. Users are able to book concierge appointments at various partnered department stores, which will provide information to the best local destinations.

Guests can select an appointment date and time prior to arrival at one of the seven cities in which the app is available in. A calendar within the app will keep track of the appointment and share a push-notification as a reminder, as well as detailed information about the visit.

Concierges are available to provide a guide to visitors

The experience will be tailored to the person's wants and needs for their trip. The concierge will recommend travel agendas based on these needs.

AVDM concierge is located in cities such as Bankok, Berlin, Copenhagen and more.

Luxury concierge
Concierge services are becoming more popular in luxury travel, as hospitality brands strive to provide unparalleled experiences for visitors.

For instance, Swiss jeweler de Grisogono put together an interactive guide to St. Moritz for the ultimate alpine get-together experience.

Each winter season, de Grisogono celebrates its Swiss heritage by heading to the Alps during prime ski conditions. At the center of its Swiss Alps-themed venture is de Grisogono’s Black Book, a print travel guide dedicated to a location particularly popular for winter activities such as apres ski (see more).

But it is more than just travel brands who are embracing concierge experiences. Many retail companies are finding their own methods of incorporating concierge in stores, but many are even taking the idea to consumers' homes.

For example, New York- and London-based Concierge began offering a new approach and solution to affluent household staffing with the introduction of a non-member service.

With more than 15 years of experience, Concierge works with discerning clientele to assist with every type of request via service suited to meet the personal tastes and preferences of individual members. While a quarterly membership starts at $5,000, Concierge is sharing its wealth of knowledge with non-members through a newly launched sister brand, Concierge Household (see more).

"It provides the passionate traveler the luxury of having their trip customized based on their own taste and desires," Ms. McIlveen said. "Similar to Airbnb, which provides a feeling of belonging and being looked after through the hospitality of the home host, with Aux Villes Du Monde, a personal concierge saves time and headaches of having to research and evaluate where to go once they arrive.

"It touches on something bigger and deeper—making the trip more intimate and memorable," she said.

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