We recently had the privilege of interviewing Ghazal Sajid, Co-founder and CEO of Luxafar, a bespoke travel company, based in Dubai. With a passion and love for traveling, Ghazal started Luxafar after successfully carrying out her career in law for 18 years.
What sets Luxafar apart is its commitment to detail and exceptional customer service. In this insightful session, Ghazal shares her experiences in starting a business, how her team is led by talented women and offers valuable suggestions for beginners in this field.
Genesis Of Luxafar
We started the interview by asking, “What initially drew you to starting Luxafar, a bespoke travel company and how did your early experiences shape your approach to business?”
Ghazal shared, “I have been privileged enough to have had the opportunity to experience and explore the world from a young age. Traveling has always been the biggest joy of my life. I feel if one has the opportunity, it helps a person grow immensely. After a career in law which I very much enjoyed for about 18 years, I now had a yearning to connect with my core; which gave birth to Luxafar.
At Luxafar we provide experiences that allow people to immerse themselves in the local culture. Moreover, our team mostly has women, and the company is led by a woman, which I am extremely proud of.”
Standing Apart From The Competition
We were curious to learn more about the factors and services that help Luxafar stand apart from the competition. So, we asked Ghazal Sajid, “How does Luxafar differentiate itself from other luxury travel agencies in terms of personalized service and customer satisfaction?”
She shared, “At Luxafar, we recognize that travel is an enriching and visceral experience. It is personal and can be a source of inspiration and motivation if you allow yourself to be moved by it. Here, we strive to provide you with a customized experience, taking care of all your needs whether it’s your dietary requirements, your preferred music, or the views you want to wake up to.
None of your reasons to take that break are trivial and we hold that in high regard. We seek to make luxury accessible to the curious traveler because it’s not about how rich you are, but how rich the experiences make you feel. More importantly, our trip doesn’t conform to 8 am – 5 pm. We encourage naps and rest times and then off again to explore the legendary nightlife scenes many places have to offer. That is the gap we seek to fill, along with a 24/7 concierge service.”
Leading With Authenticity
To learn how Ghazal Sajid’s personal views have impacted her business, we asked, “How have your values influenced the way you conduct business?”
“My values are an amalgamation of my upbringing, the friends I keep, the work environments I was exposed to. A few of those factors that I hold in high regard are transparency, integrity, and absolute sincerity whilst conducting the business. Furthermore, I like to maintain a friendly and open environment within the team, and also trust them with autonomy so they can learn and grow with me.” She replied.
Balancing Authenticity And Sustainability
In the world of luxury travel, businesses need to offer top-notch experiences while following responsible practices. To understand more about this from Ghazal Sajid, we asked, “How does Luxafar handle the balance between providing luxury experiences and maintaining authenticity and sustainability in travel?”
She replied, “Conscious travel is a core value at Luxafar. We are striving to provide the best experiences sustainably. Traditional cars or bikes are being swapped with electric ones, and luxury properties in forests are created around the flora and fauna maintaining it, rather than destroying it.
Our partner hotels strongly believe in sustainability and that is an ever-growing trend. Most importantly, the passionate traveler recognizes this and is willing to pay more for an experience which promotes sustainability.”
Message To Beginners
Addressing the beginners, we asked, “What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting as an entrepreneur in your industry?”
“ It’s a road full of challenges, perhaps trials and tribulations; but surround yourself with supporters and people who have your back. I have been very fortunate to have had the support from some wonderful people and due to those sounding boards, every day becomes a bit easier.
Its also important to recognize that we need to provide clients more value than what they paid for.” Ghazal shared.
Luxafar’s Specialization: Market Focus
We ended the interview by asking, “Does Luxafar confine itself to a target market or particular destinations?”
Ghazal shared, “The beauty of Luxafar is that the world is our oyster. We cater to clients from everywhere, going anywhere. We have curated corporate trips as well as family/couples/friends trips. We want enriching experiences to be accessible to everyone, regardless of where people are from. Some of the countries where we have already curated holidays are Italy, Spain, France, Finland, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, and Indonesia, and we have only just gotten started!”
Follow Ghazal Sajid on LinkedIn.
Find Luxafar on LinkedIn and Instagram or visit their website https://luxafar.com/
