Elegant People: Anna Payne, Director of Marketing, Elegant Hotel Collection
A passionate sales and marketing professional with a life-long love of travel and hospitality, Anna has spent the past 15 years crafting a rewarding career in the luxury sector. We are delighted to welcome Anna to the Elegant Hotel Collection where, as Director of Marketing, she will be responsible for leading, developing and delivering marketing strategies to support our ambitious growth plans. “The opportunity to join Elegant Hotel Collection was one that I leapt at with pleasure and no hesitation,” says Anna. “The response to the brand since launch has been exceptional and I’m incredibly excited about everything we will achieve in 2024 and beyond.”
Here, we speak to Anna about her hospitality and marketing experience, her vision for Elegant, and what luxury travel means to her.
Firstly Anna, can you share some information about your professional background and experience
As a passionate sales and marketing professional, I’ve spent the past 15 years crafting a career in the luxury sector. Having first achieved success at Small Luxury Hotels of the World, I went on to join Firmdale Hotels where I worked across multiple markets and hotel openings across London and New York before pivoting to a Head of Marketing role in the prime residential property sector. I’ve absorbed a lot over the years and am delighted to be making my return to the hospitality industry with Elegant Hotel Collection. The response to the brand since launch has been exceptional and I’m incredibly excited about everything that we will achieve in 2024 and beyond.
What attracted you to the hospitality industry?
I have a life-long love of travel and hospitality. When working in the hospitality sector there wasn’t a day that was the same nor a day that I didn’t love. The opportunity to join Elegant Hotel Collection was one that I leapt at with pleasure and no hesitation. The brand is epitomised by an ethos of hospitality at its core. As someone who is curious, creative and hard-working, it will be a privilege to bring my authentic self to work every day.
What are the evolving opportunities within the luxury travel landscape currently for hoteliers?
Definitions of luxury, wellness and hospitality are constantly changing. Today, the luxury traveller wants to satisfy their curiosity about the world. The focus may be on more exploratory travel but there’s also a desire for deeper and more meaningful connections with familiar places. There’s a strong desire to engage with the world, whilst also wanting to protect it and appreciate it.
Are there any emerging trends in the marketing industry that you are particularly excited about incorporating into the marketing strategy for the Elegant Hotel Collection?
I’m hugely ambitious about accelerating growth for our incredible membership. I’m passionate about storytelling and the results it can achieve for a premium brand like Elegant Hotel Collection. In the luxury travel landscape, it’s a question of understanding what excites people and then matching those expectations. My focus will be on helping each and every hotel succeed through strategic, effective and engaging marketing activity.
What’s your vision for the Elegant Hotel Collection brand?
In today’s world a brand must be underpinned by real substance. As Director of Marketing, my priority will be to develop the Elegant Hotel Collection brand story, whilst building our success on a global level. We will seek to delight and inspire, creating an exciting offering that is underpinned by unmatched client and customer experiences. What it means to be a relevant, meaningful brand is constantly evolving. At Elegant Hotel Collection, we’ll drive the conversation by placing the focus on continuous learning and adaptability.
What for you would epitomise a luxury travel experience?
Whether your surroundings are unusual, magnificent or inherently cool, a luxury travel experience will be underpinned by profound authenticity. As a child, I spent magical summers in the lush surrounds of rural Sweden, running barefoot and swimming in lakes. For me, a luxury travel experience will mix indulgence with simple pleasures whilst delivering moments that are deeply authentic and utterly bespoke.
Name four celebrities living or dead that you would like to be stuck on a desert island with
That’s a hard one! If it were a question of never leaving the island, I’d choose author Roald Dahl for his imagination, poet Rupi Kaur for her insight, Tom Ford for his magnetic charisma and Jennifer Coolidge for her sense of fun.
Where is next on your travel list?
As far as to do lists go, this year my focus is on growing an exceptional brand that supports an incredible community of hoteliers. That really is my only focus. Having said that, I always have a travel wish list in my back pocket! I dream of visiting Patagonia one day. I’m also looking forward to exploring the world with my children as they grow older, and would love to travel with them to Japan.