Escales

What Escales does

Escales, operating under the legal name Escales International, is a privately-held destination management company and luxury concierge service headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, with a registered office in Paris and additional operational offices in Cannes and Dubai. Founded circa 2010, the firm employs approximately 34 people and has operated continuously in the luxury travel segment for over a decade. It serves two primary customer sets: high-net-worth individual travelers seeking tailor-made leisure experiences (B2C) and travel agents requiring access to luxury hotel inventory (B2B), with a smaller corporate MICE offering as a secondary segment. Geographic focus is France and the broader European market (Italy, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, UK), with service extension into the United States, the UAE, Lebanon, and a deliberate sales push into Saudi Arabia.

The company's service portfolio spans luxury accommodation bookings (five-star hotels, apartments, and villas), private transportation (chauffeur-driven cars, private jets, private yachts, and group buses), airport meet-and-greet services, curated tours, cruise bookings, and concierge reservations for restaurants, concerts, and special requests. On the B2B side, Escales operates a luxury wholesaler / bed bank model through the Escales International online platform, acting as an intermediary between hotel room suppliers and travel agent distributors. The firm also offers dedicated M.I.C.E. (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events) services for corporate clients. No proprietary technology, AI, mobile app, or public API is disclosed; the underlying technology stack appears to consist of a standard B2B booking website, a corporate marketing site (escales.co), and internal reservation tooling, with a single IT Specialist on the team.

The business model is transaction-based across all lines: commission on accommodation bookings, fees on transportation and meet-and-greet services, commissions on tours and cruises, concierge reservation fees, and marketplace commissions on B2B wholesale bookings. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is hybrid: direct sales via 24/7 concierge consultants and dedicated regional sales managers for the B2C and corporate channels, and a self-serve B2B online platform for travel agent distribution. Marketing is primarily through the company website, email newsletter, and direct inquiry. The firm is founder-led by President Soheil Sabaii, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or private equity ownership.

Name

Escales

Legal name

Escales International

Website

https://escales.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Escales International is a privately-held luxury concierge and destination management company headquartered in Beirut, serving high-net-worth travelers, travel agents, and corporate clients across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States via curated accommodation, transportation, and B2B wholesale services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Travel & Concierge Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury, VIP & Bespoke Travel Concierge (HSACAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concierge & Luxury Personal Itinerary Design (THAKAOAB), On-Trip Support, Rebooking & Disruption Management (HSACAKAN), Experiential Logistics & Tour Management (Roadshows) (MPAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Luxury travel services
• Destination management
• Corporate concierge
• Luxury hotel booking
• Private transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Bookings: Commission-based revenue from booking luxury hotels, apartments, and villas. Acts as intermediary between hotel room suppliers and hotel distributors through their online B2B platform.
2. Transportation Services: Revenue from arranging luxury car transfers with private chauffeurs, private jet charters, private yacht charters, and group bus transportation.
3. Meet & Greet Services: Fees for airport meet and greet services including fast-tracked, smooth passage through airports at arrival and departure.
4. Tours and Cruises: Commission and fees from curated tours and cruise bookings for travelers.
5. Other Reservations: Concierge-style reservations for concert tickets, restaurant bookings, and special requests.
6. B2B Wholesale Services: Functioning as a luxury wholesaler and DMC, providing hotel distribution services to travel agents through their online platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Escales is a destination management company and luxury concierge service that sells personalized, tailor-made luxury travel experiences including 5-star accommodation bookings, private transportation (chauffeur-driven cars, private jets, yachts), airport meet & greet services, curated tours, cruises, and bespoke reservations. The company also operates a B2B wholesale distribution service connecting hotel room suppliers to travel agents through its online platform, and provides MICE services for corporate events.

Product overview

Escales is a destination management company and luxury concierge service offering a comprehensive portfolio of travel services. The core offerings include Accommodation Services (luxury hotels, apartments, villas), Transportation Services (chauffeur-driven cars, private jets, yachts, buses), Meet & Greets, Tours, Cruises, and Other Reservations (restaurants, concerts). The company also operates B2B divisions including M.I.C.E. for corporate events, a Luxury Wholesaler and DMC connecting hotel suppliers with travel agents via an online system, and a Bed Banks Service. A Professional Concierge Service provides 24/7 personalized support across all offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Luxury Accommodation Services Booking of luxury 5-star hotels in major destinations plus high-end fully furnished vacation apartments and villas along the French Riviera and worldwide, for affluent individual travelers and travel trade partners.
• Transportation Services Ground and air transportation including luxury cars with private chauffeurs, private jet charters, private yacht charters, and group bus travel, for luxury travelers and corporate clients.
• Meet & Greet Services Airport meet and greet services in major cities worldwide providing fast-tracked, smooth and safe passage through airports at arrival and departure, for luxury travelers.
• Tours Uniquely crafted tours designed to offer exceptional experiences at the highest standards, available as downloadable brochures, for luxury travelers.
• Cruises Top cruise deals suitable for adults and families for short breaks or long escapes, for luxury travelers.
• Concierge Reservations Concierge reservations including concert tickets, restaurant reservations, and special requests, for luxury travelers.
• M.I.C.E. (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events) Specialized business-oriented tourism segment dedicated to organizing, booking and facilitating conferences, meetings, seminars and other corporate events worldwide, for corporate clients.
• Luxury Wholesaler and DMC Services Intermediary service connecting hotel room suppliers to hotel distributors, enabling travel agents to secure accommodation through an online booking system, for travel trade partners.
• Professional 24/7 Concierge Service Round-the-clock personalized service providing carefree travel experiences for clients worldwide, delivered by dedicated travel consultants available 24/7 including weekends and holidays.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Traveller Made: Invitation-only network of luxury travel designers and DMCs, including a hotel distribution platform for travel advisors. Directly comparable to Escales' B2B DMC/wholesaler arm and travel-agent distribution model.
• Knightsbridge Circle: Members-only luxury travel concierge focused on ultra-HNW clientele, offering bespoke itineraries, hotel bookings, and exclusive experiences. Closely mirrors Escales' high-touch, relationship-driven model for affluent travelers.
• Velocity Black: App-based luxury concierge combining human agents with on-demand technology, serving affluent consumers with travel, dining, and lifestyle requests. Comparable to Escales on persona and service breadth, differentiated by a heavier tech/app layer.
• John Paul (Constance Hospitality / Les Conciergeries): Premium concierge brand offering personalized travel and lifestyle services to HNW individuals and corporate clients globally. Comparable to Escales on service portfolio (travel, dining, events) and enterprise/HNW customer base.
• Ten Lifestyle Group: Publicly listed concierge and lifestyle management provider for HNW and corporate clients, with technology-enabled service delivery. Comparable to Escales in B2B (corporate concierge) and B2C (HNW travel) motion, with a stronger technology platform angle.
• Abercrombie & Kent: Luxury tour operator and DMC with tailor-made itineraries, private guides, and high-end accommodations worldwide. Comparable to Escales on luxury tour design, DMC function, and HNW customer focus, though at materially larger scale.
• Quintessentially: Global luxury concierge and lifestyle management company serving HNW individuals with 24/7 travel, events, and lifestyle requests. Directly comparable to Escales on customer persona, service scope (travel + lifestyle), and global multi-office model.
• Origin (formerly Journaway): Luxury tailor-made tour operator creating bespoke itineraries for affluent travelers. Comparable to Escales on tailor-made luxury trip design and curated experience delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Internova Travel Group (luxury division): Large travel distribution group with a dedicated luxury travel advisor network and preferred supplier programs. Comparable to Escales' B2B hotel distribution and travel-agent servicing motion, but operating at much greater scale and as a broader incumbent.

Emerging players

• Luxury Concierge Travel (travel agency): Smaller-scale bespoke travel agency specializing in luxury itineraries and concierge-style service. Comparable to Escales on service model and target customer, though with a narrower geographic and operational footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/escales-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Escales