Travel Bulletin All About Luxury Holidays Supplement 2012

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LuxuryHolidays

All About

Your one-stop guideto all the latest news and developments in Luxury Holidays

August 2012

S01 Luxury Supp 2012 Whats New_Layout 1 13/08/2012 12:19 Page 1

CANARY ISLANDSPrestige Holidays offer a superb selection of hand picked 4 & 5 star hotels, something for every client, from boutique hotels, rural properties to larger resort hotels with spa and golf.

Ask about all our latest offers including early booking offers, free half board, reduced rates, excellent child discounts, free nights and room upgrades.

Many flights from local airports….how can we help your clients?

Love to Shop vouchers for each booking made

Prestige Holidays on 01425 480400 or www.prestigeholidays.co.uk

edd tique hotellss,


All About Luxury Holidays 3

Luxury Holidays

Over the last month, we have seen the lengths that Olympicathletes will go to in order to get their hands on a goldmedal.

Faced with the challenges that the ongoing global recession haspresented, providers of luxury experiences in the travel industry havetoo found themselves firing on all cylinders to ensure they candeliver a first-class service.

Added value promotions and strategic discounting from hoteliershave allowed luxury operators to tempt customers into upgrading tofive-star experiences. Offers such as free kids’ deals, upgrades fromB&B to half-board, or in-resort credit have helped the luxury marketto remain resilient.

Key luxury players have been keen to get agents on board with theoffer of extra commission on upgraded bookings.

In this year’s All About Luxury Holidays, we catch up with theleading luxury operators to find out what’s new for 2013 (pages 4-6);from the latest hotel openings to some old favourites who arerelaunching following extensive refurbishments.

Demand for escorted tours is on the up as people look to exploremore off-the-beaten-track destinations with a safety net. OurEscorted Tours section (pages 7-10) finds out what luxury means inthis sector and if it is possible to travel in style in emergingdestinations.

Tourist boards are also prioritising the luxury sector, with dedicatedtraining modules for agents and targeted marketing campaigns. OurDestinations focus (pages 11-14) looks at what some of thedestinations around the world are doing to promote their five-starresorts.

Every year, we hear about how the cruise industry is going fromstrength to strength, and demand for luxury sailings is playing a bigrole in that growth. Our Cruise feature (pages 15-16) focuses on whatthe ultra luxury cruiselines do to roll out the red carpet for theirguests.

Finally, our Hotel Hotline looks at the new hotel openings aroundthe world, and some of the old favourites who have undergonerefurbishments.

So, make sure you spare the time to browse through our All AboutLuxury Holidays, so you are in the best position to advise your clientslooking to upgrade their holiday experience.

Angela CroninSupplements editor

Published by

Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX

Tel: 020-7834 6661Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe

Written and researched by: Angela CroninEmail: [email protected]

Design/Layout: Genaro Santos & Nicky ValsamakisPrinted by: Wyndeham Grange LimitedCover Picture: Como Hotels and Resorts

ISSN: 0956-2419

CONTENTS

Escorted tours - 7

What’s new - 4

Destinations - 11

Hotel hotline - 17

Cruise - 15

All About


The Olympics, Euro 2012 and theDiamond Jubilee have promptedmany Britons to put their holiday

plans on hold. However, the wetter thanusual summer months have led manypeople to rethink their plans and headoverseas for some well-earned fun inthe sun.

And with many luxury hotels temptingguests to upgrade with value-addedoffers such as extra nights free orhalf-board for the price of bed andbreakfast, the upmarket operators areable to pass on the offers to clinchthose bookings. We catch up with theoperators to find out who is addingwhat for 2012/13.

Sunset FarawayThe luxury, long-haul specialist isfeaturing some newly opened hotels inthe Far East.

The Gaya Island Resort located onPulau Gaya, in the Tunku AbdulRahman Marine Park off the coast ofBorneo, is one of these new propertieswith prices leading in at £1,629 perperson for eight nights’ bed andbreakfast including flights andtransfers. Also new is the ultra-luxuryMulia Bali in Nusa Dua, Bali, which opensthis month. This beach-front, all-suiteproperty will offer guests personalbutler service, as well as a number ofdining options and hydrotherapy pools.Prices lead in at £1,455 per person forseven nights’ B&B including flights andtransfers.

The St Regis Mauritius opens inSeptember and will also feature inSunset’s collection. The hotel is locatedon Le Morne Beach in the southwest ofthe island and will feature 172guestrooms with six dining options,

meeting and event space, health clubfacilities including the region’s firstIridium Spa with seven spa suites and 12treatment rooms.

Sunset features seven nights’ fullboard at the St Regis Mauritius for£1,699 per person including £80 creditto use in the spa, a bottle ofchampagne, flights and transfers.

Hayes and JarvisThe long-haul specialist has a numberof five-star additions to its 2013programme.

The availability of great value atfive-star level has prompted Hayes andJarvis to review its Red Sea portfolioand to add the Savoy Resort and theRitz-Carlton to its Worldwidebrochure portfolio. Prices start at £759per person for seven nights and £919respectively.

From brand newfive-star hotelopenings to there-emergence of oldfavourites, operatorshave plenty to add totheir programmes forthe year ahead

All About Luxury Holidays

What’s new

4


Meanwhile, the ready availability offlights from the UK with EtihadAirways has led Hayes and Jarvis toinclude Abu Dhabi as a stopoverdestination in its Worldwide brochurefor the first time. Four hotels areavailable including the five-starEmirates Palace on the seafront atAbu Dhabi.

Sovereign Luxury operator has launched itscoffee-table-style 2013 brochure,featuring 265 properties across 19countries.

Highlights include free child placesat 13 of the 41 family-friendlyproperties and new hotels such as theHilton Bodrum Turkbuku Resort andSpa in Turkey with a 20% early-bookingdiscount available, meaning prices leadin at £719 per person for seven nights’all-inclusive.

Resort credit of $1,500 is available atthe Hard Rock Hotel Cancun in Mexicowith seven-night, all-inclusive pricesstarting at £1,529 per person.

Meanwhile, seven nights’ B&B at theQuinta Das Vistas Palace Gardens,Madeira lead in at £685 per person. Allprices include flights and transfers.

CarrierThe luxury tour operator hasintroduced a number of newdestinations for 2013, such as Burma,Montana and Wyoming, Bermuda,Zante, Zimbabwe and Uganda.

New hotels and resorts also includethe Gritti Palace in Venice, the HuvafenFushi in the Maldives, Gaya Island inBorneo, Taiwana in St Barths, CapriviStrip in Namibia and gorilla trekking inthe Bwindi Impenetrable Forest inUganda.

Windstar Cruises is featured in theCaribbean and Europe brochures alongwith private plane charters Jetlogic,which will be available in theCaribbean, Europe, US and Africa.

Prestige HolidaysThe luxury operator has launched itsthird dedicated winter Canariesbrochure featuring the islands ofLanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, LaPalma and La Gomera.

New properties for 2012/13 include:

the Iberostar Hotel Mencey in SantaCruz and RIU Garoe in Puerto de laCruz in Tenerife and the Hacienda deAbajo in La Palma. The operator hasalso added the adults-only Red Levelrooms at Gran Melia Palacio de IsoraResort.

Prices for winter lead in at £523 perperson for seven nights’ bed andbreakfast in Finca Salamanca in Tenerifeincluding flights and transfers.

Also new for this winter is the newfamily-friendly, five-star Four SeasonsHotel in Marrakesh and the Jumeirah PortSoller Hotel and Spa in Majorca.

Olympic HolidaysThe luxury market has performed betterthan expected thanks to strong marketingcampaigns by five-star hotels, accordingto Olympic Holidays.

Commercial director PhotisLambrianides said the luxury market haspicked up well thanks to “added valuepromotions and strategic discounting byhoteliers over the last few weeks thathave benefited the hotels and boostedour top-end sales.

“As a result of their efforts, sales for2012 are better than initially expected,with the luxury sector showing resiliencedespite the generally unfavourabletrading conditions.”

Early sales of luxury holidays focusedon Olympic's traditionally populardestinations of Greece and Cyprus, andless on the non-euro destinations ofTurkey and Egypt's Red Sea Riviera.

"We are now seeing modest growthfor the luxury end of the market inCyprus, Crete and Rhodes this summer,while Egypt sales have also come onwell in recent weeks," says Lambrianides.

Olympic's Gold and PlatinumCollection brochure features exclusivelyluxury properties with prices leading inat £749 for seven nights’ bed andbreakfast at the Elysium Resort and Spain Kalithea, Rhodes including flights andtransfers.

Classic Collection HolidaysThe luxury, tailor-made specialist hasintroduced the Poseidonion Grand Hotelin Spetses to its Greece and Cyprusprogramme.


The five-star Sarojin resort in Khao Lak has introduced new video content to helptravel agents sell luxury holidays to Thailand. There are three new videos in total – all available on YouTube and created inpartnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand – showcasing the naturalbeauty of Khao Lak and the range of client experiences available at The Sarojin. The Sarojin can supply all videos free of charge to the trade travel to use forinspiration and training, as a sales tool and to assist with the promotion ofThailand.

For agents - training tools

Hayes and Jarvis features the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi as a stopover option in its Worldwide brochure

what’s new


The hotel has undergone a five-yearrestoration programme that has led tothe modernisation of the property at thesame time as preserving the originalarchitecture of the building.

Classic Collection Holidays offers threenights at Grande Bretagne Hotel, Athensand seven nights at Poseidonion GrandHotel, Spetses from £1,556 per person thisSeptember. The price is based on twosharing on a B&B basis and includes returnflights, transfers and ferry crossings

Elite VacationsThe luxury specialist has added two newoptions in the Seychelles for 2013.

These include the new beach villa withprivate pool at Denis Private Island. Thenew villa sleeps two adults and twochildren under 12.

Prices lead in at £2,598 per person forsix nights’ all-inclusive in February andMarch 2013 including international flightsand inter-island flights.

The operator has also introduced the

new Madam Zabre Spa Retreat that hasopened at the private island resort ofDesroches in the Seychelles (see HotelHotline, pages 17-19).

Six nights’ all-inclusive costs £9,499 perperson and includes international flightsand inter-island flights.

In Mauritius, the new five-star St Regisproperty on the west coast of Mauritiusby Le Morne mountain has been addedwith six nights’ half-board in April 2013leading in at £1,998 per person, includingflights and transfers.

Elite is also featuring a range of newluxury apartments located in Grande Baiein the northwest of the island, on thewest coast near Tamarin Bay and on theeast coast.

Mercury DirectMercury Direct has launched its PremiumCollection of four and five-star hotels.

The operator that specialises inholidays to Malta, Cyprus, Sri Lanka andMauritius has 100 four and five-starresorts in the collection includingproperties such as the LUX hotels inMauritius and the iconic Reid’s Palace inMadeira. Prices lead in at £359 per personfor 10 nights’ bed and breakfast at thefive-star Bella View Hotel in northernCyprus.

The Sarojin in Thailand has created newvideo content to help agents sell luxuryholidays to Thailand


what’s new

6

A new luxury travel market is to take place at the Saatchi Gallery inLondon from May 1-2 next year.The Luxury Show London plans to be a showcase for companiesspecialising in luxury lifestyle, travel and events and will feature anumber of innovative concepts, which include pre-built and fully-fitteddesigner suites that will enable exhibitors to “pitch up and promote”their products and services to a hand-picked audience involved inselling luxury products and services to clients who seek the best.Organiser Ian Dockreay said: “The pre-built designer suites come withprestigious furnishings, with the option of either back wall-mountedvisuals or large flat-screen presentation TVs. In most cases, all anexhibitor will need to bring is a memory stick for the TVs and iPads forpresentations to their visitors as we aim to keep paper to a minimum.”A programme of seminars focused on innovation is planned and therewill also be networking opportunities during the two days.www.luxuryshowlondon.com

The Luxury Travel Show


Do you have clients who are keen toexplore destinations slightly awayfrom the well-trodden tourist path

but are bit a anxious about doing it alone?Over recent years, there has been a

growth in operators that offer escortedtours, with a wide variety of choice to suitall budgets. While for those who have thecash, luxury in the world of escorted toursmeans five-star hotels, fine diningexperiences and, in some cases, theOrient-Express features, but what oftenmakes these experiences luxurious is thequality of the tour guides.

They have a great depth of informationon the destinations they specialise in andcan ensure that travellers really feel likethey know a country and its people afterjust a few days. For agents, there is a lot ofcommission to be earned on selling luxurytours, with the chance to encourage clientsto consider upgrades, which can includeanything from room upgrades to paying alittle bit extra for getting the best seats inthe house at shows or exhibitions.

Cox and KingsThe escorted tours specialist hasintroduced a number of new tours acrossAsia, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, Ecuador, Jordanand Iceland.

The new Splendours of Southeast Asiaitinerary combines Laos, Cambodia and

Burma in a 14-day tour that takes in thetemples of Luang Prabang, Angkor Wat atsunrise and Pagan in Burma, which has2,200 temples and pagodas spread acrossthe plains. The new 16-day Nile Discoverytour in Egypt offers passengers the chanceto visit the lesser-known archaeologicalsites of the lower Nile now that boats cansail all the way from Cairo to Aswan.Prices start at £1,995.

The eight-day Splendours of Moroccotour, which is also new, leads in at £995and explores the imperial cities of Fez,Rabat, Meknes and Marrakesh, while theeight-day Andalucia Explorer takestravellers to two of Spain’s greatest sites,the Alhambra in Granada and the mosquein Cordoba. The new 11-day Ecuador andGalapagos Experience escorted group tourincludes a five-night cruise around theGalapagos Islands, followed by a visit tothe old colonial centre of Quito.

The five-day In Search of the NorthernLights tour of Iceland, priced from £955, isbased in Reykjavik, and includes a tour ofsome of Iceland’s most iconic attractionsby day, while the evenings in winter arespent hunting down the Northern Lights.

The seven-day Essential Jordan grouptour is new for 2013 and takes in theRoman ruins at Jerash, the biblical site ofMount Nebo, and Petra, one of the NewSeven Wonders of the World.

From exploringemerging destinationsto checking out someold favourites,escorted tours arepopular with travellersof all ages, withfive-star treatmentfrom the minute youleave your home

Touring in style


escorted tours

Rainbow Tours’s Peru itinerary takes inMachu Picchu on the Orient Express

S02 Luxury Supp 2012 Escorted Trips_Layout 1 13/08/2012 11:56 Page 7

Rainbow ToursThe tailor-made Africa, Madagascar andLatin America specialist has added somenew tours in South America.

The new 10-night Peru: Land of the Incas,Canyons and Condors’ package combinespersonalised sightseeing tours that take inColca Canyon, Cusco, Ollantaytambo andPisac with an overnight journey on theOrient Express Hiram Bingham Train toMachu Picchu. Prices lead in at £2,999 perperson, and exclude flights.

The operator has also introduced aluxury, three-centre, nine-night trip toArgentina that features overnights at thestylish Design Suites properties in BuenosAires, Calafate and Bariloche. Prices startat £2,160 per person including flights.

Wendy Wu ToursThe escorted tours specialist to Asia haslaunched a luxury programme that will be

primarily sold through agents. The WendyWu Concierge – The Ultimate Experienceis designed to reach out to a newcustomer base.

The new programme will featurefive-star hotels, business and first-classflights and unique experiences such asseeing the Terracotta Warriors from anexclusive viewing platform.

Wendy Wu Tours managing directorManuel Mascarenhas says: “Extensivefeedback from agents supports the needfor a product like this, offering their mostdiscerning customers the highlights ofChina but in an exclusive way.”

Wendy Wu Tours is planning to workclosely with agents to support them inselling this high-value product andBronwyn Clarke, Wendy Wu’s ConciergeConsultant, will be in close contact withagents to talk to them about this newprogramme and guide them through the

brochure. A dedicated website has beenlaunched specifically for Concierge.

Hayes and JarvisBurma leads a revitalised touringprogramme in the new Hayes and JarvisFar East brochure for 2013.

The long-haul specialist features aluxury cruise option in Burma with theOrient-Express, alongside other escortedtours to the region. The 10-day luxuryRoad to Mandalay Cruise with theOrient-Express leads in at £4,249 perperson and visits Yangon, Bagan and itstemples and pagodas and Inle Lake byluxury cruise ship while also includingstays at The Governor’s Residence inYangon and the Thiripyitsaya SanctuaryResort.

Head of product Andrea Loddo says:“Burma has hit the headlines over thepast year for all the right reasons and, as aresult, has attracted an increasing numberof enquiries to our call centre. That iswhy this is exactly the right time to offerthe country to clients.

“In common with other emergingdestinations in the Far East, the mostappropriate way for us to do this is tooffer Burma’s cultural highlights on a tour,giving clients the reassurance of expertknow-how and the security of asupervised holiday” she said.

Cosmos Tours and CruisesThe operator’s luxury tour programme isSelect by Globus, which is available inNorth America on a selection ofitineraries and provides superior touringholidays that feature centrally-located,hand-picked, first-class hotels, deluxecoaches and carefully designed itinerariesto ensure the best touring experience.

New tours for 2013 include the 11-daySights and Sounds of the South, whichtakes in Memphis, Graceland andNashville to name a few of thedestinations. Prices lead in at £2,295.

Also new is the 10-day Classic FallFoliage tour that journeys through NewEngland, taking in all the beauty of thisstate during autumn along with visits toAcadia National Park, White Mountains,the summit of Pinkham Notch and Boston.Living-history museums are also ahighlight of this experience, giving guestsan insight into the region’s history andrural past. Prices lead in at £2,169 perperson.

Hayes and Jarvis has ventured into Burma with its Road to Mandalay cruise

Cox and Kings has boosted its 2013 programme with the addition of toursin the emerging destinations of Zimbabwe, North Korea and Indonesia.The tailor-made specialist has added an 11-day Best of the West fly-safari inZimbabwe with prices from £3,425 per person.The tour takes in some of Zimbabwe’s most iconic destinations. Safari drivesare included in Matabo Hills National Park, where black rhinos can betracked on foot, and Hwange National Park, famous for its huge herds ofelephants. The tour ends at Victoria Falls.A genuinely off-the-beaten track destination, North Korea now features inCox and Kings programme with a 14-day escorted tour exploring themonuments of North Korea’s recent history as well as its natural scenery.

Emerging tour destinations


escorted tours

8


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Another new addition for 2013 is aprivate, door-to-door home pick-upservice, which allows customers theoption of being taken in a privatechauffeur-driven car to the airport andgiven assistance with luggage as well asbeing met in the arrivals area on theirreturn and driven home.

Insight VacationsPremium escorted tours specialistInsight Vacations has cut the price of its

tours by up to 16% with the launch ofits second-edition 2012/13 India andNepal brochure.

The new programme consists of twoluxury Gold tours and four Premiumescorted tours across Rajasthan, Keralaand Nepal.

There are also six optional extensionsincluding India’s Wildlife, Nepal, Bhutanand Sri Lanka.

Insight Vacations CEO and presidentJohn Boulding said: “These discounts of

up to 16% will provide agents with afantastic selling point, widening thereach of potential clientele, or evenincreasing earning potential byencouraging Premium clients to upgradeto our luxury Gold programme.”

The 14-day Classical India with Nepalpremium tour starts at £3,350 perperson (a saving of up to £349 perperson) and visits Delhi, Jaipur, Agra,Khajuraho, Varanasi and Kathmandu.

Insight Vacation has also added sevennew deluxe Gold standard itineraries tothe 2013 USA and Canada programme inresponse to demand for its mostluxurious touring style.

New itineraries include the 21-dayRhythms and Flavours of America, thenine-day Southern Tastes and DixieTunes and the eight-day Icons of theAmerican Heartland, some of whichtake in new destinations such asChicago, Nashville, Cape Cod and anauthentic paddle-wheel steamboatcruise on the Mississippi River.

The new Wendy Wu Concierge service will feature the highlights of China but in an exclusive way

escorted tours


When tourism boards draw upplans to spend their annualmarketing budgets, they have to

decide on what campaigns are likely to bethe most successful.

Putting luxury at the heart of a campaignmay seem a strange road to go down whenthe global recession shows no sign ofabating. However, that is what a number oftourist boards are doing; focusing on theirupmarket resorts and services to attractmore high-spending visitors – and it seemsto be paying dividends.

We find out how some of the touristboards are involving the trade to promotetheir luxury resorts and services.

CaribbeanThe Caribbean islands of St Vincent and theGrenadines will be increasing its appeal toluxury travellers from 2014 with the openingof the Argyle International Airport, whichwill allow direct flights from the UK.

Later this year, Mustique Airways islaunching a new flight dedicated to guestsof Petit St Vincent, flying from Barbados to

Union Island. This new service, which startson 1 November, will transform the journeyto the recently renovated island paradise.

Also new to the Grenadines is theredesign and construction of the CanouanResort and the Grenadines Estate Villas onCanouan island. Previously a Raffles Hotel,the site is now undergoing a huge redesignand the resort is due to have its softopening in November this year.

The St Vincent and Grenadines TouristBoard has teamed up with luxury operatorBlack Tomato to develop a digital detoxpackage. The new holiday has been createdfollowing research that revealed that 77% ofpeople believe that time without gadgetsand technology would make them a betterperson and give them more time for theirloved ones.

The digital detox package is designed tocompletely wean people off theirtechnology. It includes a guide to “de-teching” and a session with a life-coachbefore jetting off to the Young Island andPalm Island where there are no televisionsin the rooms and technology is discouraged

From Dubai toMalaysia, the touristboards are getting onthe five-starcampaign trail

The luxury link


destinations

Eastern Mangroves Hotel and Spa by Anantara opened in Abu Dhabi in June

S03 Luxury Supp 2012 Destinations_Layout 1 13/08/2012 12:03 Page 11

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on the beach. Those who have lessself-discipline but deeper pockets can takethe life coach with them for dailycounselling sessions. Prices start at £2,967per person based on two-sharing. For thefull de-tech experience, take a life coachwith you for an additional £8,943.

AustraliaTourism Australia has been prioritising itsluxury product this year as part of its globalmarketing campaign.

The tourist board has teamed up withboutique travel brand Mr & Mrs Smith toshowcase the best experiences andproperties in Australia. The Best of Australiacollection is part of the latest phase ofTourism Australia’s global marketingcampaign, ‘There’s nothing like Australia’,which launched globally in June.

The online campaign collection,mrandmrssmith.com/best-of-australia, issplit into five categories; Hidden Gems,Journeys, Cuisine, Wildlife and Coastline.

Tourism Australia, Tourism Tasmania, andthe South Australian Tourism Commissionalso held a luxury workshop for agentsearlier in the year, and a luxury module alsofeatures in the Aussie Specialist agenttraining website aussiespecialist.com.

The Middle EastLuxury knows no bounds in Dubai, withhotel groups and developers constantlypushing the boundaries of five-star comfortand service.

While The Armani Dubai, the AddressDowntown, One and Only The Palm andthe Burj Al Arab are well-establishedfavourites on the chic and stylish scene,there are some new kids on the five-starblock. These include a new opening fromthe Turkish hotel chain Rixos on the Palm.The hotel features 231 rooms and 28residential apartments with a different viewof the Dubai shoreline from various heights

and directions. There’s also a luxury spa andkids’ club as well as a number of diningvenues and bars.

The Fairmont on the Palm is the newlandmark five-star hotel that is poised toopen next month. The hotel will feature 381guestrooms and suites and its facilities willalso include a beach restaurant, a privatebeach club and water sports centre, a poolcomplex and children's activity centre aswell as a variety of dining facilities and aWillow Stream Spa.

The Ritz-Carlton has recently undergonea refurbishment with an 150-roomextension, while the Palazzo Versace Hotel,which is under construction, promises to beone of Dubai’s top luxury hotels.

Abu DhabiFollowing in the footsteps of neighbouringemirate, Abu Dhabi is putting luxury at thecentre of its charm offensive to attractmore visitors.

And Nabeel Al Zarouni, UK countrymanager for Abu Dhabi Tourism and CultureAuthority says the trade will play a key rolein promoting the emirate’s luxury offering.

“We will be working with our key tradepartners to boost destination training andfam trip opportunities to keep pace with allof Abu Dhabi’s new hotels and attractionopenings. Further trade engagement andbusiness-to-consumer awareness building ison our radar and we will activateprogrammes to achieve this, working withagents and the trade as a whole.

“More package holidays and dynamicallypackaged offers is one of our key targets,and we’ll liaise closely with operators todeliver this product, and so give agents yetmore product choice,” says Zarouni.

“More luxury five-star hotels and resortsare opening this year, including CapitalCentre Arjaan by Rotana, a four-star200-room hotel apartment complex andEastern Mangroves Hotel and Spa by

Anantara (the third by the hotel group inthe emirate) which opened in June on astretch of Abu Dhabi’s protected EasternMangroves District,” adds Zarouni.

AsiaWhen it comes to luxury experiences andgreat value for money, Langkawi in Malaysiacan really deliver.

Langkawi is the largest of a multitude ofislands that lie off the coast of Kedah State,in the far northwest of Peninsular Malaysia,and the region’s natural beauty has provedto be a magnet for upmarket hotel groups.

It’s home to many miles of white sandybeaches, marinas, golf courses and a host ofrecreational activities such as islandhopping by boat, snorkelling and scubadiving in the Payar Island Marine Park as wellas helicopter tours to take in thearchipelago of 99 islands from above.

Langkawi is also a great place for sailingholidays as the waters of the Andaman Seaare ideal, the sailing infrastructure isexcellent and is home to Asia’s premiersailing event, The Royal LangkawiInternational Regatta, which will be hostedby Royal Langkawi Yacht Club in January.

The island also has some of the mostluxurious hotels in Asia, including theSheraton Langkawi, The Datai Langkawi, TheAndaman and Four Seasons ResortLangkawi. Keen to capitalise on its beauty,the Langkawi Development Authorityteamed up with hotels and luxuryexperiences on the island to launch theLuxuriously Langkawi Tactical Campaignwith six-night holidays from £1,500.

AfricaWhen it comes to luxury, Kenya has plentyto offer, with a wide choice of five-starluxury lodges and beach-side retreats.

Tourism Australia has teamed up with boutique brand Mr and Mrs Smith to promote itsluxury lodges and resorts

BrazilBrazilian tourist board Embratur islaunching a three-step trainingprogramme for agents, which willfeature a focus on luxury. It willinclude master classes, trainingworkshops, online trainingprogrammes and prize draw with achance to win a place on a fam trip.For more information on luxurytravel in Brazil, log on tohttp://blta.com.br/en/

For agents

destinations



The Kenya Tourist Board is eagerlyanticipating the newest addition to its vastsafari camp offering with Sir RichardBranson’s Mahali Mzuri, which is set toopen in the Maasai Mara next year. Thenew property from Virgin Limited Edition

joins a fine pedigree of existing luxurysafari destinations in Kenya – one inparticular – the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy– which has the royal seal of approval as itwas the place where Prince Williamproposed to Kate in 2010.

Other safari destinations where luxuryabounds in the form of world-class lodgesand wildlife as far as the eye can seeinclude: the Amboseli National Park, whichhas amazing views of Mount Kilimanjaro;Maasai Mara Game Reserve (the seventhnew wonder of the world); Tsavo WestNational Park, known as the land of lava,springs and man-eaters; and Meru NationalPark, which is also known as the completewilderness; and Laikipia, which providedthe inspiration for Ernest Hemingway’s‘Green Hills of Africa’.

When it comes to ocean paradises,Chale Island, Funzi Keys Island and Lamu

Island tick all the right boxes withwhite, sandy beaches, coral reefsand luxury accommodation, whileLake Victoria, the source of theriver Nile, is dotted with smallenchanting islands includingRusinga Island and MfanganoIsland, ideal for the perfectgetaways.

BotswanaLuxury is at the heart ofBotswana’s safari offering andcommunicating this message tothe trade is key to ensure, saysDawn Parr, UK and Ireland director,Botswana Tourism Organisation.

“We want people to understandthe offering and especially whyBotswana is more expensive thanother safari destinations. Basically,this is because we restrict thenumber of visitors by restrictingthe number of beds the lodgesand camps are allowed. Also theprivate concessions are huge areas,which means that each day thereare very few people in them,ensuring that visitors get a reallyexclusive experience.

“Added to this, most of thelodges will aim to provide five startreatment with added amenities –for example one camp providesSwarovski binoculars and cameraswith 100 - 400 lenses in eachroom for the use of the guests,”she adds.

“Added to all this Botswana hasall the wildlife, wilderness,ecosystems and landscapes, but itis also safe and has a fantasticinfrastructure.”5030

0800 008 7288www.classic-collection.co.uk

MOROCCOinspiring exotic breathtaking

Affordable luxury holidays,

private tours & twin centres

All About Luxury Holidays14

Lankgawi is keen to promote its luxuryoffering through targeted marketingcampaigns

destinations



cruise

Cruising has rapidly become one ofthe most popular package-holidaychoices in the UK. The added-value

options and wide variety of destinationsthat can be visited in one holiday appeal tomany people.

Brits love the amount of value they getfor their money when it comes to a cruiseholiday, which is why so many decide toupgrade to more luxury options. Here is aselection of some of the five-starcruiselines and those little added extrasthat give them the edge.

Hebridean Island CruisesA firm favourite with the royal family – the49-passenger Hebridean Princess has beenchartered on two separate occasions by theQueen – the added extras this cruiselineoffers is what has gained Hebridean its royalseal of approval.

The luxury touches: guests have theopportunity to go on fishing trips and cooktheir catch back on board. Speedboat ridesare also on offer along with a high-calibreguest speaker programme and a schedule ofprivately escorted tours to castles, gardensand other places of interest.

Traditional Scottish rituals are also a mainfocus of the sumptuous on-boardexperience with the serving of Hebridean’sHaggis in a fondly anticipated ceremony. How much? The seven-night Houses andCastles of the Clyde cruise, departing on 12March 2013, leads in at £2,010 per person.The sailing visits some of Scotland’sarchitectural gems dating back from the13th-century including Kelburn Castle,Finlaystone House and Ardgowan House.Prices include return flights from regionalUK airports, all meals,drinks, shoreexcursions and gratuities.

From 24-hour butlerservice to hiddengems of destinations,what is it that keepsthe luxury cruiselinesone step ahead

Classact

Cruising the chic way with Compagnie du Ponant

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Crystal CruisesWhen it comes to attention to detail atevery level, Crystal Symphony and CrystalSerenity are the masters, offering afirst-class service from the second theirpassengers step on board.The luxury touch: Crystal prides itself onthe choice that it offers its guests from thedining experience (Silk Road by Nobu isjust one of the many highlights), theentertainment and the learningprogramme. And all of this is included inthe one price. Crystal’s programme ofentertainment includes newly releasedfilms in the cinema, production showssuch as Rocket Man, a tribute to Elton Johnand the new Magic Castle programme. Theon-board Creative Learning Institute offersa range of courses introducing new skillsand enhancing existing ones.

Crystal also focuses on having ships indestinations at special times of the year,for example, Crystal Symphony will be inSydney, where guests will welcome in thenew year Crystal-style ona complimentary chartered luxurycatamaran just beneath Sydney Harbourbridge. Also new for this year is the LocalInsights programme, which brings on boardlocal experts to share their knowledgeabout the destination.How much? Crystal Symphony’s 16-nightSouthern Summer Holiday cruise departsfrom Auckland and calls at Tauranga,Napier, Christchurch and Dunedin in NewZealand to visit the Milford, Dusky andDoubtful Sounds before heading toSydney for two nights and then on toMelbourne. Prices start at £7,600.

Azamara Club CruisesAzamara prides itself on the small-shipexperience that it offers, the luxury itguarantees when it comes to first-classservice and the destinations it travels to.The luxury touch: Azamara Journey andAzamara Quest are two boutique-hotel-style ships offering more overnight, longerstays and night touring than many otherluxury rivals. The small size of its shipsallows the cruiseline to access smallerports, which means the destinations itfeature are more exclusive to Azamara. For2013, Azamara Journey and Azamara Questwill offer guests 69 sailings to North andSouth America, Europe and Asia with 40news ports of call such as Shanghai,Propriano in Corsica, and Honningsvaag,

Gudvangen, Tromso, and Svolvaer(Lofoten) on the Norwegian coast.How much? A 16-night Discovering Vietnamand Thailand fly/cruise on board AzamaraJourney leads in at £3,436 per person. Thecruise departs Singapore and calls in atBangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Hanoi andHong Kong.

Compagnie du PonantThe French cruiseline really leads the packwhen it comes to intimate, elegant cruisingyacht-style. There are three ships in thecruise line: Le Boreal and L’Austral whichhave 132 staterooms and Le Ponant, whichhas 32.The luxury touches: the destinations thatthe ships visit and its long distance voyagesare part of the cruiseline’s exclusive offering.These include: Montreal, Boston, BuenosAires, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Quito, Santiago,Colonia del Sacramento and Lima. Unusualports of call include: Ushuaia, Montevideo,Falkland Islands, Soufrieres and Carriacou inthe northern Caribbean.

Also a host of new benefits and services

have been introduced including the OpenBar Package, which for $60 per doublestateroom per day allows guests the chanceto enjoy beverages at any time of day andwithout any restrictions.

Regent Seven SeasThe USP of this cruiseline is that it claims tooffer the most inclusive luxury cruiseexperience of all the cruiselines as its pricesinclude flights and transfers, one-night,pre-cruise luxury hotel stay, unlimited shoreexcursions, all fine dining (includingspeciality dining) and beverages on boardand gratuities.The luxury touches: because the cruiselineclaims to be so inclusive, guests don’t haveto worry about putting their hand in theirpocket to pay for anything once they are onboard. Regent also offers all-suites, all withbalconies and the majority of thebathrooms have a separate shower as wellas a separate bath tub.How much? A 10-night Venice to MonteCarlo cruise departing on 6 Septemberleads in at £3,578 per person.

Crystal Symphony will be inSydney Harbour this New Year’s Eve

The river cruiselines have really been upping their game when it comes toattracting passengers who like a bit of luxury.Uniworld is one of the market leaders in the five-star river cruise experienceand its sailings are operated in an exclusive partnership with Titan’s WorldBest River Cruises.The luxury touch: on River Beatrice and Antoinette, complimentarypersonalised butler service is included for guests staying in suites. Forcultural enrichment, a series of on-board signature lectures are presentedby experts in history, art, literature, music and architecture, while there areon-board demonstrations in disciplines as diverse as glass blowing, cookeryand flower arranging. Guests can also expect performances from localartists and entertainers. When it comes to itineraries, Uniworld’s fleet ofvessels cruise the waterways of Europe, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. How much? The 8-day Castles along the Rhine, sailing on board Antoinette,leads in at £2,099 per person.

Luxury river cruising


cruise

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As people travel more, theirexpectations of hotel standardsseem to be increasing. With that in

mind, many luxury hotel groups are openingin destinations they have previously had nopresence in, and existing five-star resorts areupgrading their facilities to offer guestsmore bang for their buck.

SwitzerlandThis December will see the opening of theAlpina Gstaad in the Bernese Alps.

The first luxury hotel to be built in Gstaadin 100 years, the Alpina Gstaad is set in anhill-top area in Oberbort, just five minutesfrom the centre of Gstaad village.

A contemporary interpretation oftraditional Swiss architecture, the hotel ispart of a $337 million developmentthat includes 56 spacious roomsand suites, private apartmentsand two chalets surrounded by fiveacres of garden.

The hotel will include the first Europeanoutpost of the renowned Japaneserestaurant MEGU. Other highlightsinclude a wine-tasting room, a cigar room,a private cinema and a Six Senses Spa.

SeychellesThe most expensive villa in theSeychelles has opened on the privateisland of Desroches.

The exclusive Madame Zabre SpaRetreat is named after the MadameZabre beach on the island, and costs€12,000 per night. All of the bedroomsin the Madame Zabre Spa Retreat haveprivate pools and indoor and outdoorbathrooms, views of the Indian Ocean,an entertaining area, expansive sundecks and fully equipped kitchens.

The villa can be configured to have itsown spa suite complete with a range ofElemental Herbology treatments.

A team of dedicated staff for guestsof the villa comprise a masseuse, achef and butler, who are on call aroundthe clock.

ColombiaSofitel Cartagena Santa Clara will launchas a Legend property in December with122 rooms, including 19 suites in theColonial wing. Originally built in 1621 asa monastery, it is now a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site.

With major hotelgroups embarking onbig expansion drives,lovers of luxury canexpect the red-carpettreatment in morefar-flung destinations

Suite dreams


hotel hotline

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Author Gabriel Garcia Marquez usedthe convent as the setting for Of Loveand Other Demons and the renovationof the hotel led to the discovery ofnumerous archaeological artefacts,which are now on show in the hotel.

MacauThe first “integrated resort city” hasopened in Macau.

Sands Cotai Central has 5,800 hotelrooms and suites from the Conrad,Sheraton and Holiday Inn brands, 92

luxury retail outlets, three healthclubs, two spas, 20 dining options anda host of entertainment optionslocated under one roof. The newinitiative affords visitors a duty-freeshopping experience at the 600 shopsdistributed between Shoppes CotaiCentral, The Grand Canal Shoppes atThe Venetian and The Shoppes atFour Season.

KenyaVirgin Limited Edition is to open a newproperty in Mahali Mzuri in Kenya nextyear. Mahali Mzuri luxury safari campwill be situated within the MotorogiConservancy in the Maasai Maraecosystem of Kenya and will consist of12 sleeper tents and cater for amaximum of 24 guests at any one time.Rates will start at $580 per person pernight all-inclusive.

BhutanUma by COMO, Punakha will open in

One of the refurbished bungalows atHuvafen Fushi in the Maldives


hotel hotline

18

Jumeirah BeachThis year has been a busy one for the JumeirahGroup with a number of new luxury hotelopenings. The Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel and Spa opened onthe northwest coast of Majorca in April,overlooking the fishing village of Port Soller. Thehotel has 120 rooms spread over 11 separatebuildings connected by garden walks and internalpassageways, six bars and restaurants, a number ofmeeting rooms, a Talisa Spa and aMediterranean-inspired art collection.The Jumeirah Creekside in Dubai officially openedits doors last month in the heart of Old Dubaioverlooking the Dubai Creek in the centre of thebusiness and cultural districts of the city. Theproperty has 292 rooms, six restaurants and bars,26 meeting rooms, a gym and spa. The hotel group has also taken over themanagement of the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul.

Banyan TreeBanyan Tree Hotels and Resorts has two new hotelopenings in the pipeline later this year.The Banyan Tree Kerala in Kochi on the west coastof India is due to open its doors this winter.The resort will be an all-pool villa property with thefirst Banyan Tree Spa with a dedicated AyurvedicCentre. The resort will also have a houseboat forcustomised journeys on the Keralan backwaters.

The Asian hotel group is also teaming up withAngsana Lang Co to open a new property inVietnam in the autumn. The Banyan Tree Lang Coand Angsana Lang Co will be the first property forboth brands in Vietnam, and will form part ofLaguna Lang Co, an integrated resort andhotel development situated on the renownedChina Beach.

Four SeasonsFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts has seven newhotel openings this year.Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou was launchedearlier this year in the Zhuijiang financial district ofthe Chinese city on the banks of the Pearl River. Thehotel has 344 rooms, a spa, restaurants and the99th-floor Cloud Bar. Four Seasons Hotel Shanghaihas also opened in the Pudong and is part of the21st Century Tower, it has 200 guest rooms andsuites, plus 60 private residences. The Four Seasons Hotel Baku has opened inAzerbaijan on the waterfront promenade, just stepsaway from the old city. The property has 171 guestrooms and 29 suites, an indoor pool and arestaurant on the top floor. The hotel group is poised to boost its presence inRussia with the launch of the Four Seasons HotelLion Palace in St Petersburg in November.Over in Canada, the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto isopening on October 5.

Hotel group expansion


September in the Punakha Valley inBhutan.

The lodge will be made up of 11rooms – nine deluxe and twoone-bedroom villas. Guest servicesinclude a concierge, butler service inthe villas, one restaurant, bar and aCOMO Shambhala Retreat Spa.Outdoor activities include rafting,guided afternoon and overnight walksand treks, mountain biking,custom-designed cultural-interesttours as well as fully servicedluxury camping.

AustraliaLangham Hospitality Group hassecured its first property in Australiawith the acquisition of theObservatory Hotel, Sydney this month.The hotel is nestled near the SydneyHarbour Bridge and Sydney OperaHouse and close to the heart of thecity with its finest selection of shops,museums, galleries and restaurants.

MaldivesThe Beach House Collection haslaunched its flagship property in theMaldives with the opening of theBeach House at Iruveli Maldives. It willbe joined next year by a second resortopening in the Eastern Province ofSri Lanka. The Beach House at IruveliMaldives has villas, suites andpavilions, located on the beach orperched over the turquoise lagoon,each with a private pool and a villahost. In resort, there’s a PADI divecentre, 18-hole golf simulator, fitnesscentre, yoga, tennis courts, a bungeetrampoline, two swimming pools, spaand a kids’ club.

hotel hotline


KenyaA luxury safari lodge Saruni Mara in the Masai Mara has opened the doorsto its new family villa and completed the refurbishment of its existing sixvillas. The villa has two en-suite bedrooms and a large lounge completewith dining area, sofas around a welcoming fireplace and a large verandaoverlooking the scenery Prices at Saruni Mara start at £250 a night full board and include park fees,game drives and transfers.

Indian OceanThe One&Only group of resorts has a number of updates across its portfoliofor 2012. At the One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, the spa by ESPA hassome new therapies, including Watsu (WATer ShiatSU) – a form of aquatictherapy that quiets the mind, relaxes the body and opens the heart.The One&Only Hotel in Cape Town has introduced a collection of Art Toursshowcasing techniques and galleries from regional talents, while atOne&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius, a youth fitness programme has beenrolled out.

Huvafen FushiThe luxury Per AQUUM resort of Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives hasreopened after a 10-week renovation.The work has included general refurbishment of all bungalows andpavilions with new interior finishes and a fresh look, a new outdoor loungearea over the reef at Raw for sunset cocktails, a remodelled Celsius and newrestaurant menus.

Constance HotelsConstance Hotels is carrying out a major refurbishment of its flagshipproperty, the Prince Maurice hotel in Mauritius. The refit includes theconstruction of a new heated lap pool, the refurbishment of all suites andvillas, the upgrading of the main restaurant, the introduction of a newwine cellar and a floating bar and additional rooms at the Spa deConstance.

South AfricaThe Shamwari Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape hasrecently unveiled its new Villa Lobengula, which has been transformed intoa holistic relaxation villa. Designed for families or small groups, the villa hassix suites that can accommodate up to 12 people sharing.

Hotel updates

The Jumeirah Group has brought a touch ofMiddle Eastern luxury to Majorca with the

opening of a hotel near Soller



Documents

Travel Bulletin All About Luxury Holidays Supplement 2012