Mid-haul
Mid-haul destinations in the Middle East and North Africa are surging across the board, and the luxury market is no different.
It’s hardly surprising – with a mixture of iconic sights, reliable weather, extensive airlift and more five-star hotels than you could patronise in a lifetime, it’s well-suited to clients with deep pockets.
Marrakech has a new direct British Airways service and a wealth of new luxury hotels, including the all-private riad Royal Mansour, and Amanjena, the first Amanresorts property in Africa.
Dubai will be challenged by Abu Dhabi, as its long-running developments come to fruition, including the just-opened indoor theme park Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
However, the original capital of bling will be fighting back with the opening of Palazzo Versace, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa, which will bring overwater villas to the Palm next year.
Oman, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are up-and-coming destinations for tourists with a cultural bent, and Egypt’s ancient treasures just keep visitors coming back again and again.
Alex Loizou, product manager at The Private Travel Company, says: “We’ve seen a surge in bookings for mid-haul destinations in recent months and we expect this to continue. To cope with the increased demand, we have expanded to include a tour of Jordan, given Abu Dhabi its own dedicated feature, and designed a tour of the interior to Oman that combines perfectly with a beach stay, as well as offering the opportunity to cruise in luxury on the river Nile.”
Latin America
Latin America is a treasure trove of stunning landscapes and wildlife, echoes of history, from Inca and Mayan sites, to more recent revolutions, vibrant local cultures and great beaches for relaxation.
Mexico has long welcomed luxury visitors to its Caribbean coast, but the interior is becoming a more attractive prospect too, with new hotels such as the soon-to-open Rosewood in the pretty colonial town of San Miguel de Allende.
Peru, too, has upped its luxury game. The spotlight will hit next year, as the country celebrates the centenary of Hiram Bingham’s rediscovery of Machu Picchu, and top-end properties are ready for those motivated to visit by the press coverage.
The Luxury Collection has two new properties – the beach resort of Hotel Paracas, and Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa, right in the Sacred Valley. Deluxe network Mountain Lodges of Peru even allows clients to sleep in comfortable beds and eat gourmet food while trekking the Inca Trail.
One-off quality boutiques are popping up in Ecuador, and the Grace Hotel Group, best known for its luxury properties in the Greek Islands, is developing a hotel in the winelands of Argentina.
However the real grower is set to be Brazil. With a wealthy domestic market the tourist offering here is already of a high standard, and huge government investment is readying the country to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016.
Fashionable and fun, Brazil isn’t cheap compared with other South American destinations, and its huge scale means visitors invariably require internal flights.
Luxury tour operators are responding to demand, and ITC Classics is including Brazil in it Pure Platinum brochure for the first time next year.
Product manager Mike Taylor recently visited the country. He said: “Whether it’s the sun-kissed beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, the panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro from Sugar Loaf Mountain, or the power and beauty of Iguazu Falls that creates a favourite holiday memory, clients will have plenty to choose from.
“The choice of accommodation is superb too, with Orient-Express’s Copacabana Palace and Hotel das Cataratas (only a few metres from Iguazu Falls) leading the way for travellers seeking service and style.”
Sri Lanka
The venerable island, as the name Sri Lanka means in Sanskrit, is back. And not just for the lower end of the market. Other Indian Ocean destinations – the Maldives, the Seychelles – have been traditionally stronger for luxury travellers, but deluxe operators see real potential here.
Carrier is featuring Sri Lanka for the first time and it’s no surprise – beyond the stunning beaches, cultural sights and photo-friendly wildlife, there are more than enough great luxury properties, from old friends such as The Fortress in Galle to newer boutique offerings such as Serene Pavilions and Reef, both in the Bentota area.
Luxury travellers who specialise in destination one-upmanship will be keen to head to the east coast, where tourism is in its infancy. The area around Trincomalee has seas and beaches of the same quality found in the Maldives, and is near to the heritage sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya.
These northern and eastern regions have a climate best visited during our summer, while the better-known south and west are exactly the opposite – making Sri Lanka a truly year-round destination.
Cox & Kings PR executive Katie Parsons says: “We have seen passenger numbers increase by about 25%. The country is excellent value for money, especially compared with India, and there are an increasing choice of flight options from Jet Airways, Gulf Air and Sri Lankan Airlines.”
Greece
Greece itself may be struggling with its finances, but there will be plenty of opportunities for wealthy tourists to add to its coffers next year, especially in the Peloponnese area, which is suddenly awash with fabulous new hotels.
The Costa Navarino resort will be an almost unimaginably vast playground for the wealthy, with hotels, residences, golf courses, shops, bars and restaurants, and extensive family facilities. They are all situated in the beautiful and unspoilt Messinia region of the Peloponnese, where olive groves and sandy beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Ionian Sea.
The Westin and The Romanos are already open; properties from Four Seasons and Banyan Tree are yet to come – the latter is scheduled to be Europe’s first all-pool villa resort.
For those who like things on a smaller scale, there’s the Kinsterna Hotel & Spa, just on the outskirts of Monemvasia, the fairytale-like castle city in the southern Peloponnese. This lovingly-restored Byzantine-era mansion is a design boutique tucked away in the folds of a lush hillside.
Frangelica Flook, Abercrombie & Kent PR consultant, says: “Costa Navarino is one of the most exciting Greek developments in years, and 2011 will see it take its place among the best and most requested in Europe. Prepare to see Greece in a new light – we did.”
