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All About
LUXURY HOLIDAYS August 2013
Your one-stop guide to all the latest news and developments in Luxury Holidays
Produced by
www.travelbulletin.co.uk
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EDITOR’S NOTE
All About
LUXURY HOLIDAYS T
alking to agents and operators about how the luxury market is performing this year, all of the feedback has been upbeat, and the same message keeps on coming through loud and clear. Your clients, it seems, are still watching the pennies, but they don’t really want to compromise on their love of luxury holidays, but at the same time want a bang for their buck. Hotels and operators are stepping up to the challenge with valueadded offers, extra nights, full-board for half-board prices, free excursions, spa treatments, the list goes on. But the role of the agent must never be underestimated as you are key to getting those bookings, and knowledge really is power in the luxury market. Your clients are usually well informed about what they want, but your job is to give them the right advice so you must make sure you know what’s around. This is where Travel Bulletin’s All About Luxury Holidays supplement is indispensable. For this year, we catch up on what’s new from all the operators (pages 4-7) and in Hotel hotline( pages 8-10), we find out about some of the new hotel openings all over the world. In our For agents section, there is a round-up on fam trips and incentives from the luxury operators, before we move into the first main feature of the supplement – luxury rail travel (pages 12-14), Then we have introduced a new section called Agent’s corner (page 15) where we speak to an agent about their experience of selling luxury holidays. Kicking off this series is Travel Counsellor Jack Leaf. Exploration tours (pages 16-18) is our second main feature and focuses on the more undiscovered destinations that luxury bespoke operators are including for 2014. Hope you enjoy and I look forward to receiving any feedback on the supplement.
What’s New - 4
Hotel Hotline - 8
For Agents - 11
Luxury Rail Travel - 12
Agent’s Corner - 15
Explorer Holidays - 16
Angela Cronin Supplements editor
Published by Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX Tel: 020-7834 6661
All About Luxury Holidays
CONTENTS
Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe Written and researched by: Angela Cronin Email: angelacronin2003@yahoo.co.uk Design/Layout: Genaro Santos & Lee Telot Printed by: Bishops Printers Cover Picture: Velassaru Maldives ISSN: 0956-2419
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LUXURY NEWS
What’s new
The reopening of Marrakesh's legendary La Mamounia has led other luxury hotel chains to open properties in and around the city
The plethora of new, luxuriously chic hotels in Marrakesh are leading a resurgence in demand for the Moroccan city – but that’s not the only destination that’s big for 2014
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uxury clients might make you work hard for your money, but it’s guaranteed to be worth all the hard effort in terms of satisfaction and good commission. Prestige Holidays chairman John Dixon says in the operator’s 25-year history, its five-star hotels have always sold best, whatever destination that it is, from traditional holiday favourites such as the Canary Islands to newer destinations such as Croatia and Sicily. “Luxury clients are demanding but that is good,” says Dixon. “They are clear about what they want – sometimes in great detail. “For example, a family who booked a 10-day stay at the Rosewood Tuckers Point in Bermuda asked us to pre-book a chauffer-driven car to be at the hotel at particular times on most days of their stay." 4
So with that in mind, make sure you flick through our snapshot of What’s new from the luxury operators for 2014; some have launched theirs, while others are still tweaking them – it’s all about the attention to detail! Classic Collection Holidays The upmarket specialist has boosted its programme to Morocco for winter 2013 and summer 2014 with the addition of three of the latest luxury hotels to open in and around Marrakesh. These include: the Taj Palace Marrakesh, which is 30 minutes outside of Marrakech with prices from £849; the fivestar Mosaic Palais Aziza & Spa in Marrakech’s Palmeraie, five miles from Marrakesh medina with prices from £607; and the Delano in the heart of the Hivernage area in Marrakech’s new town, which owes its chic exterior to the Guggenheim with prices from £421. All prices are for three nights in June 2014 and are per person based on two sharing on a bed and breakfast basis, including flights and transfers. Sales for Morocco for winter 2013/14 are 30% up year on All About Luxury Holidays
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LUXURY NEWS The operator is also featuring a new mobile luxury tented camp in Ladakh, which will open up travel to some of the more remote regions in India. The Chamba Camp, Thiksey in Ladakh, the first of the camps to open, will be in the shadow of Thiksey Monastery. Activities will include boat trips on the Indus River, local polo games, walking, picnics and bird watching. A ten-day itinerary, including five nights’ full board at the camp, starts from £3,595 per person including flights, transfers, excursions and accommodation with breakfast daily. The tent will then move on to Kotwara, near Lucknow, to learn about Awadhi cuisine and Sufi Music. Cox and Kings has also introduced self-drive holidays to Oman, following growing demand for the destination. The cost of petrol is around 20p per litre and most of the road signs are in English, which makes independent road travel affordable and appealing. A nine-day drive journey starts from £1,575 per person including six days’ car hire. Meanwhile, new tours to Gambia and Senegal, Ghana and Republic of Congo have been launched for 2014. These include the 10-day Rivers of West Africa, 11-day Colours of Ghana and the 10-day Rainforest Safari tour in the Congo.
year, which Joanne Colchester, purchasing manager for Morocco puts down to the reopening of the legendary La Mamounia, which led to Marrakech “rediscovering its style and a large number of aspirational hotel groups, both big and small, moved in to offer luxury products. “Raffles and Park Hyatt both have projects in development as Marrakech’s appeal to well-heeled types on short stays seems undiminished.” Cox and Kings The luxury bespoke specialist is reintroducing tours to Kashmir for the first time in 25 years. The decision to add the destination has been prompted by a change in travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office last year, along with signs of investment and infrastructure improvements to the region. The nine-day Srinagar: Heart of the Kashmir Valley tour leads in at £2,395 per person and includes a two-night stay in a traditional Kashmir houseboat and a traditional ‘shikara’ cruise across the Dal Lake to explore narrow canals and waterways. All About Luxury Holidays
Insight Vacations The escorted tours specialist has expanded its collection of luxury Gold tours in the US and Canada. The operator’s new USA and Canada programme for 2014/15 features 10 Gold luxury and 14 premium escorted journeys The 2014/15 programme includes several new hotels such as the Ritz Carlton Philadelphia, the waterfront Hyatt Regency Savannah and the Stanley Hotel located in Estes Park, Colorado which inspired Stephen King’s The Shining after he visited the hotel with his wife. The Gold itineraries for 2014/2015 include the 14-day Rhythms and Flavours of America, which travels through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana with prices from £3,375 per person on departures from March 30October 26, 2014. The eight-day Icons of the American Heartland begins in
New lodge Zambia safari specialist Norman Carr Safaris has just opened a brand new ‘wildly luxurious’ camp, Chinzombo. Designed by the team behind North Island in the Seychelles and Vumbura Plains Camp in Botswana, Chinzombo is the first of its kind in Zambia, combining bush style with modern structures to blend into the surrounding ancient treelined riverbank. The camp comprises of six villas, with one designed for families. All villas have private pools and Wi-Fi in each villa. There’s a large bar/dining area and fire pit overlooking a curve of the Luangwa River with private access by boat from South Luangwa National Park. 5
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LUXURY NEWS Chicago and travels South along Route 66 through Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky, finishing in Tennessee. Prices start at £1,975 per person and departures are available from October 13, 2013October 26, 2014.
The new Chinzombo camp in Zambia comprises six luxury villas
Kuoni The luxury operator has added a number of new properties to its 2014 brochure. These include: the iconic La Mamounia, Marrakech; Palais Namasker, Marrakech and the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Dubai. Also new is Viceroy, Bali, where Eat,Pray, Love was filmed. It is set on the outskirts of Ubud and has just 25 villas and the award-winning CasCades Restaurant serving French cuisine with an Asian twist. Yoga, rice-paddy treks and river rafting are available. The Naka Island in Thailand has also been introduced and is a secluded hideaway of barefoot luxury with 67 all-pool villas and private open-air sunken bathtub and steam shower.
England cricket team on their tour of the West Indies in March. The cruise will visit Antigua, St Barths, Barbados, Tobago Cays, Mayreau, Petit St Vincent, St Lucia and Martinique with prices from £10,385 based on two people sharing a yacht club stateroom including flights, transfers, 13 nights’ accommodation, all meals and drinks on board and cricket tickets for each T20 match.
ITC Classics The luxury operator is celebrating its 40th birthday next year by chartering small, luxury cruise ship SeaDream I to follow the
Sovereign The luxury operator has launched its new-look 2014 brochure featuring 250 properties in 19 destinations.
orocco M Magical
AFFORDABLE LUXURY HOLIDAYS PRIVATE TOURS & TWIN CENTRES
0800 008 7288 www.classic-collection.co.uk
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LUXURY NEWS Sovereign has introduced three new all-inclusive options to its Luxury Collection including: Insotel Punta Prima Prestige Suites & Spa in Minorca; the Riu Palace Oasis in Gran Canaria; and Kurumba Maldives. Savings of £364 on seven nights B&B at the five-star Kurumba Maldives are available with prices from £1,719 per person on departures February 2, 2014 departures. Also new is the boutique, 20-room Dar Rhizlane in Marrakesh, Morocco with prices for seven nights’ bed and breakfast from £929 per person, based on departures on January 11, 2014. The Jumeirah Grand Hotel Via Veneto in Rome is new to the collection along with the Villa Cortine Palace in Lake Garda. Cosmos Tours & Cruises The escorted tours specialist has just launched its 2014 ‘Select by Globus’ luxury tours on a selection of itineraries in North America. The Select by Globus brand features centrally-located, handpicked, luxury hotels, deluxe coaches, complimentary door-to-door private transfers to and from home to the chosen UK departure airport (within a 75 mile radius), breakfast each day, many lunches and dinners. Itineraries include the 16-day Parks & Canyons Spectacular and 14-day Eastern USA and Canada Discovery from £2355 per person. Taber Holidays The Scandinavia specialist has added a luxury four-night break in Norway. The Lyngen Lodge and the Lyngen Alps adventure is well suited to couples looking for a romantic getaway. Situated in secluded woodland overlooking the snow-capped Lyngen Alps and waters of the Lyngenfjord, the lodge provides boutique accommodation with top quality cuisine, catering for just 18 guests. A number of optional excursions are available including snowshoeing, dog sledding, a sea safari, where you may get the chance to spot dolphins, ice fishing and cross-country skiing. Prices start at £1,468 per person and include flights, transfers, car hire with unlimited mileage, three nights at Lyngen Lodge on a full board basis and one night at the Rica Ishavshotell in Tromsø with breakfast. Based on two sharing. Departs daily from October 1, 2013 to February 26, 2014.
‘Defining luxury is a challenge’ Lisa James is a travel journalist who also works as an Independent Travel Expert. Here she gives her thoughts on the luxury market “The problem with finding a client with their ideal ‘luxury’ holiday is that the term itself is so hard to define. Ask 10 different people and if you’re lucky, you’ll get 10 different answers. More likely, you’ll get a vague answer along the lines of: “Well, er … I don’t know, really … we just want something …you know …‘lux-ur-i-ous’.” This isn’t a new problem. A few years ago, I was talking to Seamus Conlon, former managing director of Airtours, who had just become MD of Cruise.co.uk. He hit the nail on the head when he said that, for some clients, a Thomson cruise was deemed a ‘luxury’, while for others it would be something much more upmarket. So it’s all about getting to know your client. Of course, it’s not just the accommodation itself, but all other elements that combine to create the perfect getaway. Recently, I sourced three options for a honeymoon couple – all dynamically packaged because they wanted an 11-night holiday. All three holidays would have been absolutely perfect for them but what swung it was the fact British Airways had a special deal on one of the routes – business class on the way out for little more than the economy price. There were only two seats left! I relayed this information to the bride-to-be and she snapped my hand off. She’s not flown business class before and she can’t wait. Sometimes you find the perfect luxury holiday, but it’s the little things beyond your control that are frustrating, such as when a hotel can’t guarantee a double bed. For something as special as a honeymoon or anniversary, this is key and, while the hotel says it will do its best (and usually does), I’ve been on tenterhooks waiting to see if they will honour the request, or whether I’ll get a phone call in the middle of the night from a couple wanting me to sort it out. No matter how great the facilities, how stunning the scenery or how fabulous the food, if you’re hunkering down in single beds every night, it rather takes the edge off your ‘luxury’ holiday. I’ve got a honeymoon couple flying out in a fortnight to Crete. I have requested a double bed and I really hope they get it because, having dealt with the bride regularly since January, I know she’ll be straight on the phone if not. So, who would I recommend? The Centara properties in Thailand, Beachcomber in the Indian Ocean and Sandals in the Caribbean, all offer ‘affordable luxury’. And yes, Seamus is correct – many people do see cruises as the height of luxury. Closer to home, Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, Italy, is only two years old, but it’s a great option for a luxurious family or couples’ holiday. Guests can choose from luxurious hotel rooms; your own townhouse with stunning views from their trendy roof terrace or – if you can blow the budget – one of the secluded private villas with own pool. Similarly, Martinhal Resort, in Sagres, the Algarve, is a five-star resort made up of hotel rooms, village houses and luxury villas – another great option for families.
Demand for all-inclusive packages has prompted Sovereign to add Kurumba in the Maldives to its Luxury Collection
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NEW RESORTS
Hotel hotline Velassaru Maldives will have three new room categories from November 1
Boutique is the name of the game this year, with lots of small but beautiful properties opening all over the world Maldives New resort brand, Atmosphere, will embark on its first-ever venture in November. Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives is the brand’s first venture and will be the newest resort on Kanifushi Island, located in the remote Lhaviyani Atoll, 30 minutes by seaplane from Male. Officially opening its doors on November 1, the five-star resort offers a mile of uninterrupted, white sandy beaches, a turquoise lagoon and a natural coral reef. Rooms with a view? The property will have 150 sunset-view detached villas with four categories to choose from including the sunset beach villa, junior suites with an additional lounge area, interconnecting family villas and pool villas with large verandas and private pools. All villas have open-air bathrooms, private outdoor areas, internet access and a range of hi-tech amenities. Facilities: Leisure facilities include the Akiri Spa and the resort’s PADI licensed dive centre. International dining options such as Asian Fusion Cuisine are available. Anything else? Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives is offering a premium all-inclusive plan – Platinum Plus. This includes all meals, unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, twice daily replenishment of the 8
in-villa minibars, excursions, activities, live musical performances, access to the resort’s sports complex and an à la carte dining experience. How much? Destinology offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives from £2,199 per person – including two free nights, flights and seaplane transfers. Seychelles Hotel group JA Resorts and Hotels is opening a private 10-villa luxury beach retreat in the Seychelles next month – its first outside of Dubai. The five-star Enchanted Island Resort is located in the National Marine Park and only 15 minutes by boat from Mahe. Rooms with a view? The boutique resort is home to eight one-bedroom private pool villas and two two-bedroom Enchanted Signature Villas, all of which reflect the island’s traditional Creole-Seychellois architecture. Each villa features a private infinity pool, walkway to the beach, outdoor rain shower, French bathtub, four-poster king size bed, LED screen with satellite channels, DVD player, iPod docking station and complimentary wifi. Facilities: Guests can indulge themselves in the Serena Spa, which overlooks the Indian
Ocean along with an Adam and Eve’ couple treatment suite, two other individual treatment pavilions each have their own private steam room, shower and terrace. There’s a gym, yoga classes, holistic therapies and complimentary use of snorkelling equipment and kayaks. The Bounty Restaurant overlooks the resort’s main swimming pool and there’s also the Castaway Bar. How much? Prices start at £1,804 for a private pool villa that sleeps two with flights with Emirates from £710. Dominican Republic AMResorts is poised to open an adults-only property in the Dominican Republic in November. The Breathless Punta Cana Resort and Spa will be located in the Uvero Alto region of Punta Cana. Rooms with a view? The resort will have 750 suites with private balconies or terraces overlooking the sea, pools or gardens. Guests who opt for the more luxury offering in the shape of the Xhale club will have enhanced concierge services. Facilities: There will be a number of restaurants for guests to choose from with a la carte and buffet options. Other facilities include bars, dance clubs, spa, gym, theatre with live performances, gala parties, movies on the beach, windsurfing, kayaking, snorkeling, paddle boats, tennis, biking tours, fitness classes and poolside scuba classes. How much? Prices lead in at £81 per night per person as part of the hotel’s introductory offer. Kenya A new luxury beach retreat has opened on Watamu Beach in one of Kenya’s National Marine Reserves on Watamu Beach The boutique hotel of Medina Palms is designed to be eco-friendly and its contemporary Swahili design symbolises the space and light of the Kenya coast, with huge airy accommodation dressed in cool contemporary neutral shades, billowing fabrics and locally crafted furniture. Rooms with views? The Medina Palms takes its design from Moroccan medinas. Suites and villas range from one to five bedrooms, all with kitchens, lounges and verandas, set within tropical gardens with mature indigenous trees and four swimming pools with interconnecting water channels, All About Luxury Holidays
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NEW RESORTS cascades and waterfalls. The suites on the top floor have their own inner courtyards, there’s a four-bedroomed, oceanfront villa and a rooftop plunge pool. Facilities: Guests can expect to enjoy a fusion of North African and Asian cuisine with lots of seafood at the Amandina Restaurant, and enjoy post-dinner drinks in the Star Lounge or Chill Out Bar. There’s also the Sakina Spa and Fitness Studio and Tribe water sports centre. Guests have access to a private beach area as well as the powder white sands of Watamu National Marine Reserve beyond. Suites and Villas range from one to five bedrooms, all with kitchen, lounge and veranda, set within tropical gardens with mature indigenous trees and four swimming pools with interconnecting water channels, cascades and waterfalls. How much? Red Savannah offers seven nights’ bed and breakfast at Medina Palms from £1,880 per person, including international and domestic flights in Kenya and transfers.
News in brief A new lodge has opened in Hwange, just a few hours’ drive from Victoria. Elephant’s Eye lodge is comprised of eight tented chalets that all face the waterhole, and there is a guide on site to walk clients to and from communal areas and chalets. Hwange holds one of the largest elephant populations in the world. The Layana Resort in Koh Lanta has introduced a two-bedroom pool villa. The new addition brings the total number of rooms/suites at the hotel to 51. The villa has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living and dining room, private lounge and outdoor swimming pool, which is the largest in Koh Lanta. The resort has a spa, restaurant, two bars, library and an infinity pool with Jacuzzi. Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam will be opening next month. Six 17th and 18th-century townhouses along Herengracht are being converted to make this new property. There is also a converted vault in the basement that has been turned into a bar. The Gainsborough Bath Spa will be opening in spring next year. Spa Village Bath will be the only hotel in the UK to house its own natural thermal spa within historical settings. Velassaru Maldives has introduced three new room categories. These include beach villas with pools, ocean water bungalows with pools and lagoon water bungalows with pools. These new additions will be available to book from November 1.
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INCENTIVES/FAM TRIPS
For agents There are fam trips, incentives and roadshows in the pipeline for autumn and beyond Fam trips Funway Holidays is offering agents a chance to win a place on one of two fam trips, one to Mexico and the other to the Dominican Republic. The Mexico trip departs on the September 22 from Gatwick to Cancun with British Airways, staying at an AMResorts property for a four-night duration. The Dominican Republic trip departs on the September 18th from Gatwick to Punta Cana with British Airways, followed by four nights at an AMResorts property. Agents do not need to make any booking, all they need to do is complete a quiz by August 31 which can be found here https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NJNRMNV. The winner will be selected at random and informed on Monday September 9. For more information regarding the fam trip competition, contact marketing@funway.co.uk. To coincide with this FAM trip competition, Funway Holidays is offering up to 30% off holidays to Mexico and the Dominican Republic when booked by August 31 and for travel between October 3 and 10, with prices starting from only £989 per person. For further details go to www.funway4agents.co.uk Cox and Kings is offering agents the chance to win a place on a luxury tour of Peru. The incentive launches in September. The operator is also looking at hosting around five to six luxury fams for agents next year. For more details, go to https://online.coxandkings.co.uk/AgentSite2009/login.aspx
Funway reservation team on 0844 557 0626 will get £5. Additional cash incentives will run throughout the year, which will also be added on to the card. For more information and full terms and conditions go to www.funway.trucash.com Caribtours has introduced an agent of the month award The winner can be selected for anything from introducing new business, being a top booker for the month or just simply going above and beyond the call of duty for a client. Prizes that are up for grabs include fam trips, Kindles, luxury spa treatment and theatre tickets. Other incentives include a £50 Capital Bonds voucher for any booking made for travel before September 30. To claim your voucher, email werewardagents@caribtours.co.uk An additional incentive includes any booking made to Barbados by August 31 will be entered into a draw to win a place on Caribtours’ Barbados fam trip departing on October 6. Roadshows Wendy Wu Tours will be embarking on its 2013 agent roadshow tour of the UK visiting 10 UK locations from September 10 to October 1. The roadshows will begin in Manchester.
Incentives Funway Holidays has launched an incentive that allows agents to earn tax free money on each Funway booking made to the USA, Mexico, Caribbean (Sandals), Middle East & Far East. The agent will be provided with a VISA Debit Card and for every Funway booking they make, money will be added to the card, for example, bookings made online via Funway4Agents.co.uk get £10 loaded on their card, bookings made via the
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LUXURY RAIL TRAVEL It seems that luxury train travel is back in fashion as people relive the golden age of train travel in style – and lots of scope for agents to sell the itineraries
Bumper to bumper luxury Luxury rail travel is back in vogue in a big way – and it’s easy to see why
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olidaying by train seems such a civilised way to travel, and on a luxury one really raises the bar in every single way. We are all familiar with the well-known routes such as the Trans-Siberian railway and the London to Venice Orient Express experience, but there are plenty of other journeys all over the world to choose from that can satisfy a client who has a taste for the good things in life but also has a sense of adventure and is happy to pay for it. And like cruising, the most important thing about selling rail journeys is to make sure you find the right itinerary for your client – and as there are many to choose from, it’s best to make sure you know what’s out there. Tony Bryne, national sales manager, Great Rail Journeys says luxury train holidays are selling well. “As more agents specialise in the luxury market, customers are also demanding luxury rail travel to go with it. They are looking for something with a sense of adventure, but they want to travel in style in the most luxurious train available. “Agents need to familiarise themselves with the luxury train market because their customer base is very knowledgeable and do a lot of research, so it’s important for agents to be one step ahead. As regards to what is selling well at the moment, Byrne says: “The Trans-Siberian 12
Express continues to sell well and agents who have customers interested in Russia will also be interested in our new Russian and Northern Lights tour.” Simon Pielow, managing director of Luxury Train Club and World Train Travel agrees with Byrne that luxury train travel is big this year despite the economy. “We have noticed that a number of key markets are selling well,” says Peilow. “Women solo travellers like luxury trains as they are safe and sociable, but they are also popular with couples and empty-nesters. “And travellers who like high-end ocean cruises, also understand the benefits of rail cruising,”. “Agents need a lot of easily accessible and accurate information for clients to help secure the booking too,” Pielow adds. So to help you stay one step ahead, we have a round-up of journeys to look out for over the next year. Europe Luxury rail travel is synonomous with the Orient Express; people just can’t help think of the two together. For a taste of this ultimately, indulgent experience that won’t break the bank, many first-timers try out a day trip on the sister train to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the British Pullman.
And this year, travellers will be in for a treat when Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc hosts a dinner on the train as part of a series of pop-up dinners on board. Blanc will create a seven-course menu, accompanied by the sommelier’s choice of fine wines, that will be served to 100 guests. The train leaves London Victoria at 7pm on November 16, champagne and canapés are served as guests board the train. Throughout the evening, Blanc will be spending time with guests. Blanc will also host a dinner on sister train, the Northern Belle, departing from Manchester on November 2. How much? Dinner with Raymond Blanc costs £495 per person. Not many people consider seeing the sights of northern Spain from the comfort of a luxury train, but that’s exactly what El Transcantábrico Clásico does. This Spanish rail tour takes guests either from Santiago de Compostela, which has been the destination for more than 1,000 years of the world-famous St James Way, El Camino de Santiago, to León, or from León to Santiago de Compostela. Northern Spain is a beautiful, lush green area to journey through with mountain peaks, the shores of the Bay of Biscay and a strong sense of history culture and gastronomy – think Galician seafood, rich Cantabrian meat dishes and Asturian cider. How much? The Luxury Train Club features the seven-day journey from £2,220 per person. Great Rail Journeys has introduced a new 17day Russia and Northern Lights tour that gives guests the opportunity to spend Christmas and new year exploring Russia's beautiful towns and cities. The journey begins in London and heads to Berlin, Warsaw and then on to Moscow for Christmas Eve before venturing out to Valdimar, Suzdal, Veliky Ustyug and Arkhangel. The next stop is the Arctic Circle and Murmansk to see some northern lights activity before heading to St Petersburg for New Year’s Eve. The last two days of the experience are spent in Helsinki. How much? This 17 day tour is priced from £7,795 per person. Africa Luxury rail travel in Africa is very much all about the itineraries that Rovos Rail has to offer – and there’s quite a few. All About Luxury Holidays
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LUXURY RAIL TRAVEL From a two-night Cape Town Journey to a 28-day Cape Town and Cairo Journey and all the others in between, there’s an itinerary to suit most travellers’ desires. For 2014, an extra day has been added to the Victoria Falls Journey, making it a threenight itinerary including a visit to the Hwange National Reserve in Zimbabwe. An additional nine-day Namibia Safari has also been introduced with the first departure on 8 April. The ultimate experience has to be the 28day Cairo Journey that journeys from Cape Town to the Victoria Falls, then on to Zanzibar, Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, Entebbe in Uganda. The journey then follows the Nile northwards to Khartoum in the Sudan and on to Abu Simbel in Egypt, Lake Nasser, Luxor and finally Cairo. How much? Prices for the 28-day journey start at £31,946. Asia To celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2013, the Eastern & Oriental Express train has teamed up with La Residence Phou Vao hotel in Luang Praban in Laos to create a special fournight ‘rail and relaxation’ experience called the Journey to Royal Laos Departing Bangkok, the train heads norteast through the Thai countryside along a single railway track. The journey visits the Khao Yai Hills to taste the ‘new latitude’ Thai wines, the UNESCO site of Phimai in Thailand and crosses the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River to the Laos capital of Vientiane, for a full day’s sightseeing. The journey then takes guests to La Residence Phou Vao for a two-night stay. Owned and operated by Orient-Express, the hotel is situated in Luang Prabang, the country’s ex-royal capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site. How much? The four night/five day Journey to Royal Laos package costs from £2,500 per person. Maharaja’s Express When it launched back in 2010, the Maharajas’ Express really set its sights high when it came to luxury rail travel in India with double beds and bathtubs available in the suites and the standard cabins; and claiming to have the largest rail cabins in their category in the world. There is a bar carriage, and observation All About Luxury Holidays
carriage with its own bar, games tables and club armchairs, as well as two fine dining restaurants that seat 42 people each. The train’s presidential suite is to die for with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a living/dining room with a dedicated butler. The Express runs five itineraries: from the four-day Treasures of India tour to the eightday Indian Splendour that takes passengers from the city of Delhi to Mumbai, via the beauty of Agra and Jaipur, Ranthambore, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Balasinor. How much? The eight-day Indian Panorama journey from Delhi through Jaipur to Lucknow, Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho, and Varansi costs from £16,100 in the presidential suite. The Americas The Rocky Mountaineer is one of the world’s great rail journeys when it comes to landscapes as it passes through the glacier-fed lakes, majestic mountains and ferocious rivers of Canada. The luxury train specialist has three main routes – Canadian Rockies, the Whistler Sea to Sky Climb and the Rail and Alaska Cruise which combines a few days on a Holland America Line cruise. The journeys range from one day to 16 so work well as part of an overall holiday to Canada or a stand-alone experience. The two-day journey visits Vancouver, Lake Louse and Calgary, where the 16-day Coast to Coast crosses Canada from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific. How much? Insight Vacations offers a 15-day Trans Canada Odyssey which journeys from Vancouver, to Victoria, before travelling along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler. The journey continues through the spectacular Banff National Park, motoring
along the incredible Icefields Parkway to Jasper National park, before hopping on the Rocky Mountaineer to spend days travelling through the Rockies. The 15-day tour costs from £4,320 per person. If you have a client keen to travel to South America, maybe you should get them to consider the Tren Crucero in Ecuador. Steam locomotives from the start of the 20th century operate this four-day service which rides across Ecuador’s Andes from the heights of Quito, through the Avenue of Volcanoes (10 in total, one still active), Cotopaxi National Park and down to Guayaquil on the coast. The journey also operates in reverse. How much? The four-day journey costs from £650 per person and this price is valid until December 31. Australia For an authentic Australian adventure that doesn’t involve venturing on foot or horseback into the Outback, look no further than the Ghan. Operating since 1929, the three-day journey offers an insight into the Outback landscape between Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide. Passengers can choose to depart from Darwin or Adelaide, but whichever direction they travel, they are guaranteed to pass by the 540-million-year-old Flinders Ranges as the train heads towards Alice Springs. Excursions that are available include riding a camel and seeing the ancient mysteries of Nitmiluk Gorge in Katherine. How much? The three-day Adelaide to Darwin service runs weekly all year round and prices lead in at £889 for a day/nighter seat.
The Eastern and Oriental Express operates a number of different journeys across Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Laos
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AGENT’S CORNER
‘Success is all about good relationships’ Jack's most expensive package that he has put together was £175,000
Clients booking luxury holidays like to know they can contact you at any time, says Jack
Agent’s corner is a new feature where we offer one agent the opportunity to talk about what has made their business successful. Kicking off the first one is Jack Leaf, who has been a travel counsellor for five years. Some 75% of his bookings are for luxury holidays, and here, he shares his secrets of selling success with us
“
Thinking outside of the box, being original or at least different – that’s my key to success in selling any holiday arrangement. It’s no good going head to head with a mass-market operator; it’s more about establishing a strong rapport with my clients and excellent industry relationships. Longstanding client loyalty means I’m their first port of call, so if I work enthusiastically, quickly and efficiently, my conversion rate proves the business is clearly there to be had. That’s then enhanced on virtually every booking when I contact hoteliers and suppliers to let them know I’ve made the booking and to see what added value might be applied. This comes from years of networking, primarily in the evenings at industry events, so I’ve invested a great deal of my time. I usually ask my clients if there’s anything they’d like to request which might enhance their overall enjoyment, or indeed ask suppliers if there’s anything I should consider to enhance the client’s experience such as prebooking spas, excursions etc. I’m often asked what I sell most of. Well, truthfully, I sell what someone wants – within reason. By that I mean if they phone and say All About Luxury Holidays
they want to go to South Africa and the Seychelles, then that’s what I’m selling. If they want a bespoke tour of Peru and the Galapagos Islands, then that’s what I’m selling. Sometimes, a client asks for inspiration, a week in Europe but where? Often they know exactly what they want and they need to know they’re speaking to someone who knows the product, who quite possibly has experienced it themselves firsthand, and who can provide an attractive proposal. Sometimes I have to tell them why their idea might not work or how to adapt it – perhaps wrong time of year, or I’d like to recommend another hotel, or they’re trying to include too much – and they come to me again and again for that expertise and dedication. A lot of agents despair about the internet. By operating my business from an office in my home, how could I do so without the internet? It’s time for agents to stop moaning about the internet and embrace it. Some travel agents say don’t lead clients to a website, they’ll book direct, but my clients are not so stupid that they can’t find this information themselves and they appreciate me providing exactly those links for quick reference. And it saves endless
“The most expensive package I’ve ever put together was for £175,000 for a celebrity who took their entourage to Kenya” time of cutting and pasting and duplicating what’s already there. Availability is a key factor too – of me, not the holiday. My clients know they can contact me at almost any time – that cannot be said of street-based agents, even those who are upscale. I attended an event recently and confessed to a group of agents that this can sometimes be stressful because how can I switch-off? One of the agents remarked that a regular client had emailed her on a Saturday morning and she hadn’t known about the problem until Monday morning. I’m perhaps to the other extreme undertaking to do things and making a rod for my own back. But would I have it any other way?” 15
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EXPLORER HOLIDAYS
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L
uxury can mean different things to different people. And for your clients who feel that luxury is indulging their sense of adventure and exploring parts of the world that only a small number of people have had the pleasure of doing as opposed to 24hour butler service, then here are some tours to whet their appetite. And by the way, having a taste for adventure doesn’t mean you have to compromise on luxury, does it? Botswana Have you been on safari and seen the big five and more from the back of a 4x4, but the thought of a really authentic, up-close-and-personal experience would tempt you go back? Well, look no further than Ranch Rider’s horse-riding safaris at Botswana. The tours take guests out into the wilderness on horseback to offer them a different perspective on the wildlife in the country. Visitors fly into the Okavango Delta from Maun and a 4x4 vehicle and jet boat takes them into Botswana’s backcountry to the luxury Macatoo Camp, which is based on the western side of this natural oasis. Okavango Delta is the lifeblood of the Kalahari desert and the animals flock to the waters, so guests can expect to see lions, giraffes wading through the reed-filled waters or spy hippos frolicking in the waters from their luxury tents. Buffalo, wild dog, antelope and a host of smaller animals including genets, monkeys and bush babies also lay claim to this wilderness. Accommodation is in eight luxury en-suite safari tents on raised wooden platforms overlooking floodplains and a new, tented honeymoon suite complete with a bath on a raised platform and a larger private deck for an intimate private dining experience. How much? Ranch Rider offers seven nights from £2,520 per person including accommodation, meals, drinks, ranch activities and game All About Luxury Holidays
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photo: Levison Wood
EXPLORER HOLIDAYS
Secret Compass offers tours through Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor.
rides/drives. Return flights from London lead in at £929 per person and charter flights to camp an additional £165 per person each way from Maun. Uganda Uganda specialist Premier Safari is not your ordinary safari tours operator. Oh no. If you fancy yourself as an amateur explorer, then Premier Safari has the itineraries for you. It has an Explorer in Residence programme, which offers a range of tours led by explorer, author, anthropologist and fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, Julian Monroe Fisher. In January, Premier Safari is running a tour to mark the 150th anniversary of explorer Sir Samuel Baker’s initial exploration of Uganda. The seven-day tour will follow in the footsteps of the great British explorer and head into Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda along the trail of Sir Samuel’s initial exploration of the country. The diversity of the country is demonstrated in this park with thick woodland to the south and tropical jungle around Mount Rabongo, which means the diversity of wildlife is impressive. The tour heads to the home of the Albert and Victoria Nile and takes visitors on a water safari up the White Nile, which will give the amateur explorers the opportunity to see the Nile’s beauty and varied wildlife. How much? Prices lead in at £2,941 for the seven-day tour which includes accommodation in two of Murchison Falls National Park’s lodges on the banks of the Nile with some of the best wildlife viewing in Uganda. The tour starts on January 7, 2014 and there are only six places available. Italy Fed up with the old, run-of-the-mill ski breaks? Fancy going a bit off piste for a little taste of adventure? Then check out the Ski Safaris in the Dolomite Mountains, which encompass the Dolomiti Superski region, linking 12 different resorts featuring 750 miles of pistes. Ski safaris encourage skiers to ski from valley to valley in the day and enjoy the hospitality of an alpine inn in the evening, so skiers will have the opportunity to visit 12 ski resorts in less than a week if they choose to. The programme began last winter with two itineraries; the trips this winter expand to six new routes, including a gourmet-focused trip featuring meals from Michelin-starred chefs in the huts and a familyfriendly option. How much? Dolomite Mountains’ eight-day Ultimate Ski Safari including mountain guides, half-board accommodation and luggage transfers costs from £2,300 per person. All About Luxury Holidays
Sudan Not many people will know this but Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt, and while the destination is still relatively undiscovered and slightly mysterious, it is a great place to explore before the crowds arrive. And help is at hand in the shape of the Italian Tourism Company. The operator has been doing desert expeditions and archaeological tours in northern Sudan since the 1980s. In 2000, the operator built a small 20-room boutique hotel near the holy mountain Jebel Barkal and a tented camp in the desert, overlooking the pyramids of Meroe. The camp has 20 tents all with their only private bathrooms. The operator has a number of escorted tours, but it’s most popular is the nine-day Kingdom of the Black Pharaohs. This tour starts in Khartoum with a visit to the Archaeological Museum, which houses two temples rescued by UNESCO. The tour then heads to Omdurman, the old capital of Sudan to see the Mahdi’s Tomb from outside and the Khalifa’s House Museum. Day three, the explorers head to the Jebel Barkal mountains to visit the El Kurru Tombs and the Petrified Forest, followed by a visit to the Karima Market, a cruise on the Nile, a picnic in the oases and a visit to the Nuri Necropolis on day four. An overnight in the operator’s Meroe Permanent camp overlooking the pyramids follows with a visit to the royal Necropolis and the royal city of Meroe. The tour concludes with excursions to Naga and Mussawarat temples before returning to the capital Khartoum. How much? The nine-day Kingdom of the Pharoahs tour leads in at £1,862 and includes accommodation, tours, tickets for museums and archaelogical sites, some meals, transport, guide and transfers. Flights and visas are not included. Sri Lanka The Private Travel Company has the perfect luxury tour for clients who want to immerse themselves in the landscape, heritage and culture of Sri Lanka. The seven-night Serene Sri Lanka tour visits the mist-covered tea plantations at Nuwara Eliya, the 5th-century rock fortress Sigiriya that rises 200 metres above the jungle and the former capital of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa. The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is also on the agenda as well as the 1st-century Dambulla Cave Temple, which is a complex of five caves that includes the largest area of cave paintings in the world. The Italian Tourism Company has its own boutique hotel, Nubian Rest-House in Karima where guests stay for a night or two on their escorted tours of the country
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EXPLORER HOLIDAYS The journey also visits Kandy, the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings, and visits Kandy Lake and the Temple of the Tooth Relic. How much? Seven nights from £2,319 per person based on two adults sharing, including breakfast, flights, a guide and entrance fees to all attractions. Congo Odzala National Park in Congo is one of Africa’s oldest parks and has Africa’s densest population of western lowland gorillas, as well as central Africa’s highest density of chimpanzees, with significant populations of forest elephant too. However, only 50 tourists visited Odzala in 2011 due to lack of infrastructure and decent lodges/camps. Since then, two new lodges have been built in the heart of this park, which enable small groups to view the gorillas and other wildlife. Wildlife Worldwide has introduced Congo this year and the two new camps. Lango Camp is on the edge of the savannah and overlooks a large forest clearing that attracts elephants, forest buffalos, antelopes and spotted hyenas. The other camp, Ngaga faces the forest canopy and is the epicentre of a population of gorillas who are known to walk right under the Lodge’s raised platforms. How much? A nine-day Great Ape Encounter in the Congo costs from £5,995 with flights, day and night game drives, guided walks, boat trips, catch-and-release fishing, gorilla tracking, birding walks and game-viewing from hides. Zambia Based in the northern part of the South Luangwa National Park, Complete Remote Africa Safaris is offering expeditions to some of the most remote parts of northern Zambia. The safari specialist has three authentic safari camps – each with six en-suite chalets – and its own six-seater Cesna 210 aircraft which transports guests between each camp. The operator’s 10-night Zambia Safari combines three nights at each camp and gives keen explorers the chance to experience the wilderness of North and South Luangwa, renowned for sightings of lion, leopard and wild dog. There is also the opportunity to discover the wonders of Bangweulu Swamps with endangered shoebills and black lechwe
For agents Expedition specialist Secret Compass is looking to start working with agents following the launch of its new-look website. The operator specialises in leading exploratory expeditions to many of the world's most remote regions, and offers bespoke tours as well as package itineraries. Some of the specialist’s most popular tours include the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan, the Yemeni island and protected UNESCO site of Socotra, the live volcanic area of Kamchatka in Siberia and the secret peaks of Kurdistan, Iraq. Secret Compass welcomes enquiries from agents and is willing to discuss commission-based partnerships. Prices for its 12-day Hajhir Mountains, Socotra tour lead in at £2,599. along with an overnight trip to Kasanka National Park to experience the migration of eight million fruit bats between the Congo and Kasanka. How much? Prices lead in at £4,160 per person including all meals, drinks and safari activites. Flights not included. Peru For your clients who love combining their passion for food with holidays, why don’t you suggest they consider an Andes Gourmet tour from High Lives Holidays? The 13-day taste-inspired travels through Peru and Bolivia to indulge food-lovers’ passions for the region’s cooking and culture while exploring this region in style. The tour starts off in the heart of the Andes food capital of Lima before heading on up to Cusco, Macchu Picchu and the Sacred Valley that once fed the Inca empire. The mountains of La Paz then beckon for a mix of the old and new world and the spectacular Uyuni salt flats. Along the way, guests will learn to cook iconic dishes, dine at the best tables and meet some of the chefs spearheading the region’s cuisine revolution such as Gaston Acurio of Astrid and Gaston and Emilio Macias of Amaramar. How much? Prices start at £7,000 per person for the 13-day Andes Gourmet tour with High Lives Holidays.
Go off piste with Ski Safaris in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains during the day and enjoy meals cooked by Michelin-star chefs by night
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