Four Seasons Yachts is setting itself apart from other luxury cruise lines by introducing a unique pricing model. Unlike most luxury cruise brands, Four Seasons Yachts plans to charge guests separately for lunch, dinner, and alcoholic beverages. This departure from the all-inclusive pricing standard has raised eyebrows in the industry. Nils Lindstad, the vice president
Hotels
Upon arriving at Le Meridien Melbourne, guests are immediately struck by the European influence present throughout the hotel. The Air France Airbus A350 model aircraft in the lobby serves as a nod to the brand’s origins, as Le Meridien was founded by Air France to cater to its passengers during their travels. Despite Air France
Virgin Limited Edition, the renowned luxury travel brand founded by Richard Branson, has recently announced its acquisition of partial ownership of Finch Hattons Luxury Safari Camp. Situated in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park, this 17-suite tented camp will officially join the Virgin Limited Edition collection on July 1st. While the Gehlot family will maintain partial ownership
Thematic festivals at theme parks have evolved to become a significant draw for guests, offering unique experiences that go beyond the typical park visit. These festivals encompass a variety of elements, including specially themed food, exclusive merchandise, special drinks, and limited-run entertainment options. One of the key attractions of these festivals is that they are
As the world starts to recover from the effects of the pandemic and people slowly start to travel again, there seems to be a noticeable shift in the behavior of affluent travelers. Renowned figures in the travel industry, such as Silvio Rebmann and Namai Bishop, have pointed out the growing concerns among high-net-worth clients regarding
Grace Bay Resorts is set to open its latest resort, South Bank, on November 1. This 31-acre property in Providenciales will offer a range of accommodations, from one to six bedrooms, spread across four unique neighborhoods. Each neighborhood is designed to offer a different ambiance and experience for guests. One of the standout features of
The iconic Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, known for its spectacular volcano shows and luxurious accommodations, is set to close its doors on July 17. This closure marks the beginning of a new chapter as the property undergoes a massive transformation into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas.
Hotels.com has recently unveiled its list of the top 1% of hotels on its platform, aptly named the Perfect Somewheres 2024. This selection of over 700 hotels, with about 200 of them located in the United States, was meticulously chosen using Hotels.com’s proprietary guest-experience data. This data takes into account various factors such as traveler
Imagine a world where planning your travel itinerary is as easy as chatting with a knowledgeable friend. This vision became a reality with the introduction of Expedia’s new AI assistant, Romie. Designed to be a personal travel agent, concierge, and assistant all in one, Romie promises to revolutionize the way travelers plan their trips. Romie’s
European hotels have been turning away group business in favor of more lucrative FIT bookings, which can risk their reliable, long-term relationships with tour operators. This move could backfire if and when travel demand cools from its post-pandemic boom. According to Robert Cole, senior research analyst for lodging and leisure travel at Phocuswright, this shift
In a strategic move to further broaden its all-inclusive offerings, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has established a partnership with Decameron Hotels & Resorts based in Colombia. This collaboration brings nine midscale resorts into Wyndham’s all-inclusive portfolio, with four of them falling under the renowned Ramada brand. The partnership with Decameron Hotels & Resorts has resulted
Airbnb has recently introduced a new product category called Icons, which offers unique experiences such as living room performances by artists like Doja Cat and overnight stays hosted by Bollywood royalty Janhvi Kapoor in India. This article will delve into the significance of this new category and discuss how Airbnb has been impacted by global
Preferred Hotels & Resorts is gearing up to launch a portal for travel advisors in the fourth quarter of this year. The president of Preferred, Michelle Woodley, made the announcement during the Global Conference 2024. The portal is designed to be a user-friendly platform that will allow advisors to check rates, make bookings, and manage
Oahu is set to welcome its first adults-only hotel, Romer House Waikiki, on June 1. With 179 rooms, this new property is a sister hotel to the Romer Waikiki at the Ambassador. Located off Kuhio Avenue, Romer House Waikiki aims to pay tribute to Waikiki’s mid-century apartment architecture in its guestrooms and overall design. One
The much-awaited return of international visitors to the U.S. seems to be on the horizon after a long hiatus of four years. The recent International Pow Wow (IPW) conference held in Los Angeles provided a platform for destination marketers to share their optimism about the rebounding figures. However, the recovery is far from uniform across
The president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corp., Mark Hoplamazian, expressed his optimism regarding the business travel sector during the company’s recent earnings call. Hoplamazian highlighted the impressive 6% year-over-year increase in systemwide first-quarter revenue from business-travel stays, with some segments experiencing even higher growth rates. He emphasized the strength of global business travel revenue,
The aftermath of Choice Hotel International’s unsuccessful attempt at a hostile takeover of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is still resonating within the industry. During the recent earnings call, Choice CEO Patrick Pacious addressed the lingering question of whether they would consider revisiting the merger in the future. While he didn’t outright reject the idea, he
In a recent panel discussion at the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Global Conference 2024, travel advisors discussed the shifting trends in luxury travel. One key point that emerged from the discussion was the fact that high hotel rates are becoming a concern for travelers. Silvio Rebmann, CEO of Cube Travel, noted that there is a
