Luxperience 2018 and your wildest dreams

Welcome to the Dream Machine

Luxperience 2018 opened in grand style at Merivale’s Ivy Ballroom in Sydney recently before exhibitors and buyers gathered at ICC Sydney for three days of business meetings.

The Departure Lounge was part of an exclusive invitation-only community to attend the event which attracted high quality buyers and suppliers of global travel experiences, kicking off on the Sunday afternoon with a keynote speech by award-winning biomedical engineer Dr Jordan Nguyen, inventor of the mind-controlled smart wheelchair.

“Doctor Jordy” spoke of virtual reality’s positive applications, exploring its potential impacts as well as touching on his experiences with AI-powered autonomous drone taxis and more.

A World Redesigned

The theme of Luxperience 2018 was The Blueprint – A World Redesigned, and Dr Nguyen was a natural fit for his pioneering work and out-of-the-box thinking. He shared insights on innovation and the “power of reason over emotion as the driving force behind inspiration”. It was obvious the luxury travel industry has an eye firmly fixed on innovation and technology.

Anchored around creativity and inspirational planning, the theme of the event opened the door to a smorgasbord of showcases for destinations, hotels, cruises and tours now engaging in fresh concepts and personalised experiences to cater for modern-day travellers.

Among many meetings, presentations, a media conference and panel discussions there is much to entice luxury travellers in the coming year or two.

Deeper, richer adventure experiences

Yvonne Verstandig, Australia’s leading luxury travel designer and Executive Edge Travel Co-Founder, says her clients are wanting “a deeper, richer experience” with some adventure in their holiday.

“It’s about getting off the beaten track with adventure travel in places like Scandinavia and Sri Lanka as well as East Africa  – specifically Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Botswana,” Yvonne says.

“With Scandinavian countries hot on the list, I’m actually escorting an exclusive Norway small group journey in May which will be loaded with unique active experiences such as visiting an art gallery that is only accessible by speed boat and a hike, kayaking a fjord, and glamping on a private farm at the edge of a fjord whilst sipping fruit wine produced by the local farmers.

Rwanda adds luxury to the mix

Speaking of Rwanda, it’s now a country resurrecting itself from an horrific past and is rated as one of the cleanest and safest countries in Africa.

“There has been a lot happening,” says Belise Kariza, Chief Toursism Officer of Rwanda Development Board. “Since 2003 we were looking at everything that could help us develop Rwanda in a tourism sense and it started with infrastructure. It’s interesting that back then we only had 600 rooms available for the whole of the country. Now, 15 years later, there are about 10,000 rooms.”

Along with the growth of the country’s national carrier, RwandAir, Belise says another focus has been “conservation” and getting “the infrastructure right” to attract luxury travel brands.

And those brands are coming. One & Only Nyungwe House is a big name luxury property opening in November in Nyungwe National Park which is in the south-west of the country. That was the catalyst for a new direction, says Belise.

Changing the narrative

“When this was first announced the whole narrative changed for Rwanda and selling it as a destination. Next year we’ll have a property opening in the Volcanoes National Park, and then in the savannah area we have Wilderness Safari luxury lodge. So, in a nutshell, what we are trying to create for tourists is the opportunity to do a circuit and not just be an ‘add-on’ destination. The luxury properties are going to help us sell Rwanda to the luxury travel market.”

She continued: “We position Rwanda as an eco-adventure luxury destination. Of the 10,000 hotel rooms, we’re filling them, and evidently there’s been a focus on the luxury, high end, and targeting the MICE sector with incentive travel, conferences and events. We invested in the convention centre, launched two years ago, which can cater for about 5000 people.”

Once in Rwanda, what do travellers want from their African experience?

“The first thing people want to see is the story of resilience and recovery of Rwanda: they are mesmerised by the story,” she says.

“The second thing is they want to see the safe component and how clean it is. And the third thing is the mountain gorillas. Then there’s the activities, the nightlife, restaurants and for every MICE delegate we offer them pre-and-post tours. So it’s the gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, the savannah and associated activities in the east, and of course the rainforest in the south.”

Hayman Island, another comeback kid

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is working full steam ahead with rebranding and infrastructure changes at Hayman Island which is all set for a July 1 opening in 2019. Effectively, the resort becomes a new experience for guests as of next year, with more restaurants, exciting onsite and offsite activities, and a step up with IHG’s renowned special touch in luxury.

The resort is spending more than $100 million on major renovations and is the only property on the 400-hectare island which was damaged to the extreme when Cyclone Debbie hit the Whitsunday Islands in early 2017.

“We’re just ramping up now and there’s a lot of work to do, but we’re well on the way to being ready for our re-opening date,” said IHG’s Andrew Best, key account manager of global sales.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to put the resort back on the map. Hayman will be completely refurbed, with new bars and restaurant areas which means it’s effectively a new product. It’s a key product for Australia, only a handful of resorts up in and around the great barrier reef, but there’s only one Hayman and one resort of our size.

A Beach House for multi-generational market

Lagoon, Pool and Beach Wings will remain for the variety of accommodation options but all enhanced, as well as two new-build Residences. A three-bedroom Beach House is designed to appeal to multi-generational families and groups and will feature private pools and direct beach access, as well as 16 new Retreat Rooms behind the villas.

“There’s also some significant work going into the meeting and conference spaces, brand new AV infrastructure going in and more offerings for a group perspective as well, so all those offsite activities can be available for groups too,” Andrew says.

“In staying true to InterContinental standards, we will have a Club experience added to the rooms rather than offering a standalone Club lounge. That means a dedicated concierge for next level luxury experience.”

Hayman will also have four restaurants and bars (previously there were two) including the Pacific for breakfast and lunch, as well as themes of Asian fusion, a Mediterranean grill and beach bar called Bar Fifty.

“There will also be a range of private dining options whether it be about being delivered to your room or if you want to go and dine under the stars with private chefs, a table on the beach or even a rainforest experience,” Andrew says. “We’re working with a company in providing some amazing onsite activities, so it’s not just stand up paddleboarding and catamaran, there’s going to be a dedicated dive centre where you can get your PADI certification, there will be a heap of dive options, bespoke picnics where you’ll be taken out to an island where you will be left alone for a couple of hours and then bring you back, and obviously more activities to take adventure of what’s there at Hayman Island.”

Japan’s sporty drawcards

Japan is also on the comeback trail in a luxury travel sense, some of which is coming off the back of major global sporting fixtures including the Rugby World Cup 2019 and the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo (2020).

From an Australian perspective, flight choices are in great competitive order with a mix of regular Qantas flights and the flag carrier, Japan Airlines, surging back into calculations with its affordable, spacious and irresistible premium economy and business class offerings.

“There are a lot of hotels opening in the next two years and people are realising Japan is so much more than just sushi and temples,” says Sally Miles, of the Japan National Tourism Organisation’s (JNTO) Sydney office.

“The sporting events are a great way to attract people who wouldn’t otherwise think of Japan as a destination, especially with the Rugby World with matches all the way from Hokkaido sall the way down to Kyushu, obviously it’s a great way to get travellers to the regional areas of Japan” Sally says. “There are a lot of great hotels opening up over the next two years, particularly in the regional areas for the world cup, and others opening in Tokyo in 2020.”

JNTO’s Kana Wakabayashi said: “There is an abundance of once-in-a-lifetime experiences for travellers to enjoy in Japan. Not only are visitors spoilt for choice when it comes to five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, but Japan’s unique culture and hospitality also enhances the traditional concept of luxury. Showcasing the diversity of high-end experiences in Japan to the travel trade is an important aspect of our overarching global strategy.”

Zipline entry to Shinta Mani Wild

Forbes Magazine has bestowed quite a title on the stunning Shinta Mani Hotels this year with the hotly anticipated opening of Shinta Mani Wild – The Bensley Collection, ready to welcome you to a private nature sanctuary in December this year.

“If anyone knows the name Bill Bensley (world renowned resort designer) you will think of every ‘wow’ property in the region and around the world, in fact, you’ll know the Bensley thumbprint is somewhere in there,” says Noelene Henderson, the founder of Enticing Asia, who specialises in sales and marketing representation for Asian-based boutique resorts/hotels and cruises.

“It’s in the jungle outside Phnom Penh and it offers a total sense of arrival because you zipline into this property, otherwise you can go in via military jeep. But you zipline in and arrive at the landing zone bar.”

Set along 1500 metres of river and waterfalls, Bensley has set out to create his most ambitious luxury camp project to date. Fifteen 100sqm custom-designed tents are perched over the swift moving waters and waterfalls, providing a view and experience unlike any other resort in Asia. Each tent has been meticulously designed to invoke the feeling of what it would have been like to be on a luxury safari in the jungles of Cambodia with Jacky O.

Feeling fine at The Farm

The Farm at San Benito, Philippines, was presented with the Luxperience Connections Award and is a world-class holistic medical wellness resort located in Lipa, Batangas, just a 90-minute drive south of Manila.

The Farm at San Benito offers health optimization programs such as Detoxification, Weight Management, Mental Health, that are carefully planned and conducted by internationally-trained integrative medical doctors, spa therapists, nutritionists, living food experts, fitness coaches and yoga teachers.

The property rests on a 48-hectare lush green jungle, with a view of “majestic mountains, fresh air with pristine and uplifting life-giving energy radiating around the property”, according to Jennifer Sanvictores, director of marketing and sales .

With only 33 exclusive suites and villas, a well-maintained property, world-class service, and the Filipinos’ nurturing touch, The Farm offers guests an unparalleled life-changing holiday experience.

The author was a guest of Luxperience