Industry News

The 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards is the third year running Condé Nast Traveller has teamed up with its sister title in the USA. With restrictions lifting and the industry unlocking, responses from more than 800,000 readers reveal travellers are raring to go, with the majority saying they wanted to take more trips now than ever before, and to seek out new destinations. In a year when travel was more wishful thinking than reality, this browse through the virtual holiday album will help inspire a whole year of adventures, close by and far from home. The best cities to travel:  Best Cities (UK) London Edinburgh Liverpool Glasgow Manchester Best Cities (World) Istanbul Oporto San Sebastián Salzburg Siena Dubrovnik Bruges Reykjavik Galway The best countries to travel: Portugal New Zealand Japan Morocco Sri Lanka The best resorts in Europe (excluding Greece): Cheval Blanc, Courchevel, France Airelles Courchevel, Les Airelles, France Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, Champillon, France The Bodrum Edition, Turkey Gleneagles, Scotland Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Montalcino, Italy Ashford Castle Hotel & Country Estate, Co. Galway, Ireland Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy Six Senses Kaplankaya, Turkey Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, Hampshire, England The 2021 winners are celebrated in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveller, available via digital download.

Sprawled across 32,000 square meters in the heart of the Indian Ocean, Ithaafushi is now the largest private island in the Maldives to offers luxury experiences without boundaries. Beginning with a 40-minute private yacht ride to the island, the guests are taken care by a personal concierge who remains on hand to attend to every desire. Accommodate up to 24 guests at once, the island comes with both beach and overwater villas, each with its own pool, hammocks, and expanding doors that fully open to put the crystal-clear waters within close reach. The experience includes a private spa with a dedicated spa team, fully equipped gym with fitness classes, meditation and yoga pavilion, a personal trainer, and a choice of water sports and diving activities. It also offers serviced of a private chef, who is available 24/7y to prepare whatever guests desire, as well as a dedicated wellness concierge, who can provide customized therapies catering to the needs of each guest.

Millions of curious minds were waiting for this exciting event, and finally Expo 2020 is ready to welcome the visitors from all around the globe. Running for half a year, from October 2021 to March 2022, this show brings together travelers, inventors, businessmen, and tourist from 190 countries.  UAE expects a tourism boost during the period, ready to welcome more than 25 millions of Expo 2020 visitors. To make the visiting experience even more exciting, the guests can purchase and Expo 2020 passport, stamping it along the way across the massive country pavilions. A series of engaging experiences for the visitors include theme weeks, art galleries, a variety of entertainment and an array of other activities, available on the event's calendar. Entry passes, daily, monthly, and seasonal, are available at the venue's website. Moreover, hoteliers have a chance to see the grand show free of charge, claiming their free ticket with a work ID. 

The yearly travel, hospitality and tourism conference will be hosted on May 8 to 11 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, with a virtual event from May 17 to 18 for those unable to make it in person. The event will focus on the future of international travel and tourism, highlighting the potential challenges and opportunities facing the industry. While much of the previous ATM was centred around the recovery from Covid, the next show will talk more about looking into the future.  Show highlights in 2022 will also include destination summits focused on the key source markets of Saudi Arabia, CIS, China and India, with a global event for travel technology which puts a spotlight on the latest technology for travel and hospitality.  Even with the global travel and social distancing restrictions, the ATM 2021 event was very well received, with over 21K attendees arriving from more than a hundred countries. During the virtual event, over 30K profiles were registered on the ATM Virtual platform, and almost 20 thousands of face-to-face virtual meetings took place along with thousands of conference attendees.

Maldives is welcoming a new resort from the world renowned French-born hospitality brand. Located on Thilamaafushi of Lhaviyani Atoll, the property features 141 charming villas and a variety of epicurean and leisure experiences. Easily accessible by a 35-minute seaplane journey north of Velana (MLE) International Airport, Malé, the natural island is covered with abundant flora and fauna, with a lagoon and coral reefs bursting with vibrant marine life, including pods of Manta Rays and turtles.  Designed in a contemporary "clean chic" style, the resort offers a selection of accommodation, with one, two and three-bedroom villas, all offering a muted color palette and a contrast of renewable materials that fosters simplicity, openness and functionality. Food and drink options are available in six restaurants and bars, showcasing international cuisines and locally harvested produce. The signature Tabemasu offers a teppanyaki counter and a private open-air pavilion where guests will enjoy an expertly curated Japanese menu. The resort's adults only beachside bar, Riviera, is a framed by an oceanfront infinity pool and private shoreline and vivid sunsets.  Waves Café is a mindful eating space that fosters a healthy and nourishing approach with a focus on organic farm-to-table ingredients.  Velaa Bar + Grill, situated poolside, features signature cocktails and light dishes to savour in the summer sun, and grilled seafood, meats and wood-fired delicacies to indulge in once the last ray's fade. The Le Méridien Hub, a social gathering place, serves custom-brewed, barista-crafted coffee beverages, while Turquoise, a beachside marketplace, serves local dishes from breakfast to dinner. Guests relax and rejuvenate at two infinity pools at the resort or indulge into pampering at the Explore Spa by Le Méridien. 

Forbes Travel Guide will officially launch its inaugural Star Rating awards in 2023 for select ocean and river cruise ships from the world’s finest cruise lines.  Cruising represents the first addition to the Star Rating system since spas were added in 2004. This decision follows several years of careful research and preparation.  Luxury cruising holds the same goals as the world’s best hotels and resorts. Likewise, FTG’s Star Rating standards for cruise ships emphasize the guest service experience, while also capturing the quality of facilities – just as done with hotels, restaurants, and spas. Forbes Travel Guide's incognito inspectors will set sail in early 2022 to prepare for the first rating announcement in 2023.   

Accor has confirmed Raffles The Palm Dubai will open its door to eager travellers on October 1, 2021. Flanked by a 500 m private beach. Inside the property will be a 3,000 sq m Cinq Mondes Spa with 23 treatment rooms, two spa suites and what is being called Dubai’s largest indoor swimming pool. Accor also confirms the resort will have its own cinema. The property’s managing director Ayman Gharib, says: “It’s with pride that we announce the official opening of Raffles The Palm Dubai, Raffles’ newest luxury resort in the UAE. The five-star property invites guests to discover one of the world’s most exciting destinations through the gracious lens of a Raffles resort. Raffles The Palm Dubai will ensure that every stay is exceptional with everyone arriving as a guest, leaving as a friend and returning as family.” Once open, Raffles the Palm Dubai will have 389 keys, with a range of rooms, suites and villas, each with a balcony and sea-view terrace. It will also offer eight F&B venues.

Designed as a nature immersive wellbeing retreat island, the first of its kind in the Maldives, JOALI BEING offers completely personalised and results-driven transformative programmes, with the ultimate aim for guests to return home feeling renewed, uplifted and inspired, with a new sense of ‘weightlessness’. The retreat will offer an array of finest wellbeing facilities and unique transformational spaces, including hydrotherapy, movement, and sound healing experiences.   The Picture-Perfect Setting JOALI BEING resides on the secluded natural island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, an easy seaplane flight away from Male International Airport, with the option of a private transfer. The retreat is home to a total of 68 private exquisite beach and water villas, each with their very own personal butler or “Jadugar”, meaning ‘skilled magician’ in Dhivehi. Each accommodation come with private pools and a variety of special inclusions, such as customized mini-bar setups, tuned meditative balancing musical instruments, wellbeing games and more. JOALI BEING also features unique four-bedroom fully equipped exclusive overwater villa with a magnificent uninterrupted ocean view, a wellbeing room, and a movement room.   With the island’s wild forest remaining untouched, JOALI BEING has been built using Biophilic design principles, a scientific system of integrating architecture and design with nature, aiming to achieve harmony by eliminating negative vibrations and enhancing the energy flow of the island. The architectural concept of the retreat was guided by an architect Cuneyt Bukulmez from Atolye4N Architectural Design Studio and an interior design studio Autoban – both also led the design concept of JOALI Muravandhoo island.