Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #40

THE PROFESSIONAL BUYERS’ REFERENCE 

SMARTreport 

ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS 

#15 / WELLNESS TRAVEL EVOLVES – 

IDEAS TO AMAZE EVEN THE MOST 

BLASÉ CLIENT 

SPOTLIGHT ON 

THE AMERICAS 

#33 / A DYNAMIC BUT STABLE 

MARKET. FACTS, FIGURES, 

TRENDS AND IDEAS 

INNOVATIONS 

& TECHNOLOGIES 

#41 / GETTING TO KNOW 

YOU BETTER. HOW AI ADDS 

VALUE TO THE TRAVEL 

MARKET 

SIGNATURE 

OFFERS CUSTOMIZED 

TECHNOLOGY 

SOLUTIONS THAT 

ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL 

NEEDS OF EACH 

MEMBER AND/OR 

ADVISOR 

Alex Sharpe 

President and CEO, 

Signature Travel Network 

#40 - 2018 AUTUMN EDITION / A CLEVERDIS PUBLICATION

Richard Barnes 

Editor-in-chief 

richard.barnes@cleverdis.com 

Tel: +33 (0) 4 42 77 46 00 

Hotel & Tourism 

SMARTreport #40 

2018 Autumn Edition 3 

FOREWORD 

THE SMARTreport - 40 EDITIONS, 

AND NEVER LOOKED YOUNGER! 

There’s nothing like a round number as cause for celebration, 

and this edition is our lucky number 40. 

In this edition, we are honoured to have the participation of Alex 

Sharpe – President and CEO, of the Signature Travel Network – 

who explains the “raison d’être” of his organisation and how 

it adds value in the marketplace. Our thanks also go to Laura 

Turner Seydel of Ted Turner Expeditions for her valuable time and 

contribution. We attended the Signature Owners’ Meeting in 

Florida, as well as yet again being invited to Virtuoso Travel Week 

in Las Vegas, this time also as contributing editor to Virtuoso’s 

newsletter. Another major piece of news this year is that while 

we have, for some years, been publishers of ITB Berlin News, in 

2018 we are also official publishers of ITB China News and ITB 

Asia News… not forgetting IFTM Daily in Paris. This gives our 

staff an unparalleled vision of the industry at large – enabling us 

to “put things in perspective”. 

We are also proud to have some exceptional new contributors, in 

the shape of luxury travel “legend” Mary Gostelow, and the very 

savvy and proficient Virtuoso member Yuriy Horovyy of London’s 

Almont Travel, added to our long time contributing “tech guru” 

David Esseryk. 

We trust it will all lead to an even more interesting read for you. 

Don’t hesitate to give us your feedback and comments. 

CONTENTS 

5 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

5 WHEN AN AGENCY BRAND IS PARAMOUNT 

Alex Sharpe, President and CEO, 


8 EVENTS 

8 WTM LONDON 2018 

10 SIGNATURE GETS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL 

11 ITB CHINA – FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH 

13 EVENTS CALENDAR 

15 ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS 

15 WHEN GOOD ADVICE IS ESSENTIAL 

17 IN THE FIELD WITH YURIY HOROVYY 

THE LUXURY SPA EXPERIENCE EVOLVES… 

WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS? 

18 TRENDING SPAS 

WELLNESS TRAVEL: THE GROWING TREND 

21 AS UNIQUE AS YOU 

22 EGYPT TOPS SIGNATURE DESTINATIONS 

23 TAKING RIVER CRUISES “OUT OF THE BOX” 

25 WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO… 

26 WHAT’S IN A NAME? 

26 7132 HOTEL – A NEW COMBINATION FOR 

DESIGN AND LUXURY 

27 “START WHERE YOU ARE” 

28 RE-WILDING THE PLANET 

30 THE ACCORHOTELS LUXURY PIPELINE: 

+ 32% BY 2021 

31 THE GRANDES DAMES OF CAMBODIA 

SET TO HAVE A FACELIFT 

32 NEW BRANCHES GROWING ON OLD ROOTS 

33 AMERICAS 

& THE CARIBBEAN 

33 THE AMERICAS – CONTINUING GROWTH 

IN A DYNAMIC SECTOR 

34 IN THE FIELD WITH MARY GOSTELOW 

MARY GOES WEST 

35 FACTS & FIGURES 

ASOUTH AMERICA LEADS THE CHARGE 

IN REGIONAL TOURISM 

36 TRANSPORT 

AMERICAS 9% RISE IN INTERNATIONAL 

AIR TRAVEL IN 2019 

37 TRENDING DESTINATIONS 

SPORTS DRIVE NEW TOURISM 

CONCEPTS FOR LAS VEGAS 

37 LIP SMACKING VEGAS 

38 TRENDING HOTELS 

PARK MGM - A FRENCH TOUCH IN VEGAS 

38 MIAMI INTRODUCES FIRST WALDORF 

ASTORIA 

39 CHAMPIONS OF THE INDEPENDENT 

HOTELIER 

40 EL SILENCIO LODGE & SPA 

40 BAHIA VIK JOSÉ IGNACIO 

& PLAYA VIK JOSÉ IGNACIO, URUGUAY 

41 INNOVATIONS 

& TECHNOLOGIES 

41 WE UNDERSTAND YOU 

43 IN THE FIELD WITH DAVID ESSERYK 

CLOSE-UP ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

– PART II 

44 DRIVING THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE 

HOTEL OPERATIONS: BALANCING HUMAN 

TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY

HOTEL & RESTAURANT BUSINESS PLACE 

RESTAURATION / DESIGN / BIEN-ÊTRE / TECHNOLOGIE / SERVICE 

SALON EQUIPHOTEL 

II-I5 NOV 2OI8 

Paris expo - Porte de versailles 

Votre badge gratuit sur 

equiphotel.com 

code : EPF046 

Partenaires officiels

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 




Alex Sharpe 

President and CEO, 


WHEN AN AGENCY BRAND 

IS PARAMOUNT 

Going behind the scenes at Signature Travel Network 

– with group President and CEO Alex Sharpe 

EVERY AGENCY 

THAT IS PART OF 

OUR NETWORK IS 

A SHAREHOLDER. 

OUR MEMBERS 

ARE PERSONALLY 

INVESTED IN THE 

RUNNING OF THE 

NETWORK AND 

ENSURING ITS 

SUCCESS… 

As they say, there are different horses for different courses. In 

this exclusive interview, we went direct to the stables of one 

of America’s leading networks – but one whose name is little 

known by the general public. Signature Travel Network President and 

CEO Alex Sharpe explains why… 

There are many factors that make 

Signature stand out from other travel 

networks. 

First, the fact that we are memberowned 

cooperative. Every agency that is 

part of our network is a shareholder. Our 

members are personally invested in the 

running of the network and ensuring its 

success; 

Second, our longevity. Being in the 

business over 60 years, our network has 

weathered many storms and we always 

rise to the challenges and move forward; 

Third, we promote our members’ 

brands, not our own. We always want to 

be in a supportive role in the relationship 

between our members and their clients; 

Fourth, our strategy. Our two key 

questions before embarking on any 

new initiative are “How will this benefit 

our members?” and “How will this help 

us drive more sales to our preferred 

partners?” If we cannot answer those 

questions and are not comfortable with 

these answers, we do not move forward; 

Fifth, our community. We are a small 

organization that is very hands-on and 

very close to our members. More than

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

OUR ADVISORS 

ARE EXPERTS IN 

THEIR FIELD AND 

GO ABOVE AND 

BEYOND TO FIND 

THE BEST OPTIONS 

AND VALUE FOR 

THEIR CLIENTS 

a network, we truly are a community of 

like-minded entrepreneurs, each going to 

market in their own unique way, but tied 

together by a common set of values that 

tie us together. Our meetings are family 

reunions much more than just business 

conferences; 

Our track record, we have been very 

focused and successful over the years, and 

proud to be the most productive network 

in North America, in terms of preferred 

partner sales per member agency, as 

well as the most engaged, with a higher 

percentage of preferred partner sellers 

within a network in the industry; 

We also have the highest memberretention 

rate of any network in North 

America; 

Finally, our guiding principles: to serve 

our members and add value to our 

partners and shareholders. 

How do you help agencies develop 

and promote their brand? 

All consumer-facing communication and 

marketing that is created by Signature 

is personalized for the member at either 

the agency or advisor level. The highlypersonalized 

approach builds rapport 

and trust between the traveler and their 

advisor. Additionally, the traveler as well 

as the advisor can manage what type of 

communications are received. Signature 

also supports members, and their unique 

brand promises, by developing the 

relevant content that consistently delivers 

the inspirational, experiential, meaningful 

and useful information that discerning 

travelers want to receive. 

Meanwhile, Signature offers customized 

technology solutions that address 

individual needs of each member and/or 

advisor and include extensive web content, 

online marketing tools and turnkey 

email marketing programs, on-demand 

personalized one-to-one communication 

vehicles and other technological tools that 

ensure advisors can respond to inquiries 

and proactively manage the customer 

experience. These tools comprehensively 

assist advisors to build a strong trust 

relationship with their customers. Advisors 

are further empowered with weekly reports 

providing them a complete overview of all 

messages, print and electronic, that their 

client receives, including e-mail campaign 

open and click-thru details, which enables 

the advisor to proactively connect with 

their clients that show interest in a specific 

destination or product. 

Please tell us a little about Signature 

Advantage Marketing… 

Signature offers expertly planned 

campaigns across multiple channels 

and high-impact customer touch points 

tailored to individual business models. 

With more than 10 million direct mail 

pieces and editorial publications every year, 

Signature provides members with a wide 

range of personalized marketing tools to 

ensure every email, magazine or direct 

mail campaign a client receives is targeted 

and relevant to their interests and travel 

needs. A centralized database of more 

than four million travelers is combined 

with ongoing analysis and segmentation 

to help member agencies to maximize the 

return on every campaign and expand 

their reach with precision. This data 

enables Signature to orchestrate highly 

targeted email and direct mail marketing 

initiatives for members that drive results. 

Signature’s most highly circulated 

publication, The Travel Magazine, and the 

recently relaunched Ultimate Experiences 

exemplifies Signature’s commitment 

to producing original and compelling 

content that supports our members and 

attracts new travelers. Supplier-specific 

and destination-oriented brochures and 

direct mail pieces feature exclusive and 

time sensitive offers. One of Signature’s 

greatest marketing advantages is our 

proprietary e-marketing program and 

tools, which puts the power of 1-to- 

1 email communication in the hands of 

the travel advisor. Every Signature advisor




Signature Board 

of Directors 

has direct access to weekly campaigns 

that are designed to touch customers 

across all stages of the buying cycle, from 

time-sensitive best deals and direct mail 

automated follow-up, to information-rich 

newsletters. Signature’s email marketing 

program continues to surpass the industry 

average in click-through rates. All digital 

media and email marketing tools designed 

by Signature integrate seamlessly with 

members’ individual online and social 

media strategies. 

How many hotels, resorts, villas and 

spas are in your network, and how do 

they qualify to be listed? 

As of today, we have over 1,100 partner 

hotels, resorts, lodges, destination spas 

and unique places to stay worldwide. 

Every partner property offers unique 

Signature privileges to our clients, 

including breakfast for two daily, 

complimentary wi-fi, a special Signature 

privilege such as a $100 dining or resort 

credit, in addition to upgrades, early 

check-in and late check-out, subject 

to availability, as well as access to best 

available rates at time of booking. All 

partner hotels are vetted with our Hotel 

Committee, which is made up of hotel 

experts within our network who provide 

us with guidance and counsel. We also 

have a Hotel “Mystery Shopper” program, 

which enables us to gather intelligence as 

to how our guests are being welcomed 

and handled on property, based on actual 

stays by selected members within our 

network who experience the hotels as our 

clients would. 

OUR GOAL IS TO 

BECOME THE MOST 

VALUED BUSINESS 

PARTNER FOR BOTH 

OUR MEMBERS AND 

TRAVEL SUPPLIERS 

Signature Travel Network launched a 

new consumer-facing hotel booking 

engine earlier this year. Please tell us a 

little about this. 

In April we launched this new platform 

for our members to showcase more 

consumer-facing material. We partnered 

with Freedom Travel Technologies to create 

and integrate this platform for advisors 

to connect with their clients’ needs even 

deeper than before. While it is available 

for all our advisors to use, it is a feature 

that they need to choose to participate in. 

For those who opted in to use the booking 

engine, it is embedded within their own 

sites so consumers are not redirected to 

a third-party site. Everything is right at 

their clients’ fingertips. The need for this 

hotel booking engine derived from the 

trend of consumers booking travel online 

themselves through third-party affiliates. 

With this new tool, consumers have 

access to all the information while still 

working with the consultants to receive 

the additional benefits and be aware of 

any restrictions outright. 

What is your vision for the future of 

the organization? 

Our goal is to become the most valued 

business partner for both our members 

and travel suppliers. We want to 

outperform the competition and continue 

to be a leader in our field. We do not aspire 

to be the biggest travel organization, but 

we do want to be the best in class. Our 

guiding principle is to serve our members 

and advisors by providing industry leading 

technology, marketing and training, 

which in turn will allow us to give our 

supplier partners the customers, matched 

to their brand, at a premium ADR, and 

likely to repeat time and time again

Virtuoso Travel Week 2017 

Meet with Cleverdis Editor-in-chief, 

Richard Barnes @ Virtuoso Travel 

Week: editorial@cleverdis.com

EVENTS 

SIGNATURE GETS UP CLOSE 

AND PERSONAL 

2018 Vegas conference spotlights personalisation capabilities of 

Signature’s technology solutions and marketing programs 

Signature’s 2018 Conference will 

be held November 27-30, 2018 at 

the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las 

Vegas. This must-attend event 

of the year brings together over 

2,400 travel industry professionals, 

including Signature travel advisors, 

managers and agency owners, and 

their worldwide supplier partners 

to meet, network and learn from 

each other. 

Signature’s President and CEO, Alex 

Sharpe, will address Signature advisors 

and partners on Wednesday, November 

28, to discuss the state of the network 

and where they stand going into 2019. 

Executive Vice President Ignacio Maza will 

share his insights on the top destinations 

for sophisticated travellers in 2019. Karen 

Yeates, EVP of Information Technologies, 

will present Signature’s technology 

updates. 

SIGNATURE’S 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER IS 

AMY VAN DYKEN, A 

6-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD 

MEDAL CHAMPION 

SWIMMER WHO MADE 

HISTORY AS THE MOST 

SUCCESSFUL ATHLETE 

AT THE 1996 SUMMER 

OLYMPICS IN ATLANTA 

Korea, Macao and The Philippines), 

Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver 

and Victoria), Hawaii, Israel, Thailand, New 

Zealand and South Africa. 

This year’s theme, “As Unique as You”, 

represents the personalisation capabilities 

of Signature’s technology solutions and 

marketing programs. The agenda will 

feature over 50 workshops on the most indemand 

topics in the industry, networking 

opportunities with over 850 of Signature’s 

preferred partners including cruise lines, 

land/tour operators, hotels, destination 

specialists, specialty suppliers and tourism 

boards from 60 countries on all six 

continents, entertainment, and exciting 

prizes valued at over $450,000. 

This year, Signature’s keynote speaker is 

Amy Van Dyken, a 6-time Olympic gold 

medal champion swimmer who made 

history as the most successful athlete at 

the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 

Georgia and the first American female 

athlete to win four gold medals in a single 

Olympics. 

Signature advisors can strengthen their 

existing destination knowledge or gain 

insight into a new region at workshops 

presented by Aruba, Asia (Hong Kong, 

Sessions on Digital & Social Media for 

Travel Advisors, Pocket Travel Consultant 

by AXUS, ClientBase, Res Cards and Live 

Connect will also be available. 

Advisors will also have the opportunity to 

meet with suppliers one-on-one during the 

appointment sessions. Each travel advisor 

will have thirty-two appointment slots and 

will be able to request appointments in 

advance. 

Not to be missed is the Gala Dinner and 

an evening of entertainment featuring 

the band “Alter Ego”. The fun will then 

continue at Signature’s exclusive afterhours 

party at the House of Blues

EVENTS 




© ITB China 2018 

Media at opening ceremony 

of ITB China 2018 

ITB CHINA 

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH 

The stepping-stone to understanding and connecting with the 

Chinese Travel Industry 

According to the China Tourism 

Academy, more than 130 

million Chinese travelled to 

overseas in 2017, a 7% growth 

on a year-over-year basis and 

more than 5 billion Chinese 

travelled domestically in 2017, a 69% 

growth comparing to 2012 and 11% 

in average annual growth rate. 

General attitudes towards Chinese 

travel behaviour are changing, 

and the challenges, as well as 

opportunities concerning the industry 

will be key topics at ITB China 2019. 

In order to attract more Chinese travellers, 

destinations and countries at ITB China can 

learn how to provide more individual travel 

experiences, or give better access to 

online information. They will discover the 

importance of creating visa-free travel for 

Chinese visitors, and learn how to leverage 

all new media platforms to engage 

and connect with Chinese travellers, 

who very much rely on tech services, 

such as mobile messaging apps or 

microblogging sites in order to find and 

book holidays. 

The image of a Chinese tourist group, 

speed-visiting various destinations in a 

tremendously short period, protected 

in the bubble of a guided group, has 

become a wide-established cliché. Young 

Chinese travellers are now seeking 

individual experiences rather than going on 

all-inclusive tours as their parents used to. The 

customising process starts by understanding 

the needs of the Chinese individual, the 

family, the millennial or group, and filtering 

down the possibilities to a personalised 

travel schedule that fits them best. Chinese 

travellers are increasingly looking for trips 

that match their interests and hobbies. 

Themed travel, such as food travel, island 

travel or sports travel among others, offers 

the opportunity for a better connection with 

a country or other special interests. 

With requests for customised and 

personalised vacations rising sharply, 

ITB China, taking place from 15 – 17 

May 2019 in Shanghai, provides both 

agents and traditional tour operators a 

platform to change their businesses to meet 

that demand. The event is establishing itself 

as the must-attend trade fair for anyone 

looking to build a strong presence in China 

ABOUT ITB CHINA 

More than 850 top and hand 

selected buyers from Greater China 

meet with industry professionals 

from all over the world 

ITB China Conference brings 

together top speakers delivering 

hours of discussion to offer a wellrounded 

experience where industry 

leaders will network and discover 

the future of Chinese travel 

Various networking events and a 

unique state of the art matchmaking 

system in order to enhance 

networking offer different ways to 

maximize business opportunities

13 



2018 Autumn Edition 

Forecast Forum, 

WTM 2017 

EVENTS CALENDAR 

31 OCTOBER - 2 NOVEMBER, 2018 

ILTM China 

Shanghai Exhibition Centre, 

Shanghai, China 

www.iltm.com/china/ 

1-4 NOVEMBER, 2018 

The Luxury Travel Fair 

Olympia, London, United Kingdom 

www.luxurytravelfair.com 

CLEVERDIS 

PARTNER 


World Travel Market - 

WTM London 2018 

ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 

London, United Kingdom 

http://london.wtm.com 


Hospitality Qatar 

Doha Exhibition and Convention Center 

(DECC), Doha, Qatar 

www.hospitalityqatar.qa 

CLEVERDIS 

PARTNER 

11-15 NOVEMBER 2018 

EquipHotel 

Paris expo Porte de Versailles, Paris, France 

www.equiphotel.com/en/Home/ 

CLEVERDIS 

PARTNER 

12 NOVEMBER, 2018 

American Group Travel Awards 

TAO Downtown, New York City, NY, USA 

https://americangrouptravelawards.com/ 

AGTA/ 

13-14 NOVEMBER 2018 

Future Travel Experience Asia Expo 

Maryna Bay Sands, Singapore 

www.futuretravelexperience.com/fteasia/ 


IHTF Asia (International Hotel 

Technology Forum) 

Renaissance Harbour View Hotel, 

Hong Kong 

www.arena-international.com/ihtfasia 

19-21 NOVEMBER, 2018 

loop Tirol 

Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol, Telfs, Austria 

www.loop-luxury-fair.com/loop-tirol/ 

20-21 NOVEMBER, 2018 

Sleep + Eat 

Olympia, London, United Kingdom 

https://www.sleepandeatevent.com 

27-29 NOVEMBER, 2018 

GBTA Conference 

Estrel Congress Center, Berlin, Germany 

http://europeconference.gbta.org 

27-29 NOVEMBER, 2018 

IBTM World 

Fira Barcelona, Spain 

www.ibtmworld.com 


PATA Destination Marketing Forum 

Avani Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention 

Centre, Khon Kaen, Thailand 

www.pata.org/pdmf/ 

3-6 DECEMBER, 2018 

International Luxury Travel Market - 

ILTM Cannes 

Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, 

Cannes, France 

www.iltm.com/en/cannes/ 


LGBTQ Tourism Forum 

W Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA 

https://communitymarketinginc.com/lgbtqtourism-forum/ 

10-11 DECEMBER, 2018 

Brussels Travel Expo 

Jeux d’Hiver, Brussels, Belgium 

www.btexpo.com 

13-14 DECEMBER, 2018 

INSPIRE ‘18 

Four Seasons, Las Vegas, Texas, USA 

www.luxuryconference.org 


HITEC Dubai 

Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE 

www.hftp.org/hitec/dubai/ 

23-27 JANUARY, 2019 

FITUR 

Feria Madrid, Madrid, Spain 

www.ifema.es 

CLEVERDIS 

PARTNER 

31 JANUARY - 3 FEBRUARY, 2019 

EMITT - East Mediterranean 

International Travel & Tourism 

Exhibition 

Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress 

Center, İstanbul, Turkey 

www.emittistanbul.com 

A CLEVERDIS Publication, 65 avenue Jules Cantini, Tour Méditerranée, 

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Publisher: Gérard Lefebvre - Publishing Director: Jean-Guy Bienfait 

Managing Director: Jean-François Pieri - Project Manager: Wenchao Wang 

Marketing Manager: Nathalie Meissner - Editor-in-Chief: Richard Barnes 

Associate Editor: Simon King - Editorial coordination: Melek Selin Sozmen 

Art Director: Hélène Beunat. With the participation of: Bettina Badon, 

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© Ralf Roletschek – Roletschek.at 

WHEN GOOD ADVICE 

IS ESSENTIAL 

This year, the term “travel 

agent” is definitely becoming 

old hat, as an increasing number 

of industry professionals become 

“travel advisors”. The difference 

is evident. While one is just a 

button pusher, the other is a 

valued and trusted counsellor. 

Thus, ASTA now officially 

becomes the American Society 

of Travel Advisors. 

In the luxury market, this concept 

of being a trusted mentor or 

advisor for people whose time 

is worth a fortune and who 

need to trust someone to plan 

that time in the most efficient 

manner possible is today quite 

essential. 

“Getting the best” is also 

somewhat addictive it seems, as 

86% of people surveyed recently 

by YouGov (study published by 

Virtuoso) said they were willing 

to pay full price if it meant 

getting the best in service, and 

73% agreed that once one has 

experienced true luxury, it is hard 

to scale back. 61% of those 

surveyed said they expected to 

spend more on luxury this year, 

and even more – 71% – said 

they expected to spend more on 

luxury travel. 

In the next pages, you’ll discover 

the latest news from the “elite 

travel” segment. 

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

In The Field 

with Yuriy Horovyy 




THE “INSIDE LINE” ON WHAT’S HOT IN THE FIELD OF TRAVEL ADVICE 

PART 01 

WELLNESS TRAVEL 

THE 

LUXURY SPA 

EXPERIENCE 

EVOLVES… 

WHAT ARE 

THE LATEST 

TRENDS? 

The luxury spa experience is developing 

rapidly. In many hotels, what used to be 

a quiet space to find a mud bath and a 

massage has grown into an entire world 

of its own. For a start, the best hotels are 

viewing their spa as not just as space, but 

an experienced programme where guests 

are provided with a complete itinerary 

– not just a menu – including a tailored 

culinary programme (food as medicine), 

meditation and mindfulness, and specialised 

fitness training. Virtuoso travel expert, 

Yuriy Horovyy of Almont Travel, London, 

gives some exceptional insight into what’s 

trending at the moment… 

Today, it is no longer just about “booking 

the spa”, it’s about immersing oneself in a 

wellness escape. 

A key trend is for spas to source treatments 

that depart from the tried and tired. These 

might include new traditional methods 

farmed from the hotel’s local culture, or 

treatments harnessing cutting-edge 

technology. 

Another trend is to design an 

immersive environment 

where the details of 

the experience have 

been carefully 

crafted for the 

guest’s comfort, 

rather than just for 

the Instagram shares. 

A place that exemplifies this, 

in my mind, is Velaa Private Island 

in the Maldives. Housed in a round 

of bungalows perched serenely above 

the waters, the spa places you in a world 

far away from even the most obstinate of 

distractions. 

Entering a private treatment bungalow 

the staff invites to prostrate yourself on 

to a massage table. Immediately your eyes 

begin to focus on the gentle waters playing 

beneath a glass floor where fish meander 

past, ignorant of the world beyond. 

Meanwhile, the masseuse forcefully works 

away the knots of stress buried in the 

depths of your back (and mind). 

THE BEST 

SPAS AREN’T 

JUST DELIVERING 

TREATMENTS, THEY ARE 

IMMERSING YOU IN 

ANOTHER 

WORLD 

housing a luminous, egg-shaped cocoon, 

courtesy of the future. Over the next half 

an hour your body is bathed in waves 

of sound and light designed to awaken 

subconscious memories of womb-like 

serenity. 

Retiring again to the recovery area, you 

begin to take advantage of the oceanviewed 

Saunas and Steam rooms 

before discovering the Maldives’ 

most novel treat, a genuine 

snow sauna—which 

feels both daring and 

soothing against 

the persistently 

warm 

outside. 

air 

Another spa experience 

that has wedged itself 

permanently into my soul is 

the Terme di Saturna in the heart 

of Tuscany. It boasts a mesmerising 

array of treatments combining both 

well-being and, aesthetic—rare for a 

hotel. Their Rebalance programme offers 

a five-day excursion into culinary and 

pampering delight, an alternating stream 

of heavenly bliss and healthy indulgence. 

The spa benefits from its advantageous 

placement next to a thermal spring and 

the opportunity is not wasted in their 

treatment programme. This is, after all, 

nature’s own spa and an experience 

humans have prized since before history. 

Life restored, you transition into a recovery 

area, lounge on a daybed, facing a 

turquoise ocean and azure horizon. Later, 

you are directed to a darkened sanctuary, 

Whether for the long excursion or the brief 

refresh respite, the best spas aren’t just 

delivering treatments, they are immersing 

you in another world. 

SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE NEXT EDITION


TRENDING SPAS 

WELLNESS TRAVEL: THE 

A compilation of what’s new and what’s trending 

From week-long wellness retreats 

in the Costa Rican rainforest and 

volcanic mud baths in Napa Valley 

to the first spa train carriage in 

Europe, New York based Alice 

Marshal Public Relations released, 

on 15 October, a long list of trending 

spas around the world. Following is 

a selection of just a few… 

BELMOND 

A global collection of 47 hotels, trains, 

river cruises and restaurants, Belmond 

has defined the world of luxury for more 

than 40 years. From launching the first 

spa carriage in Europe to introducing 

locally-inspired treatments, Belmond offers 

immersive wellness offers in some of the 

world’s most exciting locations. 

What’s New: Belmond Royal Scotsman and 

Belmond Andean Explorer both introduced 

a spa car. Guests can relax with a massage 

or facial while gazing out at the passing 

scenery. Belmond Royal Scotsman has 

partnered with British spa brand Bamford 

Haybarn Spa, while Belmond Andean 

Explorer showcases an exclusive Andean 

collection made of local, natural ingredients. 

&BEYOND | BHUTAN 

&Beyond’s new Bhutan Yoga Retreat Small 

Group Journey allows travellers to immerse 

themselves in the spiritual heartland 

of Bhutan. Highlights of this 10-day 

journey include yoga and meditation over 

Bhutan’s magical scenery, hiking Tiger’s 

Nest monastery in Paro, and exploring the 

fortresses and temples of Thimphu and 

Punakha, all led by an expert guide and 

specialist healing facilitator to help guests 

find balance of the mind, body, and soul. 

NAYARA SPRINGS | 

ARENAL, COSTA RICA 

Cantilevered over the rainforest, the Spa at 

Nayara Springs allows guests to experience 

the sights, sounds, and scents of the 

rainforest in outdoor spa bungalows. 

Wellness Retreat: In Q3, Nayara is launching 

customisable three- or five-day Wellness 

Experience Packages inviting travellers to 

disconnect from reality in the rainforest 

of Costa Rica and find wellness for both 

the mind and body. Days are filled with 

yoga and meditation, special healthful 

menus, and daily spa treatments. Highlights 

include nature walks through the flora and 

fauna of the rainforest to spot sloths and 

resident wildlife in the trees; a volcanic 

mud spa treatment using mud sourced 

from the nearby Arenal Volcano; and 

healthy mocktail mixology classes with local 

ingredients such as herbs from the on-site 

garden and tropical Costa Rican fruit. 

ROYAL MANSOUR | 

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO 

The three-story, hand-crafted Royal 

Mansour Spa, resembling an elaborate 

white birdcage, is reason enough to visit 

the palatial property. The spa’s design 

incorporates Moucharabieh, an element 

of traditional Arabic architecture that 

includes a window enclosed in carved 

wood latticework. The Spa also features 

an indoor pool with vaulted glass ceilings 

and a traditional hammam with its narrow, 

unadorned passageways and succession of 

spaces, lighting effects, and lanterns. 

Royal Mansour has taken the spa experience 

to new heights with the introduction of 

Bespoke Hammam Treatments. Here, each 

step of the traditional technique will be 

personalised to the specific skincare needs of




Viceroy, Resort, St. Lucia 

Goldeneye FieldSpa bed, 

Jamaica 

GROWING TREND 

around the globe 

each guest using ingredients sourced from 

Morocco’s bountiful environment. Purifying 

clay, for example, has been collected from 

the Atlas Mountains while roses from the 

Kalaat Megouana valley are used in a new 

regenerating body wrap and local saffron is 

infused into the ‘gourmet glow’ wrap. 

SUGAR BEACH, A VICEROY 

RESORT | ST. LUCIA 

Situated on the lower slopes of the 

UNESCO World Heritage-listed Petit Piton, 

the Rainforest Spa is a series of treehouses 

rising above a lively stream. 

Wellness Retreat: The fitness program 

includes daily classes on the hour, ranging 

from gentle yoga and morning walks to 

military boot camp and body burn classes. 

For the more intrepid guest, the new Piton 

Recovery starts with a hike of the Gros Piton. 

After descending from the peak, hikers 

are met by one of Sugar Beach’s personal 

trainers for a stretching session, rehydration 

with coconut water, and revitalizing snack 

of potassium-rich bananas before have a 

muscle releasing massage back at the spa. 

Treatment Worth Traveling For: The Sulphur 

Seduction treatment involves a morning 

trip to the volcanic sulphur springs near the 

resort to bathe in the black waters, followed 

by a sulphur mud bath and exfoliation 

treatment. After rinsing off in the naturally 

warm Piton waterfalls, the finale is a 

massage back at the spa. 

GOLDENEYE | JAMAICA 

The FieldSpa at GoldenEye is built into the 

jungle-like landscape on the edge of the 

crystal-clear blue lagoon, allowing guests to 

swim or kayak to their spa appointment. The 

spa features destination-focused treatments 

and draws on traditional Jamaican recipes 

and the healing powers of flowers, roots, 

leaves and herbs grown locally at the resort’s 

800-acre Pantrepant farm. 

What’s New: Jamaica’s GoldenEye will 

unveil the new FieldSpa in December 2018. 

As part of the sixmonth 

development, 

two new spa huts 

will open, along with 

a new hammam 

and yoga deck. A 

selection of elixirs, 

juices, and healthy 

bites incorporating 

fresh ingredients from the hotel’s farm, 

Pantrepant; and a new therapy menu will 

be introduced. This expansion will provide 

direct access to the new spa cove, a crescent 

of sand nestled along the property’s 

signature lagoon. 

Treatment Worth Traveling For: Purifying 

Lemongrass and Wild Lime Abyhanga is a 

detoxifying massage that combines warm 

lemongrass and wild lime coconut. The 

treatment removes impurities and assists 

with lymphatic drainage 

Nayara Springs, 

Costa Rica





LUXURY IS OUR FASTEST- 

GROWING SEGMENT WITH 

VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED 

POTENTIAL, AS WELL AS THE 

SECTOR WHERE WE CAN DELIVER 

THE GREATEST VALUE TO OUR 

CLIENTS. 

Ken Schmidt, Brand Visionary & 

Communications Strategist and 

author, presenting at Signature 

Owners’ Meeting in Florida 

AS UNIQUE AS YOU 

Signature Travel Network hosts travel industry leaders at Annual 

Owners’ Meeting in Amelia Island, Florida 

Signature Travel Network welcomed over 

400 travel agency owners, managers and 

industry leaders at their Owners’ Meeting 

in Amelia Island, Florida in September. 

The annual event is a forum for Signature 

owners and executives to share updates 

and best practice techniques, as well as 

meet with representatives of Signature’s 

Preferred Partners. 

As a member-owned cooperative, the 

Signature agency owners attending 

represent the organisation’s shareholders. 

During the event, shareholders have the 

chance to hear updates from Signature 

executives and vote for the network’s 

governing body, the Board of Directors. 

“2018 has been a fantastic year for 

both our members and Signature,” said 

Alex Sharpe, Signature’s President and 

CEO. “This annual meeting is always a 

wonderful opportunity to celebrate our 

collective success and share with members 

and partners how we are refining our 

programs to serve the evolving needs of 

the network and travellers.” 

The theme for this meeting was “As 

Unique as You”. Members participated 

in a combination of networking events 

designed to share best practices and 

identify new ways to leverage Signature’s 

technology solutions and turnkey sales and 

marketing programs to increase sales and 

run more profitable businesses. 

Updates from the network included 

technology enhancements as well as 

the consumer-facing hotel booking 

engine from Karen Yeates, Executive Vice 

President, Information Technologies for 

Signature, the revitalized flagship luxury 

publication “Ultimate Experiences” from 

Karryn Christopher, Senior Vice President, 

Sales & Marketing for Signature, and the 

new-to-industry programme, Embark, 

from Nolan Burris, Talent Development 

Consultant to Signature. 

Additionally, members listened in on 

partner updates and keynote speeches 

from Frank Del Rio, President and CEO 

of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., 

and Ken Schmidt, Brand Visionary & 

Communications Strategist and author of 

“Make Some Noise: The Unconventional 

Road to Dominance.” 

LUXURY – THE FASTEST 

GROWING SEGMENT 

As part of the program, Ignacio Maza, 

Signature’s Executive Vice President, 

presented an overview of the network’s 

new initiatives that will accelerate the 

growth of Signature members already 

robust luxury sales. 

“I am honored to spearhead new 

programs that will take our network’s 

luxury travel sales to the next level”, said 

Maza. “Luxury is our fastest-growing 

segment with virtually unlimited potential, 

as well as the sector where we can deliver 

the greatest value to our clients. I look 

forward to working with our members and 

partners as we launch new endeavours 

that will make a difference”


Ignacio Maza 

& Jean Newman 

Glock 


EGYPT TOPS SIGNATURE 

DESTINATIONS 

Signature Travel Network Presents “Where to Go in 2019” 

at Annual Owner’s Meeting 

Signature Travel Network’s Ignacio Maza and Jean 

Newman Glock presented the next emerging 

destinations for 2019 at Signature’s annual Owner’s 

Meeting in Amelia Island, Florida, on September 6, 

2018. This meeting brought together the owners and 

managers representing Signature member agencies in 

the US and Canada. 

Egypt, a personal favourite of both Maza and Newman 

Glock, leads the list for the upcoming year, with the 

opening of Grand Egyptian Museum in 2019 alongside 

its many other cultural attractions as one of the main 

points of interest for travellers. Also noted as not to 

be missed is Aswan, the city that mesmerised Julius 

Caesar, Agatha Christie and many others. “Without 

question, now is the moment to visit Egypt,” said 

Newman Glock. “Always top of everyone’s wish list, 

sophisticated travellers are returning to Egypt. Now is 

the year to go before riverboats are once again rafted 

six deep along the Upper Nile.” 

“Every year, we look for destinations that are emerging, 

for different reasons. We search for authenticity and 

uniqueness, for the next frontiers in travel. We believe 

2019 is the year to visit these special places” said Maza. 

“These up and coming destinations are well worth 

visiting, and we expect they will experience strong 

growth, interest, and visibility in the coming year.” 

EGYPT. Visit the New Grand 

Egyptian Museum and Nefertiti’s 

tomb, cruising the Nile, sites at 

Aswan 

BOLIVIA. South America’s most 

innovative cuisine in La Paz, 

stunning landscapes, endless 

biodiversity 

FOLLOWING IS SIGNATURE’S LIST 

OF PLACES TO THINK ABOUT FOR 2019 

FIJI. The world’s 4th largest 

barrier reef, exceptional beaches, 

a unique culture, new world-class 

resorts 

ABU DHABI. Cultural capital of 

the Gulf, new Louvre Museum, 

desert adventures, over the top 

hotels 

SRI LANKA. The best Asian 

safaris, archaeological sites, 

unique places to stay, great 

shopping and dining 

TASMANIA. Australia’s most 

vibrant dining scene, a hub of 

modern art, breathtaking natural 

beauty 

OTTAWA. Canada’s green, 

friendly capital offers outstanding 

museums and the best winter 

festival 

ETHIOPIA. Rock-hewn churches, 

rugged landscapes, ancient 

cultures and the original source 

of coffee 

PUEBLA. Mexico’s finest colonial 

architecture, new Baroque 

Museum, pottery, fantastic new 

hotels 

THE AZORES. Portugal’s best 

kept secret – 9 unspoiled islands, 

heaven for outdoor adventures 

FLANDERS. Mecca for lovers 

of history, art, design, fine 

dining, and Instagram-worthy 

architecture 

ANGUILLA. Renovated & 

enhanced resorts, 33 white 

sand beaches, some of the best 

Caribbean dining




WE DO NOT TARGET 

AGES OR ORIGINS. WE 

TARGET LIFESTYLES. 

Andrea Kruse 

Sales and Marketing director, VIVA 

TAKING RIVER CRUISES 

“OUT OF THE BOX” 

VIVA launches onto the market with no compromising 

on comfort 

VIVA is a new player in the river cruise market, but what they are offering 

is not new… it is being renewed. We asked Sales and Marketing director 

Andrea Kruse to tell us more. 

will keep on expanding its sailing area. In 

2020 for example, our guests will also be 

able to enjoy the Douro river. 

We want to take river-cruises out of the 

boxes in which it is usually framed, this by 

turning away from segmentation based 

on socio-demographics. We do not target 

ages or origins. We target lifestyles. VIVA 

Cruises are created for those who want to 

explore the world, without compromising 

on comfort. Therefore, we work with the 

all-inclusive formula. Next to included 

food and beverages, every single VIVA 

cruise offers additional Wi-Fi, a filled 

mini-bar, bath amenities, to add that little 

extra. Creating a relaxing atmosphere is 

our goal. For this reason, we also stepped 

away from the fixed time slots and 

seats for dinner. With VIVA cruises, the 

restaurant is open from 7PM to 10PM, 

and seating is free of choice. This way, 

our guests get the freedom to create their 

own experience. On and off the ship. 

VIVA had its launch in September of this 

year. Our first trip is on the Danube, with 

Vienna and Bratislava as destinations. 

VIVA is mostly focussing on the German, 

Swiss and Austrian market, yet during 

the coming seasons, this focus will be 

broadened to other areas such as the UK, 

Benelux and the Nordics. 

What other destinations will VIVA be 

offering? 

VIVA sails among the highlights of 

European waterways. Trips are currently 

planned on the Danube, the Rhine, the 

Elbe, the Moselle, the Rhône and the 

Saône. Next to these waterways, VIVA 

What is the added value for travel 

agents in working with VIVA? 

With all-in cruises, VIVA creates a 

product that is easier to sell for travel 

agents. Offering the peace-of-mind 

that comes with it, is an additional USP 

to communicate to people looking for 

the ideal trip. This peace-of-mind, we 

also want to offer to the travel agents 

themselves. On our website www.vivacruises.com, 

they can access the VIVA-4- 

YOU module. This platform gives clear and 

easy to use tools, such as photographic 

material, print material, but also a clear 

overview of our terms and conditions. This 

way we want to offer total transparency 

to our partners 

SMARTreport Commercial Content





Adare Manor 

WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO… 

Adare Manor, Limerick, Ireland wins Virtuoso “best of best” award 

The 2018 Virtuoso Best of the Best award winners were honoured 

at the 30 th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas in August. 

The most coveted prize – “Hotel of the Year” – went to Adare 

Manor, Limerick, Ireland. 

OTHER PRIZE-WINNERS 

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DESIGN 

The Silo Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa 

Commenting on the award, Adare 

Manor’s CEO, Colm Hannon said: “This 

award gives us great encouragement 

in the product and quality of guest 

service that we have created and reenforces 

our ongoing commitment to 

continuous improvement in reaching 

our vision of ‘Beyond Everything’.” 

Adare Manor reopened last November 

after an extensive restoration, 

refurbishment and expansion 

programme over 21 months. The 

resort has been meticulously restored 

to its former splendour, and with 

the addition of the very best of the 

newly designed features, ensures that 

Adare Manor can be experienced and 

enjoyed now for generations to come. 

The newly designed luxury resort now 

features a new 42-bedroom wing, 

bringing the total number to 104 

bedrooms. Adare Manor recently 

opened its newly rebuilt, redesigned 

and remodeled golf course, which 

was led by world-renowned golf 

course architect Tom Fazio and is 

fast becoming regarded among the 

top golfing resorts in Europe and 

worldwide. 

Virtuoso’s voting public included 

its 1,000-plus travel agency members 

and their 17,500 professional 

travel advisors from 50 countries. 

“This year’s Best of the Best winners 

are a beautifully diverse group with 

worldwide appeal, showcasing 

hotels that are historic and 

contemporary, small and large, 

and boutique properties alongside 

well-known luxury brands,” said 

Albert Herrera, Senior Vice President 

of Global Product Partnerships for 

Virtuoso. “These properties set 

a standard of the highest quality for 

the entire Virtuoso portfolio with their 

commitment to innovating constantly 

to improve the guest experience. We 

are proud to call these world’s-finest 

properties our own and are inspired 

by their creativity in breaking new 

ground for the luxury hospitality 

industry” 

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE 

Meadowood Napa Valley - The Restaurant, 

St. Helena, California, U.S. 

BEST BAR 

Brown’s Hotel, A Rocco Forte Hotel – 

The Donovan Bar, London, U.K. 

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM LEADERSHIP 

Six Senses Douro Valley – Lamego, Portugal 

BEST FAMILY PROGRAM 

The Ranch at Rock Creek – Philipsburg, 

Montana 

BEST WELLNESS PROGRAM 

BodyHoliday Saint Lucia – Castries, St. Lucia 

BEST VIRTUOSO NEWCOMER 

Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel 

– Paris, France 

BEST VIRTUOSO HOTEL AMBASSADOR 

Andrea Filippi, Belmond 

HOTELIER OF THE YEAR 

Patrizio Cipollini, Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, 

Florence, Italy


7132 HOTEL – A NEW 

COMBINATION FOR 

DESIGN AND LUXURY 

JoAnn 

Kurtz-Ahlers 

President, Hidden Doorways 

WHAT’S 

IN A NAME? 

A new name and new web address could, in many 

cases, throw a cat among the pigeons when it 

comes to brand identity. JoAnn Kurtz-Ahlers 

took the plunge earlier this year, evolving into 

“Hidden Doorways”. We asked her why. 

Especially in the travel 

space, with all the agencies 

and sub-agencies that have 

sub-branding, it’s very hard 

to come up with something. 

I had a consultant and we 

were working on other 

things, and I said, ‘You 

know, I would like to really 

attempt again to change my 

name’. When you do that, 

people think you sit around 

and brainstorm words – 

but it’s not really that. It’s 

really a case of digging 

deep and expressing who 

you think you are and what 

you bring to the table that 

differentiates what you do. 

When I started, I was doing a 

lot of consulting, so it made 

sense to have my name. 

But a lot of times, if I was 

consumer-facing, I spent so 

much time explaining what 

that name was and what 

we did, and it was wasted 

moments. So, “Hidden 

Doorways” is I think what 

we bring to the table, 

whether it’s new properties 

or new experiences, or new 

ways of looking at things, 

if it’s a consulting project 

… it’s those doorways that 

take you into a different 

knowledge 

Joanna Peyer 

Director of Sales 

and Marketing, 7132 Hotel 

Roman Frauchiger 

General Manager, 

7132 Hotel 

A recently named member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, 

7132 Hotel, Vals was an eye-opener for many a Virtuoso 

member in Las Vegas, thanks to its exceptional design, by – 

among others - the Pritzker prize-winner Thom Mayne. 

With original designed by Peter Zumthor in the 1990’s, the 

property had already become renowned over the years, 

but with recent renovations, it has become even more of a 

“masterpiece”. 

New five-star superior rooms have been designed by a local 

architect – built primarily for comfort, but General Manager, 

Roman Frauchiger, underlined the exceptional work being 

done in other zones: “The thermal baths by Zumthor… that 

was the masterpiece of his career, built in the late 90’s. The 

hotel also had some rooms by him… but it became a little 

bit ‘old’, and people forgot about the hotel connected to 

the thermal baths. The owner bought the hotel four years 

ago, and he renovated rooms in the four-star ‘House of 

Architects’ tower, where we now have rooms from four 

world famous architects. They had ‘carte blanche’ to do 

what they wanted with the 20 sqm rooms. There are still 

rooms by Zumthor, but also now by Thom Mayne, as well as 

two celebrated Japanese architects. Next year, we will build 

a new entry gate designed by Thom Mayne.” 

The property is family oriented, with a separate building 

“just for kids” – designed with fun in mind!





“START WHERE YOU ARE” 

Virtuoso Sustainability Summit 2018 

According to Virtuoso, when it comes to sustainability, 

there is a common language among all in the industry: 

“Keep it simple and make sure the consumers ‘get 

it’.” This is done by supporting the culture, the local 

economy, and protecting the planet. 

In 2017, key business owners, 

travel advisors and global 

influencers came together at 

the first Virtuoso Sustainability 

Summit – a think tank launched 

to coincide with the UNWTO 

Year of Sustainable Tourism for 

Development. 

The idea of the summits 

was spawned ten years ago, 

when National Geographic 

Sustainability expert Costas 

Christ and Jessica Hall 

Upchurch, now Virtuoso’s 

Sustainability Ambassador 

discussed carbon offsetting and 

recycling, and the conversation 

led to a broader topic of 

sustainability. According to 

Christ, “In 1950, it was the 

first year they kept track of 

international tourist arrivals. 

There were 25-million people 

who took an ‘international 

holiday’ in 1950. Fast forward 

to 2017 – 1.2 billion. By 2030, 

we are probably going to hit 

either just below two billion 

international travellers, or we 

are going to hit it. All of us 

know that travel can be a force 

for good. We also know that 

unplanned and unmanaged, 

it can be a destructive force. It 

can harm communities, it can 

endanger habitat and wildlife. 

So, at the heart of Virtuoso’s 

strategy to advance sustainable 

tourism, is to harness this 

‘thing’, which is a little bit of a 

beast … harness it and make it 

a force for good. Ensure that 

travel delivers on its promise 

to make the world a better 

place.” 

This year, Ms Upchurch says 

Virtuoso is starting with a 

very simple message: ‘start 

where you are’: “We feel at 

Virtuoso that the way in which 

we can get our travellers and 

our guests and our clients to 

start and really think about 

sustainability is for them to start 

where they are… To start with 

very simple, basic ideas that 

can turn into something that 

is transformational. Some are 

starting very simply by turning 

the lights off and reusing 

towels. Others are far beyond 

that – they are into education 

and engaging in cultures, 

waste reduction, energy 

management and production, 

recycling… there are so many 

different ways. But the key is to 

just start where you are. That 

helps build the future of the 

travel industry and what we 

can do together.” 

This year’s Virtuoso 

sustainability goals are: to 

make sustainability a greater 

factor in consumer choice, 

make it easier to do good, and 

to cultivate more passionate 

sustainability stewards through 

their advisor network 

THE WAY 

IN WHICH WE 

CAN GET OUR 

TRAVELLERS AND 

OUR GUESTS 

AND OUR 

CLIENTS TO START 

AND REALLY 

THINK ABOUT 

SUSTAINABILITY 

IS FOR THEM TO 

START WHERE 

THEY ARE… 

The Upchurch family 

at Vermejo Ranch with 

Rutherford Seydel and 

Laura Turner Seydel.


© Sean Fitzgerald 

RE-WILDING THE 

Laura Turner Seydel, spokesperson for Ted Turner Expeditions, 

At the recent Virtuoso Sustainability Summit in Las Vegas, Laura 

Turner Seydel, daughter of the US media mogul Ted Turner, was 

among the most highly outspoken when it came to setting a clear 

roadmap for the future. After the summit and press conference, she spoke 

to us about what she sees as being the key motivators for industry players 

to work towards a more sustainable future. 

Laura Turner 

Seydel 

Ted Turner Expeditions 

We need to encourage everybody to take 

action in their own sphere of influence. 

That’s what dad has always done the 

best. He has really been such a visionary 

on various issues. Now, opening up his 

properties to share with the public is really 

something. My father owns two-million 

acres around the US – primarily out in 

the west, but some in the south-east. 

He invested so much in restoring the 

land and bringing it back that he saw an 

amazing opportunity to focus on telling the 

story about conservation, opening his places 

up to the public and making them best in 

class. Vermejo Park Ranch, which is 

585,000 acres, is the largest 

contiguous piece of land privately 

held in the United States. 

When dad first started acquiring ranches 

several decades ago, they were largely 

overgrazed, because they were cattle 

ranches, and cattle don’t belong here. 

When dad was five years old, he learned 

the plight of the American bison and how 

30-million of them had been killed – mostly 

to control the indigenous Americans, who 

depended on the Bison for their entire 

livelihoods, and were thus pushed onto 

marginal lands and reservations. When he 

had the opportunity to focus on bringing 

back the bison, he also realised it would be 

the best thing for nature, and nature really 

did come back in full force. He started TTX 

– or Ted Turner Expeditions – in 2015 – so 

we are the new kids on the block relatively. 

At Vermejo Park Ranch, we just hired 

Jade McBride – a year ago – from Ranch 

at Rock Creek, who is one of the best




WE WOULD 

LIKE, BY 2020, 

TO BE A “MUST 

DO” TRAVEL 

DESTINATION 

WITHIN THE 

SUSTAINABLE 

TRAVEL 

COMMUNITY 

PLANET 

talks about the importance of getting back to real nature 

in the business. He has put a real shine 

on the hospitality part of the business. 

How did you get involved in all this 

and what is your role? 

Dad raised us outdoors, and the worst 

thing we could hear when we were kids 

was that it was time to come back indoors. 

We learned to hunt and fish and sail, and 

the person who managed dad’s property 

was like Mother Nature, and any injured 

or orphaned animal that was found there 

would be nurtured and nursed back to 

health – anything from snakes to birds to 

deer. In the end, we became very aware 

of our life support system, and I became 

very passionate about these issues. 

Why has Virtuoso been so supportive? 

Our “re-wilding” aspect is a great model 

for their preferred partners and their 

member/advisors, to say, “Look at what 

Ted Turner has done and look at what the 

family is doing. You might not be able 

to do all of that, but you can do some 

of it, and it is an important model”. 

How do you connect with sales 

channels to get people to come to 

your properties? 

We are very lucky to be part of the 

Virtuoso Network and value the support 

that comes with being a preferred 

partner. We also go to travel shows in 

Europe and visit offices, taking agents out 

to lunch, using the human connection 

rather than hopping on a phone call. This 

year we are focusing on bringing a lot of 

travel advisors out to the properties. The 

vastness of the properties is very difficult 

to explain in a four-minute presentation 

– just what people feel when they are 

there. That is what differentiates our 

properties. So, getting agents out to 

the properties really makes a difference 

in helping them sell put our properties 

in the best light for their clients. 

In a day and age when families are going 

on vacations to see national landmarks 

that are disappearing, we can provide a 

hope-filled vacation, in which people can 

come to magical places that are not being 

parcelled-out and destroyed, it’s being 

protected and preserved, practically right 

back to its original state, and it will be 

forever with what my dad has been doing, 

and what the foundations we are working 

with will achieve. People staying there 

realise that they are directly contributing 

back to the conservation efforts of the 

ranch. That is what the future of travel 

should be – it should be travelling for 

a purpose – travelling with meaning. 

We would like, by 2020, to be a “must do” 

travel destination within the sustainable 

travel community, and be the model 

of sustainability for peer companies, 

whether they be big or small, because we 

are all between a rock and a hard place 

on so many levels and we need to work as 

a community to find solutions and share 

best practices and models that work. 

Smaller companies can thus avoid having 

to re-invent the wheel or making the same 

mistakes that have already been made


THE ACCORHOTELS 

LUXURY PIPELINE: 

+ 32% BY 2021 

Luxury Hotels CEO gives bullish outlook 

and outlines new acquisitions 

Chris Cahill 

CEO Luxury Hotels, AccorHotels 

ONE OF THE 

THINGS ABOUT 

RESTORING GRAND, 

ICONIC HOTELS, IS THAT 

WHEN YOU START TO 

PAIR BACK THE WALLS, 

YOU ARE NEVER QUITE 

SURE WHAT YOU ARE 

GOING TO FIND 

At the annual AccorHotels 

Virtuoso breakfast in Las Vegas, 

Luxury Hotels CEO Chris Cahill 

gave an overview of new luxury 

hotels in the pipeline, explaining 

that between 2018 and 2021, 

32% growth is expected, from a 

current 507 properties, up to 671. 

“We recently opened the Raffles in 

Warsaw. It has had tremendous press, 

and tremendous coverage. It was an 

exciting opening for us. The Singapore 

property has been under a restoration 

programme over the past twelve 

to eighteen months, and will open 

probably in the first quarter of next 

year. One of the things about restoring 

grand, iconic hotels, is that when you 

start to pair back the walls, you are 

never quite sure what you are going to 

find, so there has been a bit of a delay. 

Raffles in London – the old war office – 

will open probably in ‘21.” 

One of the most exciting announcements 

by Cahill was the fact that the group 

is “quite aggressively” working on five 

projects with the aim of launching the 

Orient Express brand in their portfolio, 

after the announcement in October 

2017 of a strategic partnership with 

the SNCF for the development of 

the brand. “As of this date, we can’t 

announce an opening date”, said 

Cahill. AccorHotels announced late 

last year that it intends to build on this 

partnership to strengthen its leadership 

in the luxury segment, by developing 

a new collection of prestigious hotels 

under the Orient Express banner. 

On the acquisition of European-based 

Mövenpick hotels this year, Cahill said, 

“We are the largest operator of hotels 

in Asia-Pacific outside of China. We are 

the largest operator in Europe, and in 

South America. In the Middle East and 

Africa, we were number two. So, in 

terms of building platform, which drives 

all kinds of not only efficiencies, but 

effectiveness in terms of growing your 

portfolio of brands, the acquisition of 

Mövenpick moves us into the number 

one position in MEA. The second thing 

it did for us, is that in our array of brands 

from eco to luxury, this was a brand 

that sat on top of Novotel in the midscale 

category, and it sits in the upscale 

category below our upper-upscale 

portfolio. That just happens to be one 

of the fastest growing segments from a 

development standpoint globally.” 

Cahill also explained that due diligence 

had been progressing on the SBE group, 

with lifestyle brands such as Mondrion, 

Delano and SBS brands




THE PROPERTIES NOW HAVE NEW 

OWNERSHIP. WITH THIS COMES NEW 

INVESTMENT AND BOTH HOTELS WILL 

UNDERGO EXTENSIVE RESTORATION. 

Oliver Dudler 

Cluster General Manager, 

Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh 

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap 

THE GRANDES DAMES OF 

CAMBODIA SET TO HAVE A 

FACELIFT 

Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Pnom Penh and the Raffles Grand Hotel 

d’Angkor may be historic marvels, but they’re soon to get a makeover 

Born into a family of hospitality professionals in Switzerland, hotelier 

Oliver Dudler worked for many years in Food & Beverage before moving 

into hotel management. His previous position was at Raffles Fairmont 

in Manila. He is now the Cluster General Manager of Raffles Cambodia, 

responsible for Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, as well as Siem 

Reap’s Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor. We asked him to tell us a little more 

about the two properties. 

I am a very lucky man. I am entrusted with 

looking after two of Cambodia’s most 

beautiful hotels, two “grande dames”, 

built by the French in 1929 and 1930, 

respectively. “Le Royal“ will turn 90 next 

year, so this is an exciting time for us. As 

you have probably seen in the media, 

the properties now have new ownership. 

With this comes new investment and both 

hotels will undergo extensive restoration. 

Raffles Cambodia have the same owner 

as the famed Metropole Hotel in Hanoi, 

so there is a lot of synergy. 

Tell us a little more about the history… 

In the early 1990s, after the Paris Peace 

Agreement was signed ending the civil 

war, HM King Sihanouk returned from 

exile. Being familiar with the restoration 

work that had been carried out at 

Raffles Hotel in Singapore, he asked if 

Raffles would be interested in acquiring 

Cambodia’s two heritage hotels. This was 

how, in 1997, “Le Royal“ and “Grand 

Hotel d’Angkor“ became the first Raffles 

hotels outside Singapore. 

The Siem Reap property has an 

extraordinary story. If I was visiting the 

temples of Angkor today, I feel that 

I would want to stay in the same hotel 

where the first wave of travellers stayed 

in the 1930s, as the sites were first 

being excavated. The hotel has a historic 

connection with the French explorers who 

brought the majesty of Angkor to the 

attention of the western world. There are 

wonderful hotels in Siem Reap, but none 

have this kind of heritage. 

What are the key differentiators of the 

hotels? 

Raffles as a brand is not a “cookie cutter.” 

We are very much involved with the local 

culture. We have historians working with 

us and we have the privilege of having a 

Royal Princess on our team. We have a 

close relationship with the Royal Palace 

where the official opening was attended 

by HM Sisowath Monivong (reigned 

1927-1941) and our doormen’s uniforms 

are the same as the Royal Guards at the 

palace. In Siem Reap, the hotel retains 

many of its original features, such as 

its timber elevator. It is also home to 

Cambodia’s most iconic swimming pools, 

modelled on the ancient royal bathing 

pools of Angkor. These historic references 

and experiences just cannot be had in a 

modern hotel.


MANY OF THE 

WORLD’S LEADERS 

HAVE STAYED AT 

THE METROPOLE 

William J. Haandrikman 

General Manager, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi 

Area Manager, AccorHotels North Vietnam 

NEW BRANCHES 

GROWING ON 

OLD ROOTS 

AccorHotels promotes Sofitel Legend 

Metropole in Hanoi, but announces new 

properties in North Vietnam 

27 years with the AccorHotels group, 

William J. Haandrikman has worked 

in ten countries in three continents, 

from sales and marketing to 

GM positions at Sofitels in The 

Hague, Paris, Vienna, Shanghai 

and Bangkok, before taking over 

as area general manager – North 

Vietnam – at the helm of the Sofitel 

Metropole Hanoi. He speaks about 

its exceptional history. 

The property was built in 1901 by two 

Frenchmen who had seen the Raffles 

in Singapore, and said “Whatever the 

English can do, we can do better in 

Hanoi – the Paris of the East”. Thus, 

the Metropole came to be (indeed there 

is humor in this). During the conflict 

periods, antiwar activists like Joan Baez 

and prominent journalists lyke Sy Hersh 

stayed at the Metropole. In 1988, Accor 

took over the management contract. First 

it was a Pullman, and then within 4 years 

it was brought into the Sofitel chain. In 

2007, when the decision was made to 

create the Legend brand, it became the 

first Sofitel Legend in the world. 

What other notable guests have 

stayed at the property? 

We have a list of several hundred, starting 

with Charlie Chaplin, who honeymooned 

at the hotel in the 1930’s. Many of 

the world’s leaders have stayed at the 

Metropole. In the past 20 months, Prince 

William stayed, as did the Queen of 

Holland, coincidentally on the day I took 

over as GM. 

What are the trends in visitors to 

Hanoi? 

Overall it is positive for us. Some markets 

that had been a bit flat have been on 

the rise this year while just a few are 

slightly down. The US is up, France is up 

a little bit, Australia is down after a slight 

recovery due to currency fluctuation. 

The Americans still make up our biggest 

clientele with a lot of multi-generation 

travel by South and Central Americans as 

well as honeymooners. We are also seeing 

an increase in Vietnamese travellers from 

the south and centre wanting to visit 

the city, not forgetting Taiwan and more 

recently Korea as strong source markets. 

What’s in the pipeline? 

We are opening an M Gallery Hotel in 

Sapa, in Northern Vietnam, a mountain 

retreat of the French in the past – where 

you can find the highest mountain in 

Indochina. The hotel is the brainchild 

of Bill Bensley. We are opening another 

Bensley-designed M Gallery property in 

Yen Tu – a more “zen” retreat. There will 

be other M Gallery properties opening, as 

well new Sofitels, a new Novotel in Hanoi. 

In Northern Vietnam, we hadn’t opened 

many new hotels in past years, but now 

we see the change and the Vietnamese 

owners see a stronger interest in investing 

with AccorHotels, as we can really drive 

business for them

AMERICAS & THE CARIBBEAN 




© Cristo Vlahos 

THE AMERICAS – 

CONTINUING GROWTH 

IN A DYNAMIC SECTOR 

In recent years, the tourism sector 

in the Americas region has been 

showing a notable dynamism 

reflected in the growth of domestic 

tourism and an increase in 

international tourist arrivals as well 

as in greater diversification and 

development of products. It is a 

key sector for economic and social 

development, job creation and the 

welfare of numerous communities 

in the Americas. It has furthermore 

grown as a driver of integration and 

development in the region. 

The Americas region, thanks to 

the variety and strength of its 

culture and its history, its natural 

and architectural attractions, and 

the hospitality of its people, has, 

says UNWTO, great potential for 

tourism development. In a context 

of political stability and economic 

growth in the region, there has 

been development in infrastructure 

and tourism products, improved 

connectivity conditions by land, 

air and sea, as well as a boost to 

human resources training and 

the formation of a culture around 

tourism. These are all factors 

that have enabled the growth of 

domestic and international markets 

with the resulting social benefits for 

host communities. 

In the following pages, we bring you 

some of the top travel and tourism 

news from the region… 

Iconic South Beach Lifeguard Station, 

Miami Beach, Florida, USA

In The Field 

with Mary Gostelow 

THE "INSIDE LINE" ON WHAT'S HOT IN HOSPITALITY 

NAPA VALLEY 

- MORE THAN JUST WINES 

MARY GOES 

WEST 

Mary Gostelow is often called the world 

authority on luxury hotels. In addition to 

being global ambassador for International 

Luxury Travel Market events, www.iltm.com, 

she has a daily travelogue, www.girlahead. 

com. In this report, she takes us to the US 

west coast. 

Napa is more than just wines – it is 

also superb lodging. Calistoga’s fivebedroom 

Francis House luxury B&B has 

been booked out since it opened August 

2018. Architectural Digest and Robb 

Report immediately lauded how owners 

Richard and Dina Dwyer have so brilliantly 

transformed the former local hospital, 

built 1860 in the style of a Parisien palais. 

Ten minutes’ drive south in St 

Helena, is the adult-only Los 

Alcobas, on St Helena’s 

Main Street, immediately 

next to the Culinary 

Institute of 

America (it’s 

sibling to Los 

Alcobas Mexico City 

- both Luxury Collection, 

managed by Mexico Cityborn 

Sam Leizorek). Here, in 

California, his partner is Presidio 

Companies. The 1907 main building, 

Acacia House, which has a total of three 

acres of land, has, with three, three-floor 

2010-vintage bedroom blocks, a total of 

68 rooms, designed by Yabu Pushelberg in 

soft greys that beautifully complement the 

Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards 

immediately behind. 

GM Alain Negueloua feels he is back home 

– fortunately he kept his house here, from 

his days running Meadowood. He told me, 

over dinner at Acacia House restaurant, 

how all food here is overseen by Oliver 

Wharton, including room service and 

events (there is a gorgeous outdoor space, 

right in the centre of the development, 

that is really popular for weddings). 

CALISTOGA’S 

EIGHTBEDROOM 

FRANCIS HOUSE 

LUXURY B&B HAS BEEN 

BOOKED OUT SINCE IT 

OPENED AUGUST 

2018 

Former F&B guru for SBE, Oliver Wharton 

heads Las Vegas-based A Perfect Bite Inc: 

one of its divisions is Delicious MFG & CO, 

a partnership with Chris Cosentino. It is 

he, Cosentino, who is the ‘celebrity chef’ 

fronting Las Alcobas, and he who attracts 

locals to the restaurant. My night, we 

drank Beringer Single Vineyard Cabernet 

Sauvignon 2009, from the vineyard 

just outside corner suite 338 – this 

is probably best-on-property, 

with two all-wall windows, 

both leading out on 

fire pit. 

to an L-shaped 

balcony, with 

seating, and an 

electrically-operated 

Las Alcobas is a highly popular 

wedding venue, with a readybuilt 

outside spot, grass and concrete, 

to hold up to 200: some parties have 

the ceremony here, and move into the 

adjacent just-built Acacia Barn for food – 

they might, alternatively, build in a tasting 

at the hotel’s wine shop. There’s also a 

great spa, and a 24/7 LifeFitness gym. 

Talking of fitness, Four Seasons Hotel Los 

Angeles at Beverly Hills has a 24/7 poolside, 

and open to the elements that seldom 

interrupt workouts in California – the main 

equipment, Precor, is complemented by 

oh-so-trendy Peloton bikes. 



FACTS & FIGURES 




SOUTH AMERICA 

LEADS THE CHARGE 

IN REGIONAL TOURISM 

The first half of 2018 has seen a rise of 

3% in inbound tourism in the Americas, 

following on from an overall increase of 

3% in 2017, according to figures released 

by UNWTO. 

Growth is led by South America, where 

international arrivals increased 8% this 

early part of 2018. Ecuador (+57%) and 

Colombia (+48%) both reported a surge 

in arrivals, building on already strong 

results in 2017. Peru (+23%) also posted 

remarkable growth. 

Central America recorded 6% growth, 

with Belize (+19%) and El Salvador 

(+13%) driving results. Growth in 

Guatemala (+6%) was in line with the 

subregion’s average, while Honduras 

recorded a 5% increase. Costa Rica, the 

subregion’s largest destination, grew 4%. 

Irma and Maria. In North America (+2%), 

robust results in Mexico and Canada 

contrasted with a decrease in the United 

States, the region’s largest destination. 

The decline in arrivals to the United States 

also weighed down the region’s average. 

In South America (+7%), the growth 

momentum continued in 2017, led by 

Paraguay (+25% through September) 

and Colombia (+23%), the latter boasting 

its fourth straight year of double-digit 

growth. Uruguay (+21%) continued 

to benefit from promotional actions in 

bordering source markets and tax-free 

benefits for tourists. Chile and Ecuador 

both recorded 14% growth in arrivals 

last year. Ecuador rebounded from weak 

results in 2016 due to the earthquake that 

hit the country’s central coast. 

Central America recorded a 4% increase 

in arrivals in 2017, led by Nicaragua 

(+22%), which is enjoying strong demand 

from regional markets. Guatemala (+9%), 

Belize and El Salvador (both +8%) also 

posted solid growth. Honduras recorded 

3% more arrivals, a similar increase as in 

2016. Results in top destination Costa Rica 

(+1%) were more modest due to a decline 

in visitors from the United States, while 

Panama reported 12% fewer arrivals. 

In 2017, tourism receipts were up 1% on 

the previous year in the Americas. The 

United States continued to be the world’s 

top international tourism earner, with 

US$ 211 bn in tourism receipts in 2017 

The Caribbean (-9%) experienced a 

decrease in arrivals this period, weighed 

down by negative results in a few 

destinations that are still struggling with 

the effects of the hurricanes of August 

and September 2017. 

In North America (+4%), Mexico (+10%) 

led growth in international arrivals, 

while Canada (+4%) grew in line with 

the subregion’s average. Data from the 

United States for 2018 is still unavailable. 

8 

6 

4 

2 

INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS, AMERICAS 

16/15 

17*/16 Jan-Dec 

4.9 

4.5 

4.2 

4 

4 

3 

2.7 

2 

(% change) 

7 

Overall, in 2017, the Americas welcomed 

207 million international tourists, with 

most destinations enjoying solid results, 

led by South America (+7%). Central 

America and the Caribbean both grew 

4%, with the latter showing clear signs 

of recovery in the aftermath of hurricanes 

0 

Americas 

North 

America 

Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) © 

Caribbean 

Central 

America 

South 

America


TRANSPORT 

New Delta A220 aircraft in 

paint shop – soon ready to fly 

Southwest Airlines 

AMERICAS 9% RISE IN INTERNATIONAL 

AIR TRAVEL IN 2019 

According to International air travel 

from the Americas increased 9% in 

2017, boosted by the US market in 

particular and a generally stronger 

economic environment. 

Air travel to destinations outside the 

region (+11%) grew faster than to 

destinations within the region (+7%), led 

by travel to Europe (+14%). 

Demand remains solid for January-April 

2018, with international reservations up 

9% compared to the same four months 

in 2017. Bookings for interregional travel 

(+11%) remain stronger than for travel 

within the Americas (+7%), with flight 

reservations to all world regions growing 

in double digits. 

Domestic reservations (mostly 

corresponding to the US and Brazil) are 

6% higher for the first months of 2018, 

after growing 4% in the entire year 2017. 

NEW A220 AIRCRAFT FOR 

DELTA 

Delta has announced it will be the first 

US airline to take delivery of the A220, 

formerly known as the «C Series,» which 

will feature a modern interior with a 

spacious, wide-body feel, and best-inclass 

fuel performance. From January 

2019, Delta will be upgrading its fleet to 

replace less-efficient aircraft with highly 

efficient and state-of-the-art aircraft like 

the A220 as well as new Boeing 737- 

900ERs, Airbus A321s, Airbus A350s as 

well as Airbus A330-900neo and Airbus 

A321neo. Delta’s A220s will feature 18.6» 

wide Main Cabin seats – the widest Main 

Cabin seats in Delta’s fleet – in a two-bythree 

layout. Each customer will also have 

personal power ports and complimentary 

premium entertainment on individual 

seat-back screens. 

AMERICAN AIRLINES 

ADDS SOUTHERN 

DESTINATIONS 

American Airlines is adding new 

international flights to Cuba, Dominican 

Republic, Honduras and Mexico and more 

domestic options from DFW in 2019. 

The company will add a sixth destination 

in Cuba with a new daily flight from 

Miami International Airport (MIA) to 

Antonio Maceo Airport (SCU) in Santiago 

de Cuba starting May 3. 

The airline will also start new service 

from Dallas Fort Worth International 

Airport (DFW) to Durango International 

Airport (DGO) in Mexico starting June 6. 

American will be the only U.S. carrier to 

serve DGO and SCU. 

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES – 

HAWAII NON-STOP 

Oakland Metropolitan Airport (OAK), San 

Diego International Airport (SAN), Mineta 

San Jose International Airport (SJC), 

and Sacramento International Airport 

(SMF) are set to gain direct Hawaii services 

in Southwest’s flight schedules following 

FAA authorization. In May 2018, 

Southwest announced its initial plan 

to serve four airports in the Hawaiian 

Islands: Daniel K. Inouye International 

Airport in Honolulu(HNL), Kahului 

Airport on Maui (OGG), Lihue Airport 

on Kauai (LIH), and Ellison Onizuka Kona 

International Airport at Keahole (KOA) on 

the leeward side of The Island of Hawaii


TRENDING DESTINATIONS 




Michael Goldsmith 

Vice President, Marketing, Las Vegas Convention 

and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) 

Donald Contursi 

President, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours 

SPORTS DRIVE NEW 

TOURISM CONCEPTS 

FOR LAS VEGAS 

International visitation to Las 

Vegas represented around 16% 

in Las Vegas in 2017, with the 

city’s top three international 

markets being Canada, Mexico 

and the UK, followed by 

Australia, China and Japan. 

While the city has long been 

known for its sporting events, 

the past three to four years 

has seen an explosion in 

professional sports previously 

unseen in the city. Rugby 

Sevens is now an Olympic 

sport, and Las Vegas now hosts 

major games. The National 

Hockey League Team, the Vegas 

Golden Knights started playing 

in 2017, already making it into 

the championships. The Raiders 

will be in Vegas in 2020 and a 

new stadium is being built for 

them. The world championship 

of Curling takes place in Las 

Vegas, the National Finals 

Rodeo take place in Las Vegas 

every December and there are 

now two NASCAR (National 

Association for Stock Car Auto 

Racing) races every year. 

“Las Vegas is a very good 

place for these events,” says 

Michael Goldsmith, Vice 

President, Marketing, Las 

Vegas Convention and Visitors 

Authority (LVCVA), adding, 

“We have the ability, with 

almost 150,000 hotel rooms, 

to accommodate just about any 

kind of event. The evolution of 

sports in Las Vegas has been a 

really big mover, and has really 

changed the way a lot of people 

view the destination.” 

Meanwhile, the Luxor hotel 

boasts a huge eSports arena, 

where people watch experts 

playing video games. Little 

wonder, as it is reported that 

more money is being spent 

nowadays in the US on video 

games than going to the 

cinema! 

LIP SMACKING 

VEGAS 

Las Vegas is renowned for its great food… but 

getting a “different angle” on the cuisine and 

history of the city is also a lot of fun thanks to 

innovative “Lip Smacking Foodie Tours” – an 

initiative launched by Don Contursi. 

Contursi has concocted numerous ideas, such 

as “Savors of the Strip”, “Boozy Brunch”, the 

“Downtown Lip Smacking Tour”, the “Ultimate 

Steakhouse Tour” … The list goes on. 

Having lived in Vegas for 16 years, Contursi had 

experienced countless restaurants himself, and 

says “With that information, I thought, there is so 

much, for most people it’s overwhelming. Why not 

take people around to a few places, and just taste 

their speciality signature dish – just the highlights… 

and in between the restaurants we give titbits – for 

example in downtown Vegas we talk about how 

it’s changed over the past few years, and why 

it’s changed. On the strip, we talk about other 

things to do in Vegas, sights along the way, art 

installations, things to do during your trip. People 

never get that unless they have a tour guide, which 

isn’t really common in Vegas, and you walk right 

past gems and have no idea about it unless you 

have a local expert taking you around!”


TRENDING HOTELS 

PARK MGM - A FRENCH TOUCH IN VEGAS 

A condo with intimate South-of- 

France style bars and terraces… 

not something one expects to find 

in the centre of Las Vegas. But the 

look and feel has been achieved in 

the new Park MGM. 

The Monte Carlo officially shed its name this 

year with a major refurb and a new identity 

– Park MGM – a welcoming social hub that 

evokes the residential spirit, intimacy and 

individuality of a boutique experience on a 

resort scale. And with its central location, 

Park MGM offers guests direct access to 

what is quickly becoming the city’s premier 

entertainment district, featuring T-Mobile 

Arena, The Park and Park Theater. 

A partnership between Sydell Group and 

MGM Resorts International, Park MGM was 

born from the collaborative vision of the 

New York-based lifestyle hotelier and one 

of the world’s preeminent destination resort 

developers. When complete, the project 

will comprise two new distinct experiences: 

Park MGM, and a Las Vegas version of the 

renowned NoMad, a standalone 292-room 

hotel encompassing the tower’s top four 

floors. 

While a dramatic arboreal sculpture by 

Brazilian woodworker Henrique Oliveira is 

the focal point of the lobby, Park MGM’s 

rooms evoke the essence of a private 

apartment with a mix of thoughtful 

touches, antique-inspired pieces, “found” 

objects and original artwork by artists and 

photographers from around the world 

commissioned for each room by France’s 

be-poles studio 

Park MGM 

cocktail lounge 

MIAMI 

INTRODUCES 

FIRST WALDORF 

ASTORIA 

Downtown Miami is set to have a prestigious new address, with 

the arrival of a Waldorf Astoria project that will be one of the 

tallest residential towers on the East Coast. 

Designed by architect Sieger Suarez 

and conceptual architect Carlos 

Ott, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel & 

Residences Miami is the fruit of a 

partnership between New York-based 

developer Property Markets Group 

(PMG), along with Toronto-based 

private equity and asset management 

firm Greybrook Realty Partners, and 

global hospitality company Hilton. 

It will be located at 300 Biscayne 

Boulevard in Downtown Miami. 

“We are incredibly excited to partner 

with PMG and Greybrook Realty 

Partners to bring the first Waldorf 

Astoria to Miami,” said Danny 

Hughes, Executive Vice President 

and President, Americas. “Miami 

– a vibrant, dynamic and truly 

cosmopolitan destination that draws 

travellers from all over the world – 

is the perfect market for our iconic 

Waldorf Astoria brand.” 

Recently, Waldorf Astoria launched 

its “Live Unforgettable” campaign, 

which combines True Waldorf 

Service, iconic environments and its 

guests’ desire to live in the moment. 

This brand positioning falls in 

line with PMG’s core principles of 

creating innovative ways to offer a 

truly unique result of luxury living. 

By fusing these two entities, the 

bar is being raised within the Miami 

market in order to create a landmark 

destination




WE DO NOT USE A “ONE- 

SIZE-FITS-ALL” MEMBERSHIP 

MODEL 

Michelle Woodley 

President, Preferred Hotels & Resorts 

CHAMPIONS OF THE INDEPENDENT 

HOTELIER 

Exclusive interview: Michelle Woodley, President – Preferred Hotels 

& Resorts 

Preferred Hotels & Resorts are celebrating their 50 th anniversary this year. 

We asked company President Michelle Woodley to tell us more about the 

anniversary and the importance of the celebration. 

This year we are recognising our 50-year 

heritage as one of the original players in the 

independent hotel space. 

Since our foundation in 1968 by 12 North 

American hoteliers, we have grown to 

represent more than 700 hotels in over 

85 countries, making Preferred Hotels & 

Resorts the world’s largest independent 

hotel brand. Our success is largely due to an 

unwavering focus on our positioning as the 

champion of the independent hotelier and 

curator of exceptional hotels that deliver 

authentic and inspiring travel experiences. 

How do you see demand and supply 

evolving in terms of the type of 

accommodation? 

While the hotel development pipeline is still 

booming, the rise in popularity of residentialstyle 

lodging has made a huge impact 

on the industry and how travellers search 

and book accommodation. As such, hotel 

groups are investing more in their residential 

product offering to enhance services that 

apartments and residences cannot deliver 

such as F&B, spa and experiences. Almost 

all hotel chains have now launched or are 

in the process of launching at least one 

product line in this segment. Our Preferred 

Residences Collection provides travellers 

with the highest level of living with luxury 

in the world’s most desired locations. The 

collection has doubled in size in less than 

two years and now counts more than 

80 properties offering transient vacation 

experiences that combine the space, 

privacy, and flexibility of a home with the 

luxuries and convenience of a hotel stay. 

What differentiates Preferred Hotels & 

Resorts from its competitive set? 

We have always been committed to 

supporting independent hotels and regional 

hotel groups. We believe in the inspiration 

of travel, and we selectively work with 

hotels that can deliver authentic, one-ofa-kind 

experiences to true travellers while 

maintaining high standards that are in 

line with our own. The crucial points of 

difference between our brand and the 

hotel chains are that we truly understand 

independent hotels, that our relationships 

with hoteliers are mutually beneficial 

partnerships, and that our hotels are 

independently operated, owned, and 

managed. In fact, we provide many of 

the services that a chain provides – group, 

corporate, and leisure sales, integrated 

marketing solutions, comprehensive 

revenue management, global connectivity 

through reservations services, progressive 

distribution technology, and a guest loyalty 

programme to name a few – at a fraction 

of the cost. Further, each member hotel 

is distinctly unique and locally relevant - 

from business-orientated city hotels, to 

mountain resorts and private island retreats; 

therefore, we do not use a “one-size-fitsall” 

membership model


TRENDING HOTELS 

EL SILENCIO LODGE & SPA 

Floating like a cloud in the 

rainforest canopy near the Poas 

Volcano, El Silencio Lodge & 

Spa is one of the most secluded, 

tranquil and relaxing luxury hotels 

in the Costa Rican mountains, an 

eco-resort created to be a luxury 

retreat for travellers seeking 

out authentic experiences and a 

deep connection to nature. 

Simple luxury and exhilarating 

adventures are the essence of the 

El Silencio guest experience, with 

a torch-lit forest dinner featuring 

farm-to-table ingredients from their 

organic farm and a curated wine 

list; scenic hikes in the Hummingbird 

Garden and cloud forest trails; or 

zip-lining through the forest canopy 

or rappelling down the face of a 

roaring waterfall. Tours of Espíritu 

Santo Coffee Hacienda or sampling 

local goods and cuisine at a 

nearby country market are other 

options. 

The Lodge & Spa is located in 

picturesque Bajos del Toro on 

a 500-acre private cloud forest 

reserve flanked by the Juan Castro 

Blanco and Poas Volcano National 

Parks. Just 90 minutes from San 

José, the eco resort is a dream 

destination for Costa Rica mountain 

honeymoons, family vacations 

or wellness holidays. 

El Silencio Lodge & Spa was the 

first Central American member of 

Relais & Châteaux 

BAHIA VIK JOSÉ 

IGNACIO & PLAYA 

VIK JOSÉ IGNACIO, 

URUGUAY 

Winners of the Conde Naste 

readers’ choice 2017 award for 

best resort in South America and 

#3 in the world, Bahia Vik José 

Ignacio and Playa Vik José Ignacio 

are built on the “vision” of 

Norway-born entrepreneur Alex 

Vik. Vik Retreats are a collection 

of private South American resorts 

designed for discerning travellers 

seeking a unique and unrivalled 

experience. 

Comprised of 

Estancia Vik José 

Ignacio, Playa Vik 

José Ignacio and 

Bahia Vik José 

Ignacio in Uruguay, 

and Vik Chile 

and the Viña Vik 

Vineyard in the 

Millahue Valley, Vik 

Retreats promise 

singular stays 

offering entrée into the very best 

of their respective locales. Since 

their debuts, the properties have 

been lauded as some of the most 

exceptional destinations in the 

world. 

Working in tandem to provide 

a world-class stay for visitors, 

Estancia Vik José Ignacio is 

romantic, rustic and traditional 

and located nearby in the hills 

rolling down to the José Ignacio 

lagoon, which runs into the 

ocean, Playa Vik José Ignacio 

showcases ultra-contemporary 

art and design along the most 

coveted spot on the coast, and 

Bahia Vik José Ignacio celebrates 

contemporary beach living with 

seamless flow between indoors 

and outdoors

INNOVATIONS & TECHNOLOGIES 




© iStock Photo 

WE UNDERSTAND YOU 

An underlying theme in 

this edition is the way 

technology is enabling 

a more personalised 

approach to welcoming 

and working with 

travellers. 

Indeed, Signature 

Network’s upcoming 

Sales Meeting in Las 

Vegas has the theme “As 

Unique as You”, based 

on the personalisation 

capabilities of Signature’s 

technology solutions and 

marketing programs. 

At the same time, 

Virtuoso CEO & President 

Matthew Upchurch has 

long touted the fact that 

Artificial Intelligence, 

when used correctly, 

will bring incredible new 

value-add to the travel 

and tourism market. 

In this section, we take 

another look at how 

AI is being used in 

the industry, and how 

technology can, and 

should, make our world 

a better place in years to 

come.

In The Field 

with David Esseryk 




THE "INSIDE LINE" ON WHAT'S HOT IN HOSPITALITY TECHNOLOGIES 

PART 23 

HOSPITALITY AND A.I. 

CLOSE-UP ON 

ARTIFICIAL 

INTELLIGENCE 

– PART II 

In this edition of his regular report, David 

Esseryk takes another close look at how 

Artificial Intelligence is impacting the 

industry, and what we can expect to see in 

the future. 

AUTOMATION AND MACHINE 

LEARNING FOR EMERGING 

HOTELS 

Much of the hopeful promises made for 

Artificial Intelligence in the hospitality 

industryare intended for established 

brands. Small, less celebrated hotels 

receive less attention even though they 

form a big enough segment to reap 

the best out of AI offerings. Since 

large hotels can hire more 

competent staff to work 

on a myriad of tasks, 

smaller brands with 

a limited budget 

and members 

can’t reach 

the goals of 

revenue growth and 

business intelligence 

management, eventually 

settling for weak solutions and 

average profit margins. 

THE DOMINANT UBIQUITY OF 

DIGITAL VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS 

The rise of digital concierge and virtual 

assistants can be attributed to evolving 

travellers, vacationers and business 

guests who desire exemplary customer 

experience. Hence, to enable digital 

experiences with hotels, companies rely on 

Natural Language Processingof famous AI 

leaders such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa 

and Microsoft’s Cortana. To augment the 

experience furthermore, we will see AR 

purge the linguistic barriers by enabling 

English speaking employees to converse 

effortlessly with hotel guests from any part 

of the world using AR headsets for realtime 

translation. 

AR is also becoming as integral as AI. 

UK’s largest hotel chain Premier Inn has 

outfitted each guest room of their Hub 

Hotel with an interactive wall map that 

contains local spots of the surrounding 

neighbourhood. To view interesting local 

sites, the facility allows travellers to point 

their smartphones at the map. 

When it comes to serving customers with 

AI-powered virtual assistants, Edwardian 

Hotels Londonleads the chart. The 

hotel in May 2015 introduced the 

GUESTS 

WILL 

ENJOY HYPER- 

PERSONALISATION IN 

THE FORM OF REAL-TIME 

NOTIFICATIONS THROUGH 

CHATBOTS FROM DINNER 

SPECIALS, CASINO FACILITIES 

first ever AI-based chatbots with 

which guests can interact via 

text using a smartphone 

to order room service 

and request various 

recommendations 

for spa, 

restaurant, 

hotel specials and 

other local attractions. 

TO EVEN BABYSITTING 

SERVICES FOR THE 

FAMILY PERSONALISATION 

ON A LARGER SCALE 

Incorporating Artificial Intelligence 

in hotels is stipulated to transform room 

services completely by 2025 through 

the process of creating personalised 

experiences that will incorporate individual 

preferences. Hotels will integrate chatbots 

and AIas a useful tool to acquire and 

retain various demographics. McKinsey 

claims in their research that companies 

are effectively personalizing their services 

can increase revenue by 10% to 15% and 

diminish service cost by 15% to 20%. 

Over time, with broad adoption of Artificial 

Intelligence in hotels, we will see guests 

will enjoy hyper-personalisation in the form 

of real-time notifications through chatbots 

from dinner specials, casino facilities to 

even babysitting services for the family. 



Pascale Chatelain 

Vice-President - Global Sales, 

Marketing and Channels, FCS 

DRIVING THE TRANSFORMATION OF 

THE HOTEL OPERATIONS: BALANCING 

HUMAN TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY 

FCS targets strong growth for its operational applications 

to support Hotel Operations Digital Transformation 

THERE 

IS NO GUEST 

EXPERIENCE 

WITHOUT STAFF 

EMPOWERMENT 

Operational solutions are becoming mission critical item in the management 

of a hotel, and FCS is hard at work to provide innovative ways to lead 

& support that change. Pascale Chatelain recently joined the company 

as Vice-President - Global Sales, Marketing and Channels. We asked her what 

prompted her move and her vision for the future of the industry. 

I joined FCS 16 months ago as I could see the 

hospitality industry was going through a massive 

transformation journey with a huge potential to 

contribute to the revolution that will forever change 

the way the hotels are operating : Achieving the 

right balance between technology benefits and 

workforce empowerment. FCS’ solid international 

footprint, its unique position as a trusted advisor 

to leading hotel brands, combined with innovation 

agility, are what made the differences and attracted 

me. FCS Customer portfolio is comprised of over 

5,000 customers. It includes a wide range of hotel 

brands, hotel profiles/sizes from different market 

segments: Shangri-la, Banyan Tree but also Hilton, 

Marriott, IHG, Fairmont Raffles (AccorHotels), as 

well as unique brands such as The Langham in 

Chicago, Yotel in Singapore, the Five in Dubai, Taj 

Group in India, to cite only a few. I spent 15 years 

at Oracle Europe Middle-East & Africa– before its 

acquisition of Micros Fidelio Systems – working 

in various industries where the role of IT was 

growing fast as a core part of companies strategy, 






93% 

of surveyed hoteliers agreed that 

“Highly trained staff backed up by technology 

will be key to delivering personalized service & 

experiences.” 

Source – Hotel Trend 2020 

part of their competitive advantage and 

staff retention. The Hospitality industry 

is reaching that maturity, and I felt 

excited about the opportunity to bring 

that experience and combining it with 

FCS’ innovative technology with a human 

touch at the service of hotel clients. 

What is the opportunity for FCS and 

its hospitality operations management 

solutions? 

In the race for the best “GX” guest 

experience, hoteliers are thriving to deliver 

the best/most personalised experience to 

guests. Yet a personalised GX can only 

happen if hotel teams are empowered, and 

are freed up to do so. Staff empowerment 

can only happen through the right tools: Our 

service optimisation applications are used 

to automate functions that free up staff to 

spend more time with the guests. We aim at 

being a Face Up not Face Down application, 

giving staff the ability to concentrate on the 

guests and not on the technology. At FCS, 

we believe technology innovation should be 

at the service of people and not the other 

way around. 

The way it works: FCS enables each hotel 

staff/department to connect to a single 

platform that allows for seamless & fluid 

communication. Staff & management are 

armed with the right tools to communicate 

faster and more efficiently, serve guests 

better, improve room turnaround time, 

fix room defects, track glitches and 

understand/track guest preferences... 

Ultimately, this will also improve staff 

loyalty and retention as tasks are made 

easier and relationships with guests are 

more favourable. 

Hoteliers that understand the importance 

of innovating in the next decade recognize 

that standardized operations will act as a 

multiplier effect, impacting the bottom 

line while enhancing guest loyalty, quality 

of services, and gaining competitive edge. 

FCS helps hoteliers build that loyal bond 

with their guests. 

The hospitality industry is fast growing 

in many regions where the shortfall of 

qualified staff makes it imperative for 

businesses to become more efficient and 

productive. The competitive landscape 

of the hospitality market, together with 

the consolidation of groups and brands, 

means that they have to be more creative 

in delivering a more personalised service to 

the guests without increasing workforce, 

impossible to do if everything has to be 

processed manually. They have to gain 

efficiencies elsewhere to allow time for a 

truly personalised approach. 

In a hotel, speed & accuracy of service, is 

a critical part of the guest services. As 

in many other industries, having the right 

information at ones’ finger tips to make 

faster and educated decisions is critical. I 

believe that in providing the management 

and staff real-time information, they have 

a competitive advantage. 

When I look at the market today, there 

is not one player that has conquered 

the market. In the same way a PMS is a 

must have for a hotel of any decent size, 

operational solutions are becoming a 

must-have as well. 

It’s a labour-intensive market, but it’s 

also a people market. Depending on the 

brands strategies, high level or low level 

of guest touch points, it remains a human 

touch business about people. As much as 

robots may fulfil some tasks, take care of 

your luggage, or check you in, operational 

excellence will remain people driven. 

The best technology is the technology you 

don’t see. 

THE RIGHT 

TECHNOLOGY IS THE 

ONE WE DO NOT SEE 

Who benefits the most from your 

solutions? 

Actually all stakeholders benefit from our 

solutions. It’s probably one of the few IT 

solutions that is a win-win-win for guests, 

hotel staff & management, and thus 

hotel owners and Brands. Moreover, it is 

evidently an important factor of seduction 

when it comes to attracting new and 

younger talent to the hospitality industry. 

The Economic Intelligence Unit reported 

that 60% of employees believe themselves 

more productive as a result of using 

technology. We truly believe that it is a 

game changer for the hospitality industry. 

From a pure economic standpoint our 

solutions have a very important impact 

of the bottom-line. To take only one 

example: automation and optimisation 

of preventive maintenance demonstrates 

better asset management and significant 

extension of asset longevity. 

We understand that you have recently 

recruited hoteliers to work for FCS. 

What was the thinking behind that 

move? 



FCS GLOBAL REACH 

With offices around the world, 

FCS provides 24/7 support 

The reason for hiring hoteliers is twofold: 

firstly, to be at the heart of the FCS 

innovation, and secondly, to ensure we are 

hand-in-hand with the hoteliers as they go 

through that transformation. 

Successful change management in any 

organisation requires complete staff 

adoption. Thus it is important for our 

clients to feel that we have an in-depth 

understanding on how we can best help 

them succeed in deploying solutions. 

Moreover to best understand how we can 

add value to the hotel operations of the 

21st century, we need to live and breathe 

the hotel operations challenges. Working 

with our solutions expands beyond the 

scope of implementing technology, it 

is changing a lot of the ways the hotel 

operates, which is always a challenging 

factor on the human side for any hotel 

management. 

FCS is a very successful business, with 

a strong footprint in Asia; how are 

you leveraging that success in Western 

markets? 

Actually, we already have strong presence 

in Western markets, and we are further 

expanding by opening more offices 

around the globe. With our global HQ in 

Singapore, we are leveraging the Asian 

brands. We have a track record and success 

with very prestigious high-end luxury 

brands from Asia-Pacific who have helped 

us grow in the Western market where they 

have expanded. They equally represent a 

strong base for the international brands 

moving into Asia, which have been very 

fast adopters of FCS in the region with our 

existing footprint and track record. 

The hospitality sector in the Middle East 

& Africa region is setting the pace for 

innovation, which has generated high 

demand for our comprehensive suite of 

tools and solutions, thus we opened a new 

office and customer service team in Dubai 

earlier this year. 

An important objective for us is to raise 

further awareness of our solutions in the 

United States – we aim to gain increased 

visibility in the Americas. We have had 

some very unique and prestigious recent 

wins in the US and we have grown our 

operations in the US by opening an 

additional office in Washington DC. 

How will FCS look to develop its 

successful technology platforms 

around the globe? 

We have 13 sales offices around the world, 

and yet we don’t see ourselves as selling 

technology. The success of technology 

is how people use and adopt it. Good 

technology is invisible and the FCS mantra 

is innovation at the service of people. 

Part of the strategy is in-depth innovation 

of the product and to have the handholding 

quality of service, not only before, but also 

post-deployment. The strategy is also in the 

solutions’ footprint – we have expanded 

much beyond housekeeping, engineering 

and job dispatch. FCS today has laundry, 

public space cleaning, and luggage, and 

more recently our analytics layer is further 

empowering hotelier’s managements. 

FCS is an innovative company, what are 

its USPs? 

What is unique is a combination of large 

footprint, solid experience, and constant 

reinvestment in research and development. 

This is at the heart of FCS go to market, 

which goes hand in hand with our 

customer intimacy. The hoteliers which 

have trusted us for years, appreciate our 

agility to grow with their requirements, but 

also help them embrace new technologies 

and propose innovative solutions to help 

achieve their strategies. 

Moreover we are an open platform, as such 

we can integrate with other innovative 

companies on the market, whether IoT or 

new service players, our clients appreciate 

that openness and flexibility with FCS to 

meet their growth strategies. 

We offer a business benefit to hotels 

around the world 

Readers of the SMARTreport will find out about 

the FCS range of solutions in the next edition.

Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #40

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