Here’s a round-up of luxury travel stories that have caught the eye this week. To make sure you receive these new weekly alerts in your web browser, please click on the red bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page and click ‘subscribe’ (works on desktop only – for other ways to subscribe, please click here). This will also alert you to any other posts on the blog. Should you wish, you can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the icon again and selecting ‘unsubscribe’.
Hong Kong protests: How badly has tourism been affected?
Protesters in Hong Kong have begun a three-day sit-in at the city’s international airport – a day after the US warned citizens to “exercise increased caution” when travelling there. Several other nations – including Australia, the UK, Ireland, Singapore and Japan – have also issued heightened travel advisories over what the US called “confrontational” protests in the Chinese territory. This isn’t the first time the airport has become a protest site: On 26 July, thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators and airline staff held a sit-in there with the aim of reaching tourists and raising awareness of the protests’ goals… [read more]
Private jet demand is the latest casualty of trade war tensions
The impact of trade wars on manufacturing, technology and mining stocks has been well-publicized. The tension is now hurting a more glamorous industry: private jets. BBA Aviation Plc said on Monday that its Signature business — which runs over 200 private jet terminals worldwide — continues to see a reduction in discretionary flying, citing trade wars as one of the reasons. The shares fell as much as 5.9%, the most in five months… [read more]
Sailing Greenland’s frozen frontiers on 90ft modern classic superyacht Acadia
Our thirst for adventure is as unquenchable as ever. In the marine world, that desire to escape the beaten path seems only to be increasing. There are more and more large exploration-style vessels launching, the commissions of owners wanting to see for themselves the incredible sights that cruising in high latitudes offers. When we first set eyes on these pictures of Acadia voyaging in Greenland, part of an extensive collection from acclaimed marine photographer Onne van der Wal, we were hooked. And the more we found out about this cruise, the more interested we became… [read more]
21 incredible adults-only hotels for a stress-free getaway
While family vacations offer their own charm, adults-only resorts give you and your loved ones a chance to unwind in privacy. Many adults-only hotels around the world are set in romantic locations ranging from private farms and islands to grand historic mansions. Amenities like candlelit dinners, in-room treatments, private pools, and prime farm-to-table dining add all the more to the experience, while hotels offering private clubs and mixology lessons provide a vibrant atmosphere for those in search of nightlife… [read more]
The Louvre is coping with crowds – but a new tour will let you have the place to yourself
A new private tour will allow you to have the Louvre in Paris to yourself, which may be especially appealing as the famous art gallery is the most visited museum in the world, and attracted a record-breaking 10.2 million visitors in 2018. As the home of masterpieces like Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the Louvre is always very busy. The recent heatwave has not helped the situation as the cool museum rooms are an added incentive for overheated visitors. To avoid overcrowding, the art gallery is urging travellers to book regular visits in advance online, and it plans to implement a compulsory booking system later on in the year to help it cope with the huge numbers of visitors… [read more]
We really enjoy hearing from our readers and would love to hear your views on any of these stories! Please click on the comments below and share your thoughts. Thank you.
Have a story you’d like to share? Please contact us for details.
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.
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8 Comments
Good news that there is so much demand for the Louvre. Personally, I’m not sure about pulling even more people into the crowded city of Paris.
In many ways, The Louvre Abu Dhabi maybe hinting at an answer. Should not the Louvre’s treasures be spread around?
Take the example of Spain’s Bilbao where galleries have brought wealth and regeneration. Also, in Britain, look at how art has helped to revive Margate.
Sailing down the Greenland coast must be the ultimate adventure. Those are stunning photographs. Interesting to discover how strong and resilient the yacht has to be.
Talking online to the people who I know in Hong Kong I don’t think that the situation there is going to calm down anytime soon. The Chinese government is highly unlikely to relent and give in to the protesters. Nor are the protesters likely to give up. If there’s a total crack down that will also make it a very oppressive place to either visit as a tourist or do business.
The sit in protests and cautionary advice certainly won’t be helping tourism in Hong Kong. That’s something that can’t be blamed on Brexit at least! As for the Louvre, I’ve never been but I’d love to go one day. A specialist tour is actually something I think should be offered a little more cheaply and easily for those with disabilities and autism, like the quiet shopping hours at some supermarkets, as I imagine the crowds can make the experience difficult and less enjoyable.
Whenever I think that it’s about time to book a holiday my wife always asks, “Is it adults only?” She’s got a point. Going on holiday with your own kids can be tough going. Trying to relax on holiday with other people’s kids around is even worse.
There are a couple of stories here suggesting that around the globe people are getting a little jittery. As well as the uneasy situation in Hong Kong and falling demand for Private Jets in Britain we also had the news last week of a decline in Gross Domestic Product. If we are on the edge of a recession it may make life in the luxury market segments very competitive. Look out for some good deals in the near future.
I’m afraid that I’ve got to agree with this piece of economic forecasting. What is worrying is that so many people’s jobs are dependent on the luxury market segment. By its very nature with dedicated service luxury travel tends to be highly labour intensive. Just a slight downturn could threaten a lot of employees financial well-being.
Since this piece was first posted I feel that the situation has deteriorated and the battle lines have only hardened. I fear that this may prove to be far more than a little blip in Hong Kong’s history and may seriously damage Hong Kong’s long term future.
Hong Kong protests: How badly has tourism been affected?
Protesters in Hong Kong have begun a three-day sit-in at the city’s international airport – a day after the US warned citizens to “exercise increased caution” when travelling there. Several other nations – including Australia, the UK, Ireland, Singapore and Japan – have also issued heightened travel advisories over what the US called “confrontational” protests in the Chinese territory. This isn’t the first time the airport has become a protest site: On 26 July, thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators and airline staff held a sit-in there with the aim of reaching tourists and raising awareness of the protests’ goals… [read more]
Hong Kong protests: How badly has tourism been affected?
Protesters in Hong Kong have begun a three-day sit-in at the city’s international airport – a day after the US warned citizens to “exercise increased caution” when travelling there. Several other nations – including Australia, the UK, Ireland, Singapore and Japan – have also issued heightened travel advisories over what the US called “confrontational” protests in the Chinese territory. This isn’t the first time the airport has become a protest site: On 26 July, thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators and airline staff held a sit-in there with the aim of reaching tourists and raising awareness of the protests’ goals… [read more]
Private jet demand is the latest casualty of trade war tensions
The impact of trade wars on manufacturing, technology and mining stocks has been well-publicized. The tension is now hurting a more glamorous industry: private jets. BBA Aviation Plc said on Monday that its Signature business — which runs over 200 private jet terminals worldwide — continues to see a reduction in discretionary flying, citing trade wars as one of the reasons. The shares fell as much as 5.9%, the most in five months… [read more]
Sailing Greenland’s frozen frontiers on 90ft modern classic superyacht Acadia
Our thirst for adventure is as unquenchable as ever. In the marine world, that desire to escape the beaten path seems only to be increasing. There are more and more large exploration-style vessels launching, the commissions of owners wanting to see for themselves the incredible sights that cruising in high latitudes offers. When we first set eyes on these pictures of Acadia voyaging in Greenland, part of an extensive collection from acclaimed marine photographer Onne van der Wal, we were hooked. And the more we found out about this cruise, the more interested we became… [read more]
21 incredible adults-only hotels for a stress-free getaway
While family vacations offer their own charm, adults-only resorts give you and your loved ones a chance to unwind in privacy. Many adults-only hotels around the world are set in romantic locations ranging from private farms and islands to grand historic mansions. Amenities like candlelit dinners, in-room treatments, private pools, and prime farm-to-table dining add all the more to the experience, while hotels offering private clubs and mixology lessons provide a vibrant atmosphere for those in search of nightlife… [read more]
The Louvre is coping with crowds – but a new tour will let you have the place to yourself
A new private tour will allow you to have the Louvre in Paris to yourself, which may be especially appealing as the famous art gallery is the most visited museum in the world, and attracted a record-breaking 10.2 million visitors in 2018. As the home of masterpieces like Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the Louvre is always very busy. The recent heatwave has not helped the situation as the cool museum rooms are an added incentive for overheated visitors. To avoid overcrowding, the art gallery is urging travellers to book regular visits in advance online, and it plans to implement a compulsory booking system later on in the year to help it cope with the huge numbers of visitors… [read more]
We really enjoy hearing from our readers and would love to hear your views on any of these stories! Please click on the comments below and share your thoughts. Thank you.
Have a story you’d like to share? Please contact us for details.
Good news that there is so much demand for the Louvre. Personally, I’m not sure about pulling even more people into the crowded city of Paris.
In many ways, The Louvre Abu Dhabi maybe hinting at an answer. Should not the Louvre’s treasures be spread around?
Take the example of Spain’s Bilbao where galleries have brought wealth and regeneration. Also, in Britain, look at how art has helped to revive Margate.
Sailing down the Greenland coast must be the ultimate adventure. Those are stunning photographs. Interesting to discover how strong and resilient the yacht has to be.
Talking online to the people who I know in Hong Kong I don’t think that the situation there is going to calm down anytime soon. The Chinese government is highly unlikely to relent and give in to the protesters. Nor are the protesters likely to give up. If there’s a total crack down that will also make it a very oppressive place to either visit as a tourist or do business.
The sit in protests and cautionary advice certainly won’t be helping tourism in Hong Kong. That’s something that can’t be blamed on Brexit at least! As for the Louvre, I’ve never been but I’d love to go one day. A specialist tour is actually something I think should be offered a little more cheaply and easily for those with disabilities and autism, like the quiet shopping hours at some supermarkets, as I imagine the crowds can make the experience difficult and less enjoyable.
Whenever I think that it’s about time to book a holiday my wife always asks, “Is it adults only?” She’s got a point. Going on holiday with your own kids can be tough going. Trying to relax on holiday with other people’s kids around is even worse.
There are a couple of stories here suggesting that around the globe people are getting a little jittery. As well as the uneasy situation in Hong Kong and falling demand for Private Jets in Britain we also had the news last week of a decline in Gross Domestic Product. If we are on the edge of a recession it may make life in the luxury market segments very competitive. Look out for some good deals in the near future.
I’m afraid that I’ve got to agree with this piece of economic forecasting. What is worrying is that so many people’s jobs are dependent on the luxury market segment. By its very nature with dedicated service luxury travel tends to be highly labour intensive. Just a slight downturn could threaten a lot of employees financial well-being.
Since this piece was first posted I feel that the situation has deteriorated and the battle lines have only hardened. I fear that this may prove to be far more than a little blip in Hong Kong’s history and may seriously damage Hong Kong’s long term future.