The Maldives remains Kuoni’s number one high end destination, with a 25% rise in bookings this year

The level of interest in luxury properties is higher than pre recession, according to Kuoni Travel. UK Head of Commercial and Market managers Tamara Diethelm attributes this rise to the increase in special offers currently available on the market. “Many of the hotels we work with have some good discounts and value added deals meaning customers get more for their money,” she explained.

“It means that despite the financial crisis, luxury travel has become more affordable and it’s now more accessible that it used to be.” While booking numbers for 2009 and 2010 are similarly matched, the company is expecting a surge in 2011 as travellers continue to gain confidence in the economy. The Maldives remains Kuoni’s number one high end destination, with a 25% rise in bookings this year. 

Other popular hotspots include Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Mauritius. “I think the Maldives is the epitome of a luxury long-haul holiday,” explained Diethelm. However, she added that the popularity of unusual tours and destinations was also rising.

“During the first nine months of recession people were very tired and stressed, they wanted to go to a beach and flop. Now people are getting more adventurous and we’ve seen an interest in city and cultural tours to places like India and China.”

Meanwhile, Diethelm said the recovery of London’s financial district played a major role in spiking bookings earlier this year. “Our store in Bishopgate was very busy in the first quarter of this year, as bankers’ bonuses got back on track.”

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