NEWS SPECIAL REPORT
The third Connections Luxury event took place at the Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi last month. Martin Ferguson reports
Host hotel Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi and, right and below, some of the activities laid on for delegates
Iran accord ‘heralds rise in tourist interest’
UK agents are being told to expect an upsurge in interest in holidays to Iran, after the country reached an accord with Western powers.
The accord saw the lifting of decades-old sanctions in return for a commitment to curb nuclear development, and there has been a rush by energy and professional service firms to be first into the Persian marketplace. In August, the UK government
reopened the British embassy in Tehran, while the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) eased warnings about travel to the Islamic Republic (with the exception of the area within 100 miles of the Afghanistan border). A number of travel management companies (TMCs) have told Travel Weekly that interest in Iran has been overwhelming since the agreement was announced. Now leisure travel agencies in
the UK, and elsewhere, are being advised to ready themselves for an upturn in consumer demand. Sohail Pedari, regional director
for global sales in the Middle East and India for Ritz-Carlton, is of
“There will need to be a lot more trade know- how about Iran, and supply is needed fast”
Iranian descent and said a return to diplomatic and trade relations was a hugely positive development. “There is a lot of beauty to be explored across the country;
things that have not been explored for many decades,” he said. There is therefore going to be a lot of demand from consumers.” “[To cope with the resurgence of
interest] there will need to be a lot more trade know-how, and supply is required very fast.” A few specialist operators, such as Intrepid Travel, already offer Iran packages, while Iran Air operates the only non-stop service from the UK at present.
EMERGING MARKETS: ‘Do more to target the middle classes’ Opportunities in the mature
Suppliers, operators and agents in the luxury travel sector are being urged to improve their marketing techniques to win the custom of growing middle classes in growth markets. Industry leaders at Travel
Weekly Group’s Connections event said a key challenge for travel intermediaries was to engage consumers shopping for their first luxury trips.
markets of Europe and North America are considered to be relatively limited compared with potential riches in the world’s fastest-growing economies. Gavin Brooking, chief
executive of Excel Hotels and Resorts, said: “Asian countries will play an important role in the growth of the luxury sector. “China is, of course, an acute example. But there will also be
excellent scope for growth across Latin America.” Girish Seghal, general manager of the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India, added: “We see the biggest prospect for growth coming from countries close to India. “Places like Singapore and Indonesia are very exciting. However, not enough is being done to attract affluent visitors from these new markets.”
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travelweekly.co.uk 8 October 2015
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