Katherine Lawrey discovers reasons to sell Monaco, and why it’s not out of your clients’ price range
Monaco’s association with the rich and famous is a double-edge sword for Stephan Roberge, managing director, Monaco Tourist Authority. It gives the destination a certain cachet, an old-world charm that simply can’t be beaten. But it can also act as a deterrent for potential customers, making them believe it’s out of their reach.
Not so, he insisted, as we met for lunch in London last week. “In Monaco you can get a beer for €5 and you can buy lunch for a modest price.”
When Roberge visits agents with Kirker Holidays, one of his main talking points is the Passport to Monte Carlo, a winter season incentive that offers return helicopter transfers from Nice, free entrance to museums and special advantages with hotel partners.
“There’s no reason to incentivise Monaco from May to September,” Roberge explained. “We have the Grand Prix, the Monaco Yacht Show, it’s high season. I want to show why Monaco is attractive during the winter.”
A sunny, clement climate is one reason why, and a packed events calendar another, from arts and firework festivals to outdoor Philharmonic concerts. Security also a key selling point. “We’re the safest destination in the world,” he claimed. “We can close all our access roads in five minutes. We have to be secure – 5% of our population are billionaires.”
Despite the dominance of the super-wealthy, he’s determined to spread the word that Monaco is affordable – or at least on a par with Europe’s other top draws, the likes of London, Barcelona, and Berlin. “Hotel de Paris (pictured), Hotel Hermitage Monte Carlo and Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo, they are all less expensive than the Ritz,” he insisted.
Those coming on a celebrity-hunting mission will find it a taxing task, he said. “Celebrity isn’t a game in Monaco. Paparazzi are banned... You might see Lady Gaga (left), but she will be having a quiet drink in a bar, she won’t be surrounded by fans and photographers.”
Winston Churchill is one of Monaco’s most celebrated connections, and his home from home, the Hotel de Paris, is undergoing a major four-year renovation project. A limited number of suites are available while the rest are remastered. The hotel’s historic facade will endure, as will the wine cellar. In a secret chamber here 20,000 of the most valuable bottles were hidden with the hotel’s silverware during the Second World War. It’s this kind of treasure chest that romanticises the principality. “I’m fascinated by Monaco,” admitted Roberge. “It’s a beautiful destination, with substance.”