TTG Luxury spoke to Paul Jones, chief executive of The Lux Collective, to hear key updates from the brand.
How important are agents to The Lux Collective?
The UK market and agents are very important for The Lux Collective across the entire portfolio, particularly our hotels in Mauritius along with Lux South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. We anticipate the UK market to continue to grow as Air Mauritius will operate from Gatwick daily from 1 October and Virgin Atlantic will launch a winter three-time weekly flight service to the Maldives from Heathrow, commencing on 22 October.
Some notable sales and bookings results include the UK sitting as the number one market ahead of France, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia and the US. We see around 50% of sales coming from agents and tour operators, 20% from OTAs and 30% direct. As such, our established trade partners are so important, such as Trailfinders, BA Holidays, Destinology, Kenwood, Kuoni and Turquoise Holidays amongst others.
Agents can easily and swiftly book with dedicated B2B luxury tour operators that we have contracted with, providing them with the best possible rates and lines of communication with our regional sales office team in the UK.
Which properties sell well with the trade?
Lux Grand Baie and Lux South Ari Atoll have performed particularly well with the trade.
As the flagship hotel of The Lux Collective, Lux Grand Baie is a trailblazing, innovative resort. For the trade, this new generation, boutique-style resort introduces travellers to a new, slow-paced island living, with a vibrant playful atmosphere. Our trade partners are excited to sell an ultra-luxurious and trendy property with its exciting culinary journey, Lux Me Spa with a hydrothermal circuit and Muscle On The Roof fitness facilities, as well as a breathtaking rooftop pool experience.
How are you continuing to engage with agents?
We have dedicated and supportive account management, innovative brand awareness training, and brand collateral such as access to our photo gallery, hotel factsheets and engaging video content. We ensure that partners know that The Lux Collective is their top-of-mind, go-to hotel partner for the Indian Ocean and our other destinations around the world.
Tell us about your expansion plans
The Lux Collective currently manages 18 operating resorts and hotels in Mauritius, Maldives, Ile de la Reunion, China and Tanzania, with 11 more hotels in its development pipeline in Asia, Middle East and Mauritius.
We will be strengthening our growing presence in Dubai which underscores our commitment to the Middle East region, along with our two soon-to-open resorts in Sharjah and the newly-established Dubai regional office.
On the business development front, we are continuing to look at new and interesting destinations such as Africa (Kenya), the Middle East (Gulf Cooperation Council and Saudi Arabia), Indian Ocean and Asia.
Our vision is to double the group’s portfolio in five years. We are on an exciting trajectory following a string of new opening announcements, with more expansion plans in the pipeline. Important factors that influence our development plans include location, sustainable development, infrastructure, people and culture.
Which upcoming projects are you excited by?
We’re really excited for the reopening of Lux Belle Mare on 1 October on the island’s wild east coast, tucked away in lush tropical gardens near the quaint village of Belle Mare. Unveiling a refreshed look after more than a year of extensive renovations, the reimagined resort with its timeless architecture designed by renowned Mauritian architect Jean-Francois Adam has been elevated with a striking new design whilst retaining its celebrated family ethos.
China is set to be a big destination for 2024 and we at The Lux Collective are looking forward to the return of UK travellers to the region. The Lux Tea Horse Road China collection of eight boutique resorts offers travellers an array of two-to-fourteen-night discovery tours. Guests can check into numerous Lux Tea Horse Road properties along the route, including the brand-new Lux Tea Horse Road Lashi Lake, which soft-opened this summer. Further expansions to the Tea Horse Road portfolio are in the pipeline, with the modernist property Lux Tea Horse Road Pu’er set to open in Q2 2025.
What are the key trends you’re seeing in luxury travel?
The trends we’re seeing include:
• Purpose-led travel and living well post-pandemic: travellers are looking for more experiential holidays and to connect with the local people to immerse themselves in the destination.
• Wellness: the importance of holistic wellbeing for the body, mind and soul is continuing to rise for luxury travellers. Consumers are seeking wellness programmes to help reduce stress, recharge the body and restore vitality.
