LUXURY TRAVEL TRENDS: 2012

Here are the major luxury travel trends shaping up for the new year:

1. Luxurious Resorts in Undiscovered Locales

Undiscovered locations has always been a trend when it comes to luxury travel. This year globe trotters are looking to discover places in South America, Eastern Europe, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Staying at luxurious hotels in places that aren’t so popular means you can enjoy comfort and enjoyment while still experiencing an authentic, unique escape. Some other ideas for ‘out-of-the-box’ locations include: Eastern Europe (Albania and Serbia), Greenland, Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Qatar.

2. Authentic and Novel Experiences

Planned tours and guided trips are out. Luxury travelers are looking for novel experiences now. Things like personal expert guides, one-on-one trips, or specially designed personal development or spiritual growth trips are all gaining popularity.

3. Off-Season Travel

Another luxury trend is traveling at times when no one else is. This reduces waiting times at popular attractions and gives you time to enjoy the local vibe without the rush of tourists.

4. Vow Renewals

Baby boomers are now celebrating big wedding anniversaries, and they’re making lavish trips to celebrate. Couples are traveling to unique and luxurious locals to renew their vows. Popular vow renewal journeys include: Hindu temples in India or Indonesia, A Buddhist temple in an East Asian destination, Beachside ceremonies in Hawaii, Vietnam, Thailand, or South America.

RETAIL:
HOW TO STAY RELEVANT

When it comes to retail sales, experts say you have to sell a lifestyle and an image. You’ve heard it before, but it’s vital now more than ever. It's all about building your brand around it.  One that has mastered this is Ralph Lauren.  Michael Kors does the same thing. It's not only about getting a purse, it's about getting a slice of the fantasies people have. Michael Kors head person in Canada is Debra Margles. She says retailers that have walked away from servicing the clients are the ones that have to walk backwards on the escalators right now. They better re-create the brand because opportunities lie in servicing the customer and making it exciting. With stores today you want to walk in a feel like it’s a privilege and an opportunity. You want people to feel like they’re servicing you and they love to be there.  The customer needs to feel like there’s action and that the people working really want to be there. Debra advises: higher the best people and spend your money on the front line.  That is where the experience comes from. You could see the best product but if you’re not greeted with respect and enthusiasm, then how does that translate to the ultimate customer?
www.MichaelKors.com

LIFESTYLE TREND:
CULTURED PEOPLE ARE HAPPIER

Now some trendsetting news when it comes to your happiness...


Cultured people are happier people.

A new study over 50 thousand adults shows that people who go to museums and concerts or create art or play an instrument are more satisfied with their lives, regardless of how educated or rich they are.

Published in the British Medical Association's Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health the study shows that this is different for men and women.


For men, passive activities such as taking in "a concert" or seeing "museum exhibit" are associated with an upbeat mood and better health.

Advertisement: Story continues below but For women, the link is BEING ACTIVE Women were less likely to feel anxious, depressed or feel unwell - if they played music or created art.

Those who were studied were asked detailed questions about their leisure habits and how they perceived their own state of health, satisfaction with life and levels of depression and anxiety.

The results were unexpected:
men feel "better" when they are spectators while women prefer"doing" rather than watching to feel better. Even more surprising was that wealth and education were not an issue.

The study concluded that the use of cultural activities in health promotion and healthcare may be justified.

but the question remains I ask:

are people healthier and happier because they are cultured or do they seek out more culture because they feel good to begin with?

LIFESTYLE TREND:
HAVING A ‘BUCKET LIST’

Having a ‘bucket list’ is a big trend in 2011. ‘Baby Boomers’ are traveling like never before, 65 is the new 45 and they are doing it in real ‘style.’

This age group is not doing the museum tour bus thing, rather wants adventure and wants to cross things off their ‘bucket list’ – just like the movie The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

There are over 80 million boomers in North America, people born between 1946 and 1964. This year, the oldest are turning 65.

 

and almost two-thirds of them -
61% plan to "increase" their travel.
84% feel the next five years will be "fulfilling".
70% believe they'll be actually "exciting".

Shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘The Amazing Race’ intrigue boomers these days. Boomers have large budgets and crave authentic cultural experiences when travelling. 

They also like ‘family cruising’ - a sector now off the charts and they are still heavily interested in multi-generational travel - which is still going very strong.

CELEBRITY TREND:
CANINE PAMPERING

Pampering is out of control when it comes to celebrities and their dogs. LA Dogworks in Hollywood is the hip dog daycare center. It's ranked one of the best in the world and is known as a leader in innovative dog care. This state-of-the-art ten thousand square foot retreat has a 25-hundred square foot indoor park and exclusive dog spa. It's open 24 hours a day just like a hotel. It has a 5-star resort membership.Andrew Rosenthal is owner and president of LA Dogworks. He just wrapped up his gala shelter event fundraiser ‘A Dog’s Life’ and sat down with HTR to talk dog trends for 2011.

Rosenthal says the celebs love bringing their dogs to LA Dogworks because his facility will do whatever the client requests, and he means anything. No wish is too much in this town.Jake Gyllenhaal, Minnie Driver, John Legend, Samantha Ronson and Lindsay Lohan have all brought their dogs to LA Dogworks. They all go because the celebrities know they will respond to their every request with no question. So if, let’s say, they asked to feed their dog only 15 pieces of dog food – they will actually count them out. Another crazy request: an actress once asked to die her white maltese pink using Jello so it wouldn’t harm the dog.

LA Dogworks is so state of the art. It incorporated advanced technology into the building by designing a
high tech drainage and flushing system throughout the facility that moves dirty water out of the building in a timely manner. They also engineered a HVAC system that rivals most hospitals, built with proper materials, strong yet safe for dogs, to assist in the prevention of bacteria, the growth of mold and control pathogens.

LA Dogworks is located at 1014 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles California, 90038

For more information you could call them at 323.461.5151 or visit www.ladogworks.com

HOTEL TRENDS:
FOUR SEASONS AT BEVERLY HILLS 'SUITE DRIVE'

Four Seasons Hotels, Inc., the luxury hotel management company continues to offer clients the best of the best and at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills they keep outdoing themselves. This hotel is still the place to be when in Los Angeles. Now you can enjoy a Suite Drive with Four Seasons Hotel at Beverly Hills', exciting new program that includes access to ultra-luxurious cars for suite guests in the City of Angels.

I sat down recently in a suite overlooking Beverly Hills with its elegant General Manager Mehdi Eftekari, in charge of one of the region's elite hotels. This Four Seasons serves business and leisure travelers but it's the magnet for show-biz types working in movies, television and music. The majority of press junket interviews are conducted there and I have spent much of my 15 years working and doing celebrity interviews at this hotel. It has been a home away from home and I have loved every minute of the serenity and superior service I have received upon every single visit. It’s truly amazing the standards that never waiver.

Hotel staff are taught to protect celebrities from intrusions and not ask for autographs, photos or otherwise fuss over the famous.

"We train our people to be friendly, not familiar" says Eftekari

The hotel is now setting trends with its new luxury car program called the “Suite Drive.” It gives guests exclusive access to ultra-luxurious vehicles such as a Bentley, Ferrari, Rolls Royce Phantom and Lamborghini during their hotel stays. When guests book one of the hotels 36 newly renovated suites, they can choose form a selection of exotic and luxury cars, depending on the suite category at no cost, other than fuel and insurance.

True luxury car aficionados who book the Royal Suite or one of the two Presidential Suites will be rock stars for the night with an exotic ride in a Rolls Royce Phantom, Ferrari F430, Ferrari California, Bentley Flying Spur, Maserati, Bentley GTC, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes-Benz SLS, Mercedes-Benz
S600 or Porsche 997.

Guests who book a One-Bedroom Suite, Luxury Suite, Premier Suite or Grand Luxury Suite will receive car options including a Cadillac, Mini Cooper, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Volvo.

Four Seasons can also arrange for guests to receive their cars at the airport at no additional cost, and valet parking is included throughout their stay.

Mehdi says that Four Seasons service is more than a philosophy, it’s a culture. It’s what they do in their 84 hotels in 34 countries. The company recently celebrated its 50th birthday. It is constantly thinking about the guests and how they could please them thus creating loyalty.

Travel + Leisure magazine and Zagat Survey rank their properties among the top luxury hotels worldwide and the company has been named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune every year since the survey's inception in 1998.

Presidential Suite West

Highlights of the 2,398-square-foot (223-square-metre) Presidential Suite West at five-star Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles include a black marble foyer, spacious living and dining rooms and an adjacent bedroom. The six step-out balconies offer views of Beverly Hills and the Bel Air hills.

1. The living area boasts a baby grand piano, a fireplace and a dining area.

2. Host a private dinner party for eight using the dining-room table and adjoining state-of-the-art kitchen.

3. Watch TV in the living area or the master bedroom on the 60-inch (152-centimetre) plasma-screen TV with home theatre surround-sound system, and enjoy a movie using the DVD player or NXTV system, which provides 50 television channels, pay-per-view movies and video games.

4. High-speed Internet is accessible through the phone or the NXTV system.

5. In the master bedroom's marble bathroom, enjoy the privacy of the walk-in closet, separate dressing area, large vanity, deep tub, shower, telephone and flat-screen TV.

6. A marble bathroom adjoins the second bedroom, and a guest powder room with shower is adjacent to the living area.

7. Take advantage of our exciting new Suite Drive with Four Seasons programme, which provides guests staying in one of our 36 newly renovated suites with access to ultra-luxurious vehicles during their stay – for no rental fee. Certain conditions apply. This offer is subject to availability and standard-rate bookings.

To reserve this room:
- Contact the worldwide reservations office
- Call the hotel reservations department at 1 (310) 786-2227

*Photographs are an example of room quality only. Some items may have been rearranged or added, and views may differ. Please refer to the written descriptions for specific physical details and views.

HEALTH TRENDS:
CELEBRITY YOGA GURU 'YOGI CAMERON'

Now turning to a new book that will teach you how to create a holistic health, overall plan for your life. It will guide you through Ayurvedic yoga principles to better health in just 28 days! It's called The Guru in You written by Yogi Cameron Alborzian, one of the most sought after people today in holistic medicine.

The Ayurvedic guru to the stars and hot off his appearances last week on Dr. Oz and Ellen DeGeneres. Yogi Cameron teaches you how to take a journey to reconnect with your body. As the first male supermodel, Cameron Alborzian had a life that many dream of, traveling the globe, working with the most prestigious designers in the world, partying with celebrities, and appearing in major ad campaigns and cultural landmarks like Madonna's ‘Express Yourself’ video.

His real achievement came when he decided to leave high fashion and investigate the ancient art of Ayurvedic healing. What he learned changed his life, and, after years of study, he now works with Hollywood celebrities to executives of international corporations to bring balance, improved health, and inner peace to their busy lives.

HTR sat down with him recently in West Hollywood at the Fred Segal store. He explained more about his book. The Guru In You refers to that teacher, the knowing in you. It’s a matter of knowing something is right and doing it. Everybody gets that feeling but it’s always masked by too much outer stimulus – texts, emails, food, sleep etc. The main goal with the book was to bring people to their purpose. It’s about getting your mind and body balanced.

He says the book speaks to people who don't have a lot of time and are very busy on the move but want to live a healthier life. It's a four-week plan to detox, boost energy, reduce stress and eat better. He says everyone is unique and there is no one diet or exercise regime that fits all. It’s about following the natural pattern of your body, and each person’s pattern is different.

The Guru in You lays the foundation for change, helping us identify our unhealthy patterns and set our intentions. It teaches you about supplements, breathing exercises, and yoga tailored just for you. This is not a one-size-fits all program. You learn the ancient wisdom that we all have the power to heal ourselves.

It is a four week plan, but he says 28 days is just the start to a better life and to always look at things for the rest of your life. The key is to see beyond 28 days and adopt a new way of living.

Now he wakes up every morning between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM to practice yoga and he does another two to three hours of practice at night.

If you're interested in a personal consultation, therapy treatments, or if you'd like him as a guest speaker for an event email him at:

inquiries@yogicameron.com

The book sells on Amazon:
$16.37 US hardcover
$12.99 US for the Kindle version.

DATING TREND:
MATCHMAKING "A LA CARTE DATING"

A recent Nielsen poll found one in four adults have used the internet to find a partner and another 38% are considering using online dating.

Of those who had used online dating, 33.6% reported a short-term relationship, and 16.2% said they had a long-term relationship. As the baby boomers age, divorce, and widow, this 500-million dollar industry continues to become more and more lucrative.

In Montreal - the big thing now is matchmaking.

Patty Shapiro is the President of A La Carte Dating, a dating agency in Montreal.

She personally, is not a fan of online dating at all. She calls it nothing more than a shopping sport.

She says dating now is really back to basics with matchmaking. For about 15 years people have been resorting to online dating. About 50% of the adult population is single so you would think that the success rate would be higher in finding your soul mate.

Online dating is becoming more and more dangerous and less and less honest. One in ten online users is actually a scammer, and one in five is married. Let’s face it. It’s easy to hide behind a computer and pretend you’re something you’re not.

There are a lot of common denominators between men and women when it comes to online dating – a lot of people think it’s just men or just women looking online but internet dating is notorious for cheating for sexes. It has really turned up as a shopping sport.

She says a lot of people are now using dating agencies. The singles are lot more proactive in their dating lives than they used to be. 48% of men and 52% if women have used a dating agency to increase their odds. They are seeing that this is really where it’s going and have stopped relying on luck alone.

Some tips that Patty has for the men:

Try and relax, and don’t pretend to be someone you’re not; a lot of men do that. A very common problem with men is that they don’t express themselves, they need to learn how to do it, the communication is lacking.

It might not be all their fault. Men have had a lot of bad programming from their past from their parents, their peers, their religion – they’ve almost been set up for failure.

Most importantly, confidence is the key. Women don’t like insecure and unmanly men.

Now for the ladies:

Some mistakes that women make when dating include talking too much about their past, about their exes, and money. A lot of women come off as needy and desperate, and tend to be manipulative.

Men need a lot of praise. Women generally don’t know how much and how to do it. Another thing about women is go back to their old boyfriends. You broke up the first time for a reason – try and avoid this at all costs!

If you’d like to give matchmaking a try, you could reach Montreal’s matchmaker Patty Shapiro at A La Carte Dating.

You could visit her website at www.pattyshapiro.com/dating or you can her directly at 514.389.5627.

CELEBRITY REHAB: 'PROMISES', MALIBU


Sex addiction, alcohol abuse, prescription drugs and street drug addiction are why celebrities and those who can afford it check in to rehab facilities.

At the beautiful Promises Addiction Treatment Center in Malibu, California, patients learn that sex addiction is an intimacy disorder. It is a scary place for them because they are told that sex is what substitutes for genuine human closeness. It's about getting high from the behavior, having feelings that are intolerable, acting them out then immediately after having feelings of guilt. This is one of the many lessons taught at Promises Addiction Treatment Center: one of the leading rehabilitation centers in the world.

This is an exclusive luxury rehab for celebrities rather than a tough love center.

With all the celebrity addiction headlines over the last few years, Promises has become famous for its Hollywood clientele, including Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.

Located on two estate-size plots, Promises offers amenities such as a tennis courts, swimming pools and gourmet meals. It has a relaxed, homelike country cottage feel,

The program focuses on traditional 12-step recovery methods.

Rates at its Malibu location start at $54,500 US for a 31-day stay. This fee does not include doctor's care or medication.

CONSPICIOUS CONSUMPTION IS OUT


As people are questioning and frowning upon conspicuous consumption - large luxury companies such as Gucci and hugely paid celebrities such as Madonna are giving back like never before. At the last New York Fashion Week - Madonna and Gucci raised money with a show to raise money for Unicef and for Malawi - the country where Madonna adopted a child and, she says, lost her heart.

Instead of celebrating the opening of its giant flagship on Fifth Avenue with a big spending party in the three-story store, Gucci chose to underwrite the benefit to "give something back." All profits and pledges went directly to Raising Malawi, Madonna's charity, and to the Unicef Schools for Africa effort. Gucci now supports programs in Malawi and Mozambique for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS..

Madonna, the singer and philanthropist says her signing career has allowed her to give back. She says something very big has changed in her since she began travelling to Africa.Madonna's aim is to create in Malawi, an academy offering education to girls b 2010.