Mediterranean Luxe adds members, launches new products through Kuoni

Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

Kuoni Global Travel Services has been roped in to craft two special itineraries featuring select Mediterranean destinations for the Mediterranean Luxe campaign, a partnership of tourism boards and travel providers aimed at promoting the region’s best experiences to South-east Asia’s well-heeled travellers.

The two nine-day itineraries, created under Kuoni’s Small Group Travel speciality product line, offer an option that begins in Valencia, Spain and ends in Monaco, and another that starts in Nice, France and concludes in Zagreb, Croatia.

Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

Some of the unique experiences promised include a self-drive from Venice, Italy to Rovinj, Croatia with support from Avis, a visit to the renowned Torres Vineyard in Barcelona, and bouillabaisse discovery at La Miramar, home of the traditional French fish stew.

Reto Kaufmann, vice president, South and Southeast Asia of Kuoni Global Travel Services, who unveiled the new products at a media event on Tuesday, ahead of their launch to trade buyers on May 29 during the week of ILTM Asia Pacific in Singapore, told TTG Asia: “These are very unique programmes that we have made possible by using our strong network in these featured destinations to get exclusive prices and access (to experiences travellers cannot buy on their own).”

A spokesperson with Mediterranean Luxe emphasised that the itineraries demonstrate experiential and off-the-beaten-path possibilities in the Mediterranean destinations.

While travellers can preview itinerary details and send their enquiries via Kuoni’s website, the tours can only be booked through Kuoni’s travel agent partners.

Now into its second year, Mediterranean Luxe has also welcomed Croatian National Tourist Board and Zagreb Tourist Board into its fold, joining other partners Atout France, Avis, Catalonia Tourism Board, The Leading Hotels of the World, Monaco Government Tourist Authority, Rail Europe, Spain Tourism Board and Turkish Airlines.

The spokesperson expects membership to grow, with the successful campaign likely to “attract more destinations, cruises and iconic brands of the Mediterranean to come onboard”.

As well, Mediterranean Luxe foresees the development of more itineraries for the Mediterranean region.

The spokesperson said: “We are very pleased to be partnering with Kuoni this year in creating these itineraries to show that a joint itinerary, consisting of coastal cities of Spain, France, Italy and Croatia, are as – or if not more – interesting and definitely profitable for travel agencies in the region. We hope to keep this momentum going, and to attract more operators and agencies to show their creativity, consult our website, and enquire with our partners to design newer and better itineraries.”

Meanwhile, partners of Mediterranean Luxe are optimistic about the business potential that South-east Asian luxury travellers bring. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia have been identified as the six main markets of the region, with “untapped potential for luxury holidays”.

“Experienced travellers (there) have already been to capital cities and want to experience something different. This was the reason why the regional tourism offices of France, Monaco and Spain, with the region of Catalonia, started the first Mediterranean Luxe event last year. We expect that the two new itineraries will bring us greater visitor arrivals to the coastal cities,” added the spokesperson.

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