Dear friends and colleagues,
I’ve really enjoyed visiting some of you recently on your home (well, OK, work) territory. Everyone’s needs are different so I tailor my training sessions to what you feel you need – these range from a round-up of what’s new at WMR to a blitz on a particular geographical area/experience to an in-depth ‘tariff’ session, where I teach you how to get the most out of our DMCs’ amazing online systems and help you to become even more brilliant at your job.
As always, do give me a call or ping me an email for more info about any of these or indeed anything you feel WMR can help you with
BRAZIL
Blumar have a number of diverse new properties including Pousada Trijunção in Brazil’s great savannah, and Casana in Jericoacoara. Blumar’s Bruno and Lorene have been very busy (and very lucky!) experiencing and reporting back from these stunning properties.
Pousada Trijunção – stargazing and safaris, surrounded by the Cerrado
Opened late in 2018, Pousada Trijunção is in the middle of nowhere! By that, I mean, it’s a 5-hour drive from the nearest airport (Brasilia). Still baffled? Draw a line up from Sao Paulo, and a line inland from Salvador, and you’re more or less there. Completely powered by solar energy and represented by our friends at Senderos, Pousada Trijunção offers a superb array of sustainable experiences ranging from jaguar spotting to Dwarf Caiman night safaris to off-road excursions in search of the Maned Wolf – its star attraction. The dark skies of the interior also make for some fantastic stargazing. Click here to access Bruno’s in-depth report on Pousada Trijunção.
Casana – Jericoacoara’s newest and plushest resort
Casana is in Prea, a small beach village way up on the northeast coast of Brazil and right on the edge of the eye-wateringly beautiful Jericoacoara National Park. Think virgin beaches secluded by dunes of white sand, blue lagoons, treefrogs, grasslands and a mangrove; super luxurious Casana has all of these right on its doorstep. With the opening of Jericoacoara’s new Cruz (JJD) airport in 2017, it’s never been easier for your clients to access this area. Lorene recently returned from a 3-night stay at Casana. Click here for Lorene’s lowdown on high-end Casana.
Juma Opera – Manaus
This much-anticipated hotel is directly opposite the Teatro Amazonas (aka the Opera House), in a beautifully-restored Belle Epoque building. Once it opens later this year, the Juma Opera will be the place to stay in Manaus before/after an Amazon cruise or eco package. Your clients will love you for sending them there!
Kuara Hotel – Arraial D’Ajuda
Bahia’s Arraial D’Ajuda (south of Salvador, due east from Brasilia) on Brazil’s Discovery Coast is home to Kuara Hotel, a lovely new 5-star hotel. Around 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of popular Trancoso, Arraial d’Ajuda is perfect for those who want somewhere more relaxed than Porto Seguro, but more affordable than Trancoso. Get there by flying to Puerto Seguro (BPS).
Rox by Essenza
Rox By Essenza is in Jericoacoara (rather than Prea) and is moments from the beach. Facing west, this 4-star hotel offers incredible sunset views of the dunes and the sea from its lovely rooftop pool. Just over an hour away from the airport (JJD), this quiet two-storey hotel keeps it nice and simple with just two room types.
CHILE
After bursting onto the scenes in June, Chile’s newest DMC, Southbound hit the ground running with last month’s fabulous solar eclipse – La Serena’s 2 minutes 15 seconds of daytime darkness brought over 300,000 visitors to the region. If your eclipse-chasing clients missed this one, there’s another one on 14th December 2020 with Villarica being right on the ‘path of totality’. Watch this space!
For now, though, the big news is for further south in Chile: year-round direct flights between Santiago and Puerto Natales.
Southbound are pleased to announce that both Sky Airlines and Jetsmart will be offering direct flights from Santiago to Puerto Natales, resulting in up to 10 flights a week during high season, and 6 flights a week in low season. This will cut out the long drive up from Punta Arenas, which is a massive result for your time-precious clients or anyone else who can’t be dealing with the 3-hour plus road trip.
ARGENTINA
Talking of the eclipse, a swath of southern Argentina will also be plunged into daytime darkness in 2020. Attipica have some gourmet one-day and luxury overnight glamping options to view the eclipse from Bariloche, San Martin de los Andes and Villa la Angostura. You may remember I fell in love with Bariloche and its environs all over again earlier this year. If you have clients wanting to experience this once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event at an exclusive spot on the ‘path of totality’, give me a shout for full details.
Villa Beluno
Plus, while we’re in the Lake District, let me just tell you about the sumptuous Villa Beluno which opened its doors in July this year. A fantastic new addition to Bariloche’s accommodation options, Villa Beluno has a spectacular location on the San Pedro peninsula, overlooking Lake Nahuel Huapi. To put that into context, it’s about a 15-minute taxi ride from town, i.e. a little further out of town than El Casco Art Hotel but not as far as Llao Llao. Villa Beluno’s 14 luxurious suites are vast but the icing on the cake for me has to be the heated infinity pool meaning year-round swimming – and with a view to die for!
COSTA RICA
I’m going! Yes, I’ve been in deep consultation with the Travel Excellence team as I’m plotting and planning my own trip to Costa Rica later this year. Pura Vida! Rest assured I’ll be telling you all about it but for now, you’ll just have to wait. Watch this space…
Finally, if I’m not scheduled to see you until WTM, why not?! Seriously, November is m-i-l-e-s away so if you’d like me to come and visit your office with a bespoke training session on any or indeed all four of my DMCs or their products, just say the word, and we’ll make a plan. I guarantee you’ll you know more than you did – my sessions are informative but fun.
In meantime, enjoy the rest of the summer, and for those of you exhibiting at the Bird Fair this weekend, good luck!
Saludos
Wendy