Luxury holidays stand up to inflation

As the credit crunch bites and inflation hits 3.3 percent, bookings for travel remain strong, particularly in the luxury sector, according to worldwide tour operator Bailey Robinson, who specialises in aspirational bespoke getaways.

The increasing cost of fuel, food and finance has done little to diminish our enthusiasm for fabulous holidays, proving that a little ray of sunshine goes a very long way.

Managing Director of Bailey Robinson, Rory Pilkington, comments, “Against a backdrop of economic gloom, when many consumers are having to face cutbacks, holidays in our sector remain steadfast. Despite increasing pressure on our income it seems that people are unwilling to forego their holiday”.

Bailey Robinson creates individual itineraries for clients across five continents under its three main programmes – “African Safaris”, “Luxury Journeys” and “Luxury Resorts” – with all the jet-setting resorts you’d expect to see in its stunning brochures such as North Island in the Seychelles, the Singita lodges in South Africa and Sandy Lane in Barbados.

With an average spend of over £10,000 per booking and around 50% of long-haul clients travelling business class or above, the luxury sector continues to thrive.

European destinations are still performing well for Bailey Robinson this summer in spite of the strong euro against the pound. However, customers seeking optimum value in 2008 are travelling further afield to dollar based destinations such as Mauritius, which has some excellent offers at this time of year, Canada, South East Asia and Africa.

Of its 65 brochured countries, Bailey Robinson’s top-selling destinations for summer 2008 to date are:

1. South Africa
2. Canada
3. Tanzania
4. France
5. Maldives
6. Portugal
7. Mauritius
8. Zambia
9. Seychelles
10. Italy

For more information, visit Baileyrobinson.com.