World's Best Hotels Guide: Familiar faces and fresh suggestions
The World Tourism Awards 2024 gives a snapshot of the globe's best travel options.
Our thoughts on familiar names corroborated and new places, suggestions and brands are thrown up.
It isn't a surprise, in luxury and interesting accommodation, to see Raffles Singapore, Aman Resorts and the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group. But most of us won't be familiar with Amazing Evolution, named the world's leading boutique hotel operator for 2024. The 12-year-old company prides itself on offering 'a tailored approach to each project in light of its DNA'.
It is no surprise to me that Serengeti Balloon Safaris in Africa was among the winners, along with the world's leading luxury train, the Maharajas Express in northern India. And there is Abercrombie & Kent as the world's best luxury safari company.
But it may be a surprise that Parques de Sintra, Monte da Lua, Portugal, is the world's leading conservation company, and that Pikaia Lodge, Ecuador, is the world's leading adventure hotel. The parks, Moorish Castle and monuments of Sintra make the park at Monte de Lua one of the most historical and iconic places in Portugal. Pikaia Lodge, in the Galapagos Islands, was built using more sustainable methods and materials, and offers a high level of service.
Arbatax Park Resort, Italy, was named best eco resort; Aristi Mountain Resort and Villas, Greece, as the top eco lodge; and the world's best green hotel award went to Gaia Hotel and Reserve, Costa Rica.
Thanda Island, Tanzania, is the best exclusive private island. Just one kilometre long and 350 metres wide, there is just one private villa with five suites and two rustic Tanzanian bandas. It is in Tanzania's Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve, surrounded by a coral reef.
Another interesting name is Sixt. It won the luxury car rental category, and Sixt Ride was named the world's leading luxury chauffeur service.
World's Leading Adult-Only Boutique Hotel
Domes Noruz Mykonos, Greece
Luxury adults-only lifestyle resort in the heart of the Island.
World's Leading All-Suite Hotel
THE VIEW Lugano, Switzerland
On a hillside with panoramic views of Lake Lugano.
World's Leading Adventure Hotel
Pikaia Lodge, Ecuador
Sustainable luxury eco lodge in the Galapagos Islands.
World's Leading Boutique Beach Hotel
The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Maravanthe Beach, India
On a secluded beachfront expect an entrancing atmosphere and its candlelit dinners.
World's Leading Boutique Hotel
Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, South Africa
In the ritzy and relatively secure Sandhurst area of Johannesburg, a ritzy luxury hotel with landscape grounds to wander, and 33km from O.R. Tambo International Airport.
World's Leading Boutique Hotel Brand
Aman Resorts
Swiss-based but founded by Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha in 1988, Aman has 35 luxurious properties in 20 countries.
World's Leading Boutique Hotel Collection
Small Luxury Hotels of the World
This pulls together more than 600 beautiful and interesting hotels in over 90 countries. Let their experts do the filtering for you.
World's Leading Boutique Hotel Operator
Amazing Evolution
What happens behind the scenes is just as important and Amazing Evolution specialises in top-quality hotel and resort management.
World's Leading Boutique Resort
Santo Pure Oia Suites & Villas, Greece
On a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea and a few minutes' stroll from the Windmill of Oia, think clean, eclectic design and private pools and hot tubs… with views.
World's Leading Boutique Villa Resort
Porto Zante Villas & Spa, Greece
Luxurious villas with private heated pools and private gardens on the Ionian Sea beachfront on the island of Zakynthos.
World's Leading Design Hotel
Raffles Doha, Qatar
On the Lusail Marina Promenade overlooking the Gulf, this is a lavish all-suite hotel in the crescent-shaped Katara Towers. It opened in 2022.
World's Leading Dive Resort
Amanpulo, Philippines
On a private island in the Sulu Sea, this luxury beachfront resort accessible only by private plane.
World's Leading Eco Resort
Arbatax Park Resort, Sardinia, Italy
This is a big resort on 60 landscaped hectares beside a nature reserve, bordered by the sea. The team says a respect for natural cycles, biodiversity and soil means that nothing is wasted.
World's Leading Eco-Lodge
Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas, Greece
In the village of Aristi, this bespoke resort blends tradition with nature and has views over Vikos Gorge and the Towers of Papigo (and a good outdoor pool).
World's Leading Emerging Boutique Hotel Brand
Postcard Hotels & Resorts
A collection of intimate luxury hotels hidden in holiday destinations across India and the rest of the world. A spokesperson says: 'Our hotels recall an era when holidays were sun-kissed and still, where the days were spent idling and flipping through old magazines against the backdrop of charming, quiet neighbourhoods.'
World's Leading Green Hotel
Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Costa Rica
On a private nature reserve, this luxury hotel has rainforest views and is close to Manuel Antonio National Park (with its three-toed sloths, endangered white-faced capuchin monkeys and hundreds of bird species) and Biesanz Beach.
World's Leading Green City Hotel
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, Singapore
Between Clarke Quay and Chinatown and near Orchard Road and Gardens by the Bay, this splendid hotel fully embraces that energy-saving features and has stunning 'hotel-in-a-garden' design. Don't miss the pool area.
World's Leading Green City Resort
Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Italy
This luxury hotel is on the Rome's highest hilltop, giving panoramic views over the city. Don't miss the art collection.
World's Leading Glamping Operator
Camp Kerala
This company provides accommodation at events like the UK's Glastonbury Festival and Silverstone F1, putting up 'Shikar tents' in a way that they create a sense of community among guests. Each tent has sheepskin rugs, fresh flowers, a king-size bed, duck-down duvets, Egyptian cotton sheets and luxury bathroom products.
World's Leading Golf & Villa Resort
Dunas Douradas Beach Club, Portugal
132 quality apartments and eight villas on a beachfront location in the Algarve's Golden Triangle.
World's Leading Heritage Hotel 2024
Çıragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Turkey
This is in the heart of Istanbul, in an ornate former Ottoman palace overlooking the Bosphorus Strait.
World's Leading Hotel 2024
Jumeirah Al Naseem, Dubai
A luxury beachfront hotel in the Madinat Jumeirah Resort overlooking the Persian Gulf. It has a private beach and landscaped grounds.
World's Leading Hotel Collection
Leading Hotels of the World
Established in 1928 by European hoteliers, and based in New York City, it represents more than 400 luxury hotels in over 80 countries.
World's Leading Iconic Hotel
Raffles Singapore
Dating from around 1887, this elegant, colonial-style building is iconic, and the service legendary.
World's Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort
Cullinan Belek, Turkey
In Antalya, one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean, this is premium resort hotel which has ultra-inclusive prices. There's a premium food and beverage service 24 hours a day, and the resort team prides itself on the place's 'ecological architecture' being in harmony with nature.
World's Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort Brand
Ikos Resorts
Complimentary airport transfers. First child stays free. Yes, we are talking both exclusive and inclusive. Ikos Resorts have hotels in Greece and Spain, including
Ikos Dassia, Ikos Andalusia, Ikos Aria, Ikos Olivia and Ikos Oceania.
World's Leading Luxury Beach Resort
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi
On a 1.3km long private beach, the hotel has its many restaurants and bars, and a marina to stroll around. Expect spacious rooms and marble bathrooms.
World's Leading Luxury Beach Resort & Spa
The Chedi Muscat, Oman
I like being in Muscat, and really like the Chedi. It'd be my choice there. There is a real sense of Arabic hospitality. It really feels like a tranquil retreat. Oh, and it is right on the beach.
World's Leading Luxury Boutique Hotel
The Reserve, Portugal
A Savoy Signature hotel, this really is boutique in Funchal, the capital city of the Madeira archipelago. It is nicely placed for just walking around this interesting and pretty place — an autonomous region of Portugal, on the Atlantic Ocean.
World's Leading Luxury Business Hotel
InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong
Sophistication meets heritage, overlooking Victoria Harbour.
World's Leading Luxury City Hotel
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, UAE
A modern hotel with a 74th floor observation deck and 12 award-winning restaurants and bars.
World's Leading Luxury City Resort
Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Italy
Lets start with the fact that it has Rome's only three Michelin star restaurant. That sets the bar. The suites are described as 'aristocratic' and there's a private art collection. The Cavalieri Grand Spa Club really does look like a Roman bath.
World's Leading Luxury Family Resort
Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection, Greece
This Marriott hotel on the island of Crete looks out at the castle on Spinalonga Isle and the Domes of Elounda. It has suites and villas and is right on the beach. There is scuba diving, snorkelling and windsurfing.
World's Leading Luxury Green Resort
Sani Resort, Greece
We are about 70km from Thessaloniki airport, and this resort actually is comprised of five hotels, a short drive from Roman ruins in Megali Kypsa. Megali Kypsa is a remarkable archaeological site in the picturesque Kassandra region of Halkidiki. It is in 400ha grounds by the Aegean Sea.
World's Leading Luxury Hotel
Savoy Palace, Portugal
In Funchal on Madeira island, there are beautiful rooms, stylish restaurants and bars and a spa with hydrotherapy facilities. It has a very special afternoon tea — a ritual accompanied by the melodies of piano or harp.
World's Leading Luxury Hotel & Residences
Address Downtown, Dubai
I've stayed here and like it mainly for its position — I think Downtown is an interesting area to stay and stroll. Many of the spacious rooms have views of Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain. (One word of warning — it's popular for big weddings.)
World's Leading Luxury Hotel & Spa
The Ritz-Carlton, Amman, Jordan
With 193 rooms and 34 suites (all with luxurious amenities, of course), there are nice spaces for relaxing, people-watching and socialising. Many rooms have views over the city, and the hotel offers insight into local culture through cooking classes and off-site excursions.
World's Leading Luxury Hotel Apartments
Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, UAE
On the eastern crescent of Dubai's Palm Jumeirah, this Thai-themed hotel has villas set around lagoon-style swimming pools.
World's Leading Luxury Hotel Brand
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
You simply can't go wrong with Canadian-based Four Seasons. The company opened its first hotel in 1961, and has continually innovated. The team prides itself on personalised, genuine care with an unwavering commitment to excellence.
World's Leading Luxury Hotel Penthouse
The Royal Mansion @ Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
We're talking a 1128 square metre, split-level four-bedroom penthouse with a 476 square metre terrace. You need a very, very deep credit card — we're talking about US$100,000 a night.
World's Leading Luxury Hotel Villa
Fleming Villa @ GoldenEye, Jamaica
Yes, in Jamaica, you can stay at the place where author Ian Fleming created Bond. James Bond. For, as Fleming strolled on his private beach at GoldenEye, in Oracabessa Bay, he dreamed up a sophisticated spy that would become an enduring character in literature and cinema. The villa has a private beach, pool and tropical gardens.
World's Leading Luxury Island Resort
The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
On a private natural island with spacious villas, private pools, sandy beaches and sunset views.
World's Leading Luxury Landmark Hotel
Armani Hotel Dubai, UAE
The vision of fashion icon Giorgio Armani, the hotel occupies 11 floors of Dubai's iconic, pointed skyscraper Burj Khalifa, but has a private entrance. There are signature dining and spa treatments designed by Giorgio himself.
World's Leading Luxury Lodge
Malewane Lodge at Royal Malewane, South Africa
All-inclusive safari lodge is located in Thornybush Private Game Reserve on the western border of Greater Kruger National Park.
World's Leading Luxury Private Island Resort
North Island, Seychelles
This small, granite island is secluded and exclusive. It offers barefoot luxury in 11 private villas. They are built from materials harvested on the island during the its reclamation process.
World's Leading Luxury Private Villa
Villa iZulu @ Thanda Safari, South
Africa
There are just five suites, to accommodate only up to 10 adults. Lush lawns are all that stand between the camp and the surrounding expanses of African bush.
World's Leading Luxury Resort
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, UAE
Beachside resort with views of the Arabian Gulf from its balconies on one side, and Dubai's cityscape on the other.
World's Leading Luxury Resort & Villas
Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Opened in 2018 with 285 rooms and suites.
World's Leading Luxury Resort Brand
Jumeirah
Chief operating officer Thomas Meier knows what he's doing. The icon is Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, but the Jumeirah Icons Collection offers quality through and through.
World's Leading Luxury Suites Hotel
Tower Club at lebua, Thailand
On floors 53 to 59 of the State Tower, the Tower Club's suites are spacious and the views are big.
World's Leading Luxury Villa Beach Resort
Maradiva Villas Resort & Spa, Mauritius
On the palm tree-lined edge of the Indian Ocean, this retreat has customised treatments guided by an Ayurvedic doctor.
World's Leading Luxury Villa Resort
Sailrock Resort, Turks & Caicos
Thirty-five private rooms with top-quality amenities, secluded beaches, infinity pools and prime dining.
World's Leading New Boutique Hotel
Casa Palacio Don Ramón, Spain
In the Old Town district of Seville, Andalucia, the team at this super boutique hotel prides itself on personalisation and exclusivity. It's in an interesting colonial building, but with geothermal energy and energy efficiency, soundproofing and thermal insulation.
World's Leading New Hotel
Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay, Qatar
In the Diplomatic Area, think elegance and service. There are 283 Art Deco-inspired rooms and suites, and 50 apartments, and it also was recognised as 'Outstanding New Accommodation' by Qatar Tourism 2024.
World's Leading Retreat
Saccharum, Portugal
In Calheta, on Madeira Island, Saccharum is both elegant and contemporary. On the North Atlantic Ocean coast, it is a short stroll to Calheta Beach.
World's Leading Airline, Business Class
Qatar Airways
World's Leading Airline, First Class
Emirates
World's Leading Airline, Premium Economy Class
Qantas Airways
World's Leading Airline Lounge, Business Class
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge @ Hamad International Airport
World's Leading Airline Lounge, First Class
Etihad Airways First Class Lounge & Spa @ Zayed International Airport
World's Leading Boutique Airport Hotel
JEN Maldives Malé by Shangri-La
World's Leading Luxury Car Rental Company
Sixt
World's Leading Luxury Chauffeur Service
Sixt Ride
World's Leading Balloon Ride Operator
Serengeti Balloon Safaris
World's Leading Conservation Company
Parques de Sintra - Monte da Lua, Portugal
World's Leading Cultural Destination
Peru
World's Leading Dive Destination
Philippines
World's Leading Exclusive Private Island
Thanda Island, Tanzania
World's Leading Green Destination
Maldives
World's Leading Heritage City Destination
Lisbon, Portugal
World's Leading Heritage Destination
Vietnam
World's Leading Luxury Island Destination
Boracay, Philippines
World's Leading Luxury Safari Company
Abercrombie & Kent
World's Leading Luxury Tour Operator
Ciconia Exclusive Journeys
World's Leading Luxury Train
Maharajas' Express
World's Leading Mountain Resort
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, USA
World's Leading Nature Retreat
The Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort, India
World's Leading Private Game Reserve
&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa
World's Leading Tourism Winery
Chateau La Coste, France
World's Responsible Tourism Award
Dark Sky Alqueva, Portugal
worldtravelawards.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Cassy's teary farewell to passengers went viral. Now her airline is back in the game
It was a memorable moment at the start of the pandemic. In late March 2020, Cassy Appleton, Virgin Australia crew supervisor, delivered a pre-landing safety message to passengers that she appended with a farewell speech for the airline's international operation. Choking back tears, Appleton thanked customers and praised colleagues. Epitomising the fear of the widening COVID-19 pandemic, Appleton's speech quickly went viral. For Virgin Australia, the unknowns at the time were arguably more profound. Within weeks of the speech, the company – once a domestic competitor for Qantas, the only one – would be in voluntary administration, delisted from the ASX, later sold to US-based private equity group Bain Capital. On Tuesday, Virgin, reorganised, under new management, backed now by a Middle Eastern aviation behemoth, took the leap and returned to the Australian Securities Exchange, a viable, listed competitor to Qantas. Virgin has come full circle, in the process facing down reluctant regulators, unions and global uncertainty spurred by US President Donald Trump's trade wars – as well as hot wars in the Middle East. 'We're very proud of the product and service that we put out there,' chief executive Dave Emerson said. 'We provide strong competition and great value and service for Australian consumers'. Yet, the timing of Virgin's IPO only became a certainty a few months ago, after a number of conditions fell into place: the new chief executive, restored investor interest, the support of its largest union, the backing of stakeholder Qatar, Virgin's new strategy to be a simpler, more focused airline, and, ironically, the strength of Qantas' share price helping showcase domestic appetite for aviation stocks. Emerson took the role of chief executive in March, the same month the government approved Qatar Airways to take a share of Virgin and to participate in the 'wet-lease' agreement that allowed the Doha-based airline to increase the number of flights from Australia by 28 a week. The government had denied Qatar Airways' application for additional flights in 2023, citing elusive reasons of 'national interest'. Transport Minister Catherine King's inability to explain the basis of the government's rationale prompted a Senate inquiry which examined Qantas' potential influence on the government's ruling. Speaking this week before Virgin listed, Emerson reflected: '[It] was pretty difficult for us to go to market when there was uncertainty about whether that deal would be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board. I think that that was the key trigger of us then being able to start to market the company.' Virgin's reliance on the government's approval of Qatar's participation was ironic, given the government's unwillingness to bail Virgin out during its 2020 fall. It was out of this dark period for aviation that Qantas laid off 1800 staff illegally, creating the industry backdrop from which Virgin would rise. 'It's a brutal industry, and Qantas has been a brutal player in that industry,' said Emily McMillan, national assistant secretary of the Transport Workers Union, which is the largest representative of Virgin employees. Loading The union was relieved when Virgin ended speculation and said its chief customer and digital officer, Paul Jones, who had earlier been involved in Qantas' industrial relations, would not replace outgoing boss Jayne Hrdlicka as chief executive. TWU's McMillan said: 'We're pleased that Virgin have made key choices in these last five years as they've navigated through this process to work with its workforce in a different way.' Ruling out Jones, who replaced Emerson as Virgin's chief commercial officer, paved the way for Emerson – one of the least known personalities in Australian aviation – to be named chief of the airline. Emerson was part of the Bain Capital team looking over the restructuring of the troubled airline that the US private equity group took control of in 2020. Father of four sons, a sometime reader of sci-fi (John Scalzi and Martha Wells) and author Michael Lewis, and a somewhat reluctant pickleball player, Emerson brought years of experience in aviation consulting from Bain & Company, where his predecessor Jayne Hrdlicka had once worked. Loading As the pandemic hit, Emerson and his wife had already been looking for an overseas posting. He said he had just dropped his youngest son off at university, before heading to the plane to come to Australia, a place that is the 'opposite of a hardship posting'. However, given the time, Emerson's first impression of the country was limited to the walls of a Marriott hotel room where he stayed upon COVID quarantine. Bain had named Reunion Capital as the independent adviser in 2023, which then appointed Goldman Sachs, UBS and Barrenjoey as book builders of the deal. Emerson's appointment in March signalled the start of the IPO process. Once Bain decided to launch, brokers and investors moved quickly to secure significant volumes of investor demand. On his first day on the job, Emerson met investors, as well as staff in Brisbane and Sydney, going on a tour of Virgin's front-line staff that would take him to Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide. Importantly, he met the union. 'We met with Dave Emerson on the first day of his job,' said TWU's McMillan, 'which we thought was a really positive sign of working collaboratively with the workforce.' Loading Emerson was to simplify the business, pivoting away from the complexity that helped expose it to loss before 2020. The plan was also to be focused on areas where Virgin could compete effectively. 'We want to win in the segment of the market that we've chosen to serve, the value segment,' Emerson said. That didn't mean unlimited, unchecked competition against larger rival Qantas, which helped drive Virgin towards unsustainable debt levels before 2020. Rather, Virgin would compete for premium leisure, small and medium business customers and value-minded corporate customers. 'We have a lot of respect for Qantas,' said Emerson, who notes that Qantas does a good job serving its core customer segments. 'That's one of the reasons that we chose the business model that, we thought, was built around segments that aren't as well served in their existing ... model.' Qatar Airways' participation would help. Virgin operates a simplified fleet of 100 mostly 737s domestically and in overseas destinations such as Fiji, Bali and Vanuatu. Under the 'wet-lease agreement' with Qatar, Virgin could 'carefully re-enter' long-haul travel while sidestepping the complex planning and operations it demands. (Under the deal, Qatar will provide the planes and crew for flights sold by Virgin.) From Qatar, Virgin gets commissions on flights sold, more users of its Velocity loyalty program, and, with more people flying into Australia, more traffic into Virgin's domestic lines. That's all good as long as international travel holds up, which is no certainty in a time of war in the Middle East and Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariff announcements. Emerson said: 'The way our partnership with Qatar is structured, our economics are focused on the domestic business, and their economics are focused on the long-haul business. So even if demand didn't meet expectations, we wouldn't expect it to have a material effect'. Perceptions around the rebuilt airline mattered too. This meant convincing future investors that Virgin had changed since its days of damaging price wars with Qantas. Going into administration had wiped out the value of Virgin debt securities listed on the ASX. There was a bit of a 'hurdle to overcome how this is a different business now', said one person involved in the IPO, who described it as the 'first challenge' in taking the deal to market. But the outlook for aviation since the end of lockdowns had transformed. Demand for travel appeared limitless. Investors were highly attracted to the industry structure and saw Virgin 'with strong and stable market share and an ability to increase margins over the next couple of years'. Emerson's jammed up meeting schedule ahead of the IPO – banks, unions and company staff – left little time for interviews. Given the restrictions around what can be said before a company lists, and his sudden appointment as chief executive, there was often little Emerson could say. The air of mystery contributed to the sense of anticipation about the reception a relisted Virgin would get from the public. Loading On a recent visit to Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine, a sampling of Virgin passengers voiced sentiments that were uncannily close to Virgin's identified target market. While a number of passengers' stories began with pledges to never fly Qantas again, business travellers this masthead spoke to were generally happy with Virgin. One said Virgin appeared more 'inventive' while Qantas was 'stale'. Another bristled at Qantas' welcome-to-country announcements. Andrew Mills, who months ago spent 30 hours trying to get back to Australia from New Zealand after a Qantas cancellation, said: 'I made the decision to fly only with Virgin, and it's been pretty promising to date. 'I would say 95 per cent of the flights that I've been on since then have been on time and able to allow me to get to my destination as expected.' In fact, in May, Virgin's on-time arrivals reached 84.8 per cent while Qantas' stood at 82.5 per cent, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics. One person with knowledge of the deal said Bain had done a 'pretty good job' of turning Virgin around, by finding a part of the market that avoids costly clashes with Qantas. Virgin 'should probably be able to earn increasing margins over time' by not, for example, competing directly for most international routes. Still, the aviation business is not an easy one to succeed at. There are high fixed costs, such as the price of maintaining fleets of jets, or fuel prices. Ticket prices are influenced not just by demand but costs which themselves are vulnerable to outside factors such as those on display this week between Iran and Israel. Chief executive of Moomoo Securities Australia Michael McCarthy said the fact that the prospectus offered no guidance after June 2025 was a 'possible red flag' from Virgin. 'If the people who run this business believe the future for Virgin is so uncertain that they cannot estimate even the next 12 months' earnings, how are investors supposed to make a decision?' In this way, the path of rival Qantas' stock functioned as a proxy for sentiment for the Australian aviation sector, including Virgin. Qantas' stock rose from about $5.78 a share on August 5, to more than $10.27 on June 20, on growing optimism for the outlook for aviation. Virgin was priced at a discount to Qantas, $2.90 a share, with the understanding that Virgin, while a competitor, remained the junior player. As June 24 approached, unwelcome clouds gathered. While markets had largely priced in the Middle East conflict, Iran and Israel began lobbing missiles at each in earnest only a week before. On Monday morning (AEST), Qatar, the home of Qatar Airways, closed its airspace in response to Iranian missile attacks, the very hub of the airline Virgin was now linked to. Emerson said the geopolitical tensions 'underscore' the advantages of being a 90 per cent domestic Australian airline. The local market had been incredibly resilient and, historically, demand had ridden right through geopolitical shocks, he said. Loading Still, Emerson has been peppered by questions about how the Middle East tensions would affect the IPO. Speaking before the stock relisted, Emerson noted: 'There's always the ability to amend the schedule down [the number of wet lease flights with Qatar] if we jointly decide that's in our interest. There's nothing in the agreement that requires us to fly all these flights forever.' When the day came, the sentiment was mixed. Headlines from the Middle East couldn't be worse, but the ASX 200 rallied on expectations that peace would prevail and oil prices fell. The Virgin IPO would be a test of the feeling around the Australian aviation industry. Was the glass half-full, or half-empty? A steady outlook or turbulence ahead? Share listed at $2.90 noon on the ASX. Then they rose. Virgin ticked up by days end to $3.23. They closed down at 2.2 per cent on Friday to $3.18. Loading A person with knowledge of the deal, said Bain was successful in part because it wasn't 'trying to sell too much' of the stock. 'They kept the shares scarce and the price was compelling.' Virgin also had a 'very clear competitor' in the form of Qantas, which also reassured investors looking to understand the metrics of the smaller airline's performance. Virgin's successful launch also signalled a market 'very open to IPOs now' which is, as one investor said, 'a relatively new thing'. Bain Capital veteran and Virgin director Mike Murphy rated the IPO the 'most complex Bain has ever done in Australia and among the most complex that even global Bain has done'. He thinks future competition with Qantas will be 'rational' but 'the Australian aviation market is extremely competitive and it is closely watched by the ACCC'. Even former Virgin chief executive Paul Scurrah called it 'a proud day for the team to see what we envisaged during the [2020] sale process come to fruition'. Asked if the IPO was the biggest undertaking of his career, Emerson said working with the team at Virgin had been 'the capstone of what has been 30 years in aviation, and I couldn't be more proud and excited about it'. One Virgin crew member with more than a decade's experience with the company noted that aviation was an 'inherently unstable industry'. Remembering back to 2020, when his former colleague Cassy Appleton posted her farewell video before Virgin essentially stopped flying, he said those videos were almost 'a form of grief'. Having said that, Virgin appeared much sounder on the day than the decade earlier when he began working for the company. 'To be completely honest,' he said, 'it is kind of surprising that we've gone from point A to point B and become relatively stable and quite profitable in such a short space of time.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We left behind our spouses and grown-up children': The rise of the girls' trip
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Think 'early explorers' and it's often names like Marco Polo, Francis Drake and Captain James Cook that spring to mind. Not so much Jeanne Baret – the first woman credited with circumnavigating the globe after she joined the botanical expedition of French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1766, with the help of her lover and professional partner in botany, Philibert Commerson. She did it dressed as a man until she was eventually found out, at which point Bougainville wrote in his journal, 'her example will hardly be contagious.' It's only taken the best part of three centuries, but Baret – and the countless corseted would-have-been female explorers denied the chance to travel – may yet get the last laugh. One of the hottest trends in travel over the past 10 years is women carving out 'me time' from work, family and caring responsibilities, to either travel alone or in all-female groups. 'The 'mumcation' is a whole new world of sisterly misadventure that recently opened up to me,' says financial services professional, Kathryn Hanes, who late last year joined her sister and two of her oldest friends on a week-long trip to New Zealand, which they dubbed 'Mothers Uncorked'. 'We left behind our spouses and nine (mostly) grown-up children and walked up and down mountains, around lakes, through valleys and talked and talked and talked,' says Hanes, who is in her early 50s. 'It was so thrilling to have a holiday where the backing track wasn't 'Are we there yet?' with an 'I'm bored' chorus.' Hanes' two children are now aged 22 and 18, but she well recalls the 'draincations' with young kids: 'So often on family holidays there's no real downtime, days are planned with military precision,' she says. 'This was the first time since my 20s that I felt truly open to spontaneity again. But unlike in our 20s, we now have well-paid, full-time jobs, so the trip wasn't on a shoestring. We had long, lazy meals with lovely plonk. It was bliss.' Whether setting out in all-female groups or alone, more women are embracing the shift. In a survey by online portal 54 per cent of female respondents said they planned to travel solo in 2024. More than 64 per cent of the world's travellers are women, according to New York-based Skift Research's 2024 The Woman Traveller report, and women over 50 are the fastest-growing cohort. Almost a quarter of women aged 55-plus said they would prefer to travel solo than with their spouse and kids. Such figures are no surprise to Jenny Gray. She created the Women's Expedition product range in 2018 for Australian-owned Intrepid Travel. The tours make a particular effort to support women-owned and operated businesses. 'We launched our Women's Expedition range seven years ago, when we realised more than 63 per cent of our travellers were female – and they were telling us they wanted to better understand and connect with women in a range of destinations and cultures,' says Gray. Today, women aged over 45 represent the fastest-growing demographic for the Women's Expedition category, and many are booking into an all-female trip on their own: 'They are prioritising themselves like never before,' says Gray. 'An increasing number of them are repeat travellers with us. It's not that they want a 'soft' option, they just want the logistics taken care of, and to travel with like-minded women.' India is the top-selling Women's Expedition for Intrepid's Australian customers, with a newly created women-only trip to Saudi Arabia and a long-standing tour to Morocco the next most popular. An increasing number of operators, including Banyan Tours in New Delhi (overseen by Lucy Davison), Girls' Guide to the World and India Design Tours (run by Nicole Court, based out of Sydney) also facilitate trips for women to India. Australian outfit Pink Pelican Tours was founded last year. Next year it will run five women's tours, to Italy, Indonesia and Slovenia. 'The Bali Girls Tour and the Italy Food Tours book out the quickest,' says Pink Pelican's director, Felicity Armstrong. 'Women are redefining what it means to live fully, independently, and on their own terms. They feel less pressure to wait for a partner, family or friends before they travel. The narrative has shifted from 'being selfish' to 'self-worth'.' Loading When it comes to travelling solo, safety remains the number-one concern for women, according to the Skift report. But technology has made things easier; laptops, mobile phones, global roaming, WhatsApp and online travel-support forums offer a greater degree of contact and backup. And there's more airplay online about the safest places to visit. Spartacus World's 2025 Gay Travel index nominates Canada, Iceland, Malta, Portugal and Spain as all excellent for LGBTQ+ friendliness, a factor that tends to mirror safety indexes for women. New Zealand consistently rates highly, as does Japan, Norway, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Roving communications consultant Erin Forster, 33, spent almost six months in 2024 travelling through Europe and Asia, mainly solo. 'For my age group, solo travel is seen as normal,' she says. 'It can also be an even more social experience than travelling with friends. Travelling alone is something I wish I'd done much earlier. The personal growth you experience when pushed outside your comfort zone can't be underestimated.'
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
Cassy's teary farewell to passengers went viral. Now her airline is back in the game
It was a memorable moment at the start of the pandemic. In late March 2020, Cassy Appleton, Virgin Australia crew supervisor, delivered a pre-landing safety message to passengers that she appended with a farewell speech for the airline's international operation. Choking back tears, Appleton thanked customers and praised colleagues. Epitomising the fear of the widening COVID-19 pandemic, Appleton's speech quickly went viral. For Virgin Australia, the unknowns at the time were arguably more profound. Within weeks of the speech, the company – once a domestic competitor for Qantas, the only one – would be in voluntary administration, delisted from the ASX, later sold to US-based private equity group Bain Capital. On Tuesday, Virgin, reorganised, under new management, backed now by a Middle Eastern aviation behemoth, took the leap and returned to the Australian Securities Exchange, a viable, listed competitor to Qantas. Virgin has come full circle, in the process facing down reluctant regulators, unions and global uncertainty spurred by US President Donald Trump's trade wars – as well as hot wars in the Middle East. 'We're very proud of the product and service that we put out there,' chief executive Dave Emerson said. 'We provide strong competition and great value and service for Australian consumers'. Yet, the timing of Virgin's IPO only became a certainty a few months ago, after a number of conditions fell into place: the new chief executive, restored investor interest, the support of its largest union, the backing of stakeholder Qatar, Virgin's new strategy to be a simpler, more focused airline, and, ironically, the strength of Qantas' share price helping showcase domestic appetite for aviation stocks. Emerson took the role of chief executive in March, the same month the government approved Qatar Airways to take a share of Virgin and to participate in the 'wet-lease' agreement that allowed the Doha-based airline to increase the number of flights from Australia by 28 a week. The government had denied Qatar Airways' application for additional flights in 2023, citing elusive reasons of 'national interest'. Transport Minister Catherine King's inability to explain the basis of the government's rationale prompted a Senate inquiry which examined Qantas' potential influence on the government's ruling. Speaking this week before Virgin listed, Emerson reflected: '[It] was pretty difficult for us to go to market when there was uncertainty about whether that deal would be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board. I think that that was the key trigger of us then being able to start to market the company.' Virgin's reliance on the government's approval of Qatar's participation was ironic, given the government's unwillingness to bail Virgin out during its 2020 fall. It was out of this dark period for aviation that Qantas laid off 1800 staff illegally, creating the industry backdrop from which Virgin would rise. 'It's a brutal industry, and Qantas has been a brutal player in that industry,' said Emily McMillan, national assistant secretary of the Transport Workers Union, which is the largest representative of Virgin employees. Loading The union was relieved when Virgin ended speculation and said its chief customer and digital officer, Paul Jones, who had earlier been involved in Qantas' industrial relations, would not replace outgoing boss Jayne Hrdlicka as chief executive. TWU's McMillan said: 'We're pleased that Virgin have made key choices in these last five years as they've navigated through this process to work with its workforce in a different way.' Ruling out Jones, who replaced Emerson as Virgin's chief commercial officer, paved the way for Emerson – one of the least known personalities in Australian aviation – to be named chief of the airline. Emerson was part of the Bain Capital team looking over the restructuring of the troubled airline that the US private equity group took control of in 2020. Father of four sons, a sometime reader of sci-fi (John Scalzi and Martha Wells) and author Michael Lewis, and a somewhat reluctant pickleball player, Emerson brought years of experience in aviation consulting from Bain & Company, where his predecessor Jayne Hrdlicka had once worked. Loading As the pandemic hit, Emerson and his wife had already been looking for an overseas posting. He said he had just dropped his youngest son off at university, before heading to the plane to come to Australia, a place that is the 'opposite of a hardship posting'. However, given the time, Emerson's first impression of the country was limited to the walls of a Marriott hotel room where he stayed upon COVID quarantine. Bain had named Reunion Capital as the independent adviser in 2023, which then appointed Goldman Sachs, UBS and Barrenjoey as book builders of the deal. Emerson's appointment in March signalled the start of the IPO process. Once Bain decided to launch, brokers and investors moved quickly to secure significant volumes of investor demand. On his first day on the job, Emerson met investors, as well as staff in Brisbane and Sydney, going on a tour of Virgin's front-line staff that would take him to Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide. Importantly, he met the union. 'We met with Dave Emerson on the first day of his job,' said TWU's McMillan, 'which we thought was a really positive sign of working collaboratively with the workforce.' Loading Emerson was to simplify the business, pivoting away from the complexity that helped expose it to loss before 2020. The plan was also to be focused on areas where Virgin could compete effectively. 'We want to win in the segment of the market that we've chosen to serve, the value segment,' Emerson said. That didn't mean unlimited, unchecked competition against larger rival Qantas, which helped drive Virgin towards unsustainable debt levels before 2020. Rather, Virgin would compete for premium leisure, small and medium business customers and value-minded corporate customers. 'We have a lot of respect for Qantas,' said Emerson, who notes that Qantas does a good job serving its core customer segments. 'That's one of the reasons that we chose the business model that, we thought, was built around segments that aren't as well served in their existing ... model.' Qatar Airways' participation would help. Virgin operates a simplified fleet of 100 mostly 737s domestically and in overseas destinations such as Fiji, Bali and Vanuatu. Under the 'wet-lease agreement' with Qatar, Virgin could 'carefully re-enter' long-haul travel while sidestepping the complex planning and operations it demands. (Under the deal, Qatar will provide the planes and crew for flights sold by Virgin.) From Qatar, Virgin gets commissions on flights sold, more users of its Velocity loyalty program, and, with more people flying into Australia, more traffic into Virgin's domestic lines. That's all good as long as international travel holds up, which is no certainty in a time of war in the Middle East and Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariff announcements. Emerson said: 'The way our partnership with Qatar is structured, our economics are focused on the domestic business, and their economics are focused on the long-haul business. So even if demand didn't meet expectations, we wouldn't expect it to have a material effect'. Perceptions around the rebuilt airline mattered too. This meant convincing future investors that Virgin had changed since its days of damaging price wars with Qantas. Going into administration had wiped out the value of Virgin debt securities listed on the ASX. There was a bit of a 'hurdle to overcome how this is a different business now', said one person involved in the IPO, who described it as the 'first challenge' in taking the deal to market. But the outlook for aviation since the end of lockdowns had transformed. Demand for travel appeared limitless. Investors were highly attracted to the industry structure and saw Virgin 'with strong and stable market share and an ability to increase margins over the next couple of years'. Emerson's jammed up meeting schedule ahead of the IPO – banks, unions and company staff – left little time for interviews. Given the restrictions around what can be said before a company lists, and his sudden appointment as chief executive, there was often little Emerson could say. The air of mystery contributed to the sense of anticipation about the reception a relisted Virgin would get from the public. Loading On a recent visit to Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine, a sampling of Virgin passengers voiced sentiments that were uncannily close to Virgin's identified target market. While a number of passengers' stories began with pledges to never fly Qantas again, business travellers this masthead spoke to were generally happy with Virgin. One said Virgin appeared more 'inventive' while Qantas was 'stale'. Another bristled at Qantas' welcome-to-country announcements. Andrew Mills, who months ago spent 30 hours trying to get back to Australia from New Zealand after a Qantas cancellation, said: 'I made the decision to fly only with Virgin, and it's been pretty promising to date. 'I would say 95 per cent of the flights that I've been on since then have been on time and able to allow me to get to my destination as expected.' In fact, in May, Virgin's on-time arrivals reached 84.8 per cent while Qantas' stood at 82.5 per cent, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics. One person with knowledge of the deal said Bain had done a 'pretty good job' of turning Virgin around, by finding a part of the market that avoids costly clashes with Qantas. Virgin 'should probably be able to earn increasing margins over time' by not, for example, competing directly for most international routes. Still, the aviation business is not an easy one to succeed at. There are high fixed costs, such as the price of maintaining fleets of jets, or fuel prices. Ticket prices are influenced not just by demand but costs which themselves are vulnerable to outside factors such as those on display this week between Iran and Israel. Chief executive of Moomoo Securities Australia Michael McCarthy said the fact that the prospectus offered no guidance after June 2025 was a 'possible red flag' from Virgin. 'If the people who run this business believe the future for Virgin is so uncertain that they cannot estimate even the next 12 months' earnings, how are investors supposed to make a decision?' In this way, the path of rival Qantas' stock functioned as a proxy for sentiment for the Australian aviation sector, including Virgin. Qantas' stock rose from about $5.78 a share on August 5, to more than $10.27 on June 20, on growing optimism for the outlook for aviation. Virgin was priced at a discount to Qantas, $2.90 a share, with the understanding that Virgin, while a competitor, remained the junior player. As June 24 approached, unwelcome clouds gathered. While markets had largely priced in the Middle East conflict, Iran and Israel began lobbing missiles at each in earnest only a week before. On Monday morning (AEST), Qatar, the home of Qatar Airways, closed its airspace in response to Iranian missile attacks, the very hub of the airline Virgin was now linked to. Emerson said the geopolitical tensions 'underscore' the advantages of being a 90 per cent domestic Australian airline. The local market had been incredibly resilient and, historically, demand had ridden right through geopolitical shocks, he said. Loading Still, Emerson has been peppered by questions about how the Middle East tensions would affect the IPO. Speaking before the stock relisted, Emerson noted: 'There's always the ability to amend the schedule down [the number of wet lease flights with Qatar] if we jointly decide that's in our interest. There's nothing in the agreement that requires us to fly all these flights forever.' When the day came, the sentiment was mixed. Headlines from the Middle East couldn't be worse, but the ASX 200 rallied on expectations that peace would prevail and oil prices fell. The Virgin IPO would be a test of the feeling around the Australian aviation industry. Was the glass half-full, or half-empty? A steady outlook or turbulence ahead? Share listed at $2.90 noon on the ASX. Then they rose. Virgin ticked up by days end to $3.23. They closed down at 2.2 per cent on Friday to $3.18. Loading A person with knowledge of the deal, said Bain was successful in part because it wasn't 'trying to sell too much' of the stock. 'They kept the shares scarce and the price was compelling.' Virgin also had a 'very clear competitor' in the form of Qantas, which also reassured investors looking to understand the metrics of the smaller airline's performance. Virgin's successful launch also signalled a market 'very open to IPOs now' which is, as one investor said, 'a relatively new thing'. Bain Capital veteran and Virgin director Mike Murphy rated the IPO the 'most complex Bain has ever done in Australia and among the most complex that even global Bain has done'. He thinks future competition with Qantas will be 'rational' but 'the Australian aviation market is extremely competitive and it is closely watched by the ACCC'. Even former Virgin chief executive Paul Scurrah called it 'a proud day for the team to see what we envisaged during the [2020] sale process come to fruition'. Asked if the IPO was the biggest undertaking of his career, Emerson said working with the team at Virgin had been 'the capstone of what has been 30 years in aviation, and I couldn't be more proud and excited about it'. One Virgin crew member with more than a decade's experience with the company noted that aviation was an 'inherently unstable industry'. Remembering back to 2020, when his former colleague Cassy Appleton posted her farewell video before Virgin essentially stopped flying, he said those videos were almost 'a form of grief'. Having said that, Virgin appeared much sounder on the day than the decade earlier when he began working for the company. 'To be completely honest,' he said, 'it is kind of surprising that we've gone from point A to point B and become relatively stable and quite profitable in such a short space of time.'
