Lazy, Hazy Summer

It’s been a long time since I put my fingers to the keys and waxed poetically to you about the boon and benefit of travel.

Once an every week installment in your INBOX has taken a back seat to the summer schedule.

As it should be.

The daily grind  will soon replace maximum lounging.

Our leisurely meals will go wayside to the structured dinner time.

The morning’s rapid cadence will once again steal that slow and dreamy pause.

This Summer, as my colleagues are packing their bags and gearing up for the busiest week in networking opportunities, educational sessions, and showcases of the latest trends and offerings in luxury travel…

I’m watching as many sunsets left this summer.

Let this be a reminder of the art of savoring time.

August is  Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, where over 2,000 hoteliers, tour operators, and luxury travel advisors  catch up with our industry friends from around the globe and make connections that well… make your TRIP!

My last Virtuoso event in Mykonos, Greece had meeting-packed days, penthouse cocktail parties, formal galas, and networking with destinations specialists touting the next hot spots!

Here are the destinations to watch and book.

The Nordics

This year I have had a  large increase in summer demand for destinations such as Norway and Copenhagen, With Europe ( especially Italy) getting so hot, people are looking for cooler places to visit, which is a big opportunity for the Nordic countries. And a bonus is the northern lights in Finnish Lapland – sightings start as early as the end of August.)

The Red Sea

A 124-mile stretch of Red Sea coastline in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is open to visitors for the first time offering a carbon-neutral way to explore the Al-Wajh lagoon’s reef system and some of the Red Sea archipelago’s islands.

A focus on sustainable travel includes limits on annual visitors, reliance on solar- and battery-powered energy sources, and a goal to establish a protected marine zone around the reef.

Six Senses, The Ritz-Carlton, Raffles, and more are among the luxury brands that will appear in the developing region.

The Azores

Whole the Canary Islands are just on my clients radar….People are now talking about the Azores, remote Portuguese islands just four hours by air from the U.S. East Coast.

The lush and temperate islands, still relatively untrammeled, draw outdoorsy travelers with volcanic hot springs, dramatic waterfalls, surfing, diving, and whale-watching. Octant Hotels’ Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island provides a sophisticated perch for Azorean adventures.

Los Cabos

The popular Baja California destination is welcoming a spate of new hotels in the near future and drawing travelers to Cabo Pulmo, a coastal area where a once-threatened reef is experiencing a real restoration, thanks to the efforts of local regulations that strictly limit the number of divers and snorkelers per month.

Riviera Nayarit

Riviera Nayarit is making a name for itself as one of Mexico’s most prestigious stretches of coastline. Roughly 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta and home to the boho surf towns of Sayulita and San Pancho, the region first attracted upscale travelers with resorts from Four Seasons, St. Regis, Imanta, Auberge, and Conrad on the Punta Mita peninsula. One&Only staked its beachfront claim on the coast’s 640-acre Mandarina development, which will also welcome a Rosewood resort in 2024. Up next: sister properties from Montage and Pendry on the last undeveloped plots in Punta Mita, and a Belmond resort in Sayulita.

Colombia

The country‘s wilder side is beckoning nature lovers with a string of boutique eco-lodges popping up as an alternative to rustic farm stays.  My family has their eye on 2026.

The big news: AmaWaterways‘ debut on the Magdalena River.

In November, the river-cruising line will launched seven-night sailings between Cartagena and Barranquilla – an industry first – with excursions focused on music and culture, history, and the region’s impressive biodiversity.