Ensemble Travel Group has released its 2011 Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection. The Luxury in Bloom directory, Ensemble’s just-released 260-page compendium, showcases nearly 500 four- and five-star properties around the world. The 2011 Collection is designed to boost luxury bookings for Ensemble agencies in the U.S. and Canada in the coming year.
According to members such as Lisa Freeburg of Custom Cruises & Travel in Omaha, Neb., the timing couldn’t be better, Ensemble reported: "Over the last few years, the Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection has ‘saved the day’ in so many ways – and at a time when I needed it the most," said the home-based luxury agent.
"In fact just last month, a client’s family Christmas vacation was uprooted due to an air issue, but the resort’s sales director went above and beyond and found two adjoining suites – at the peak of the holiday. I know this happened because of the wonderful relationship that Ensemble Travel Group has with this hotel. It’s just one example of how Ensemble cultivates their partnerships with luxury properties around the world."
Freeburg said Ensemble’s Suzanne Hall, senior director of marketing and development, land products, gave high marks not only to the program’s stellar collection of more than 500 properties worldwide, but also to the organization’s strategic approach to its distribution method.
"Because of our advanced customer intelligence tools, we know exactly who the directory appeals to – and why. That information is essential when determining which customers should receive the annual hotel portfolio,” said Hall. “We nurture the hotel program as a way to strategically grow this high-end market segment for our members."
Luxury in Bloom includes a host of new standouts, including the Alvear Palace in Buenos Aires; Devi Rath in Jaipur, Rajasthan; Le Sirenuse in Positano; Peter Island Resort & Spa; and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. The program’s growth among luxury chains in 2011 is impressive as well, most notably Mandarin Oriental, Ritz Carlton Caribbean and Mexico, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts – St. Regis and W brands.
The 2011 Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection also boasts an expanded reach in destinations, with new properties in Africa, Asia, Mexico, and the South Pacific coming on board this year. Ensemble Travel Group members praise the program’s superior amenities and special VIP service that their clients receive when staying at an Ensemble-affiliated property.
"For years I have counted on the Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection to add value to what I offer my clients. It’s helped me really build a strong and loyal client following for my business,” said Jane Stuckey of TravelTST.ca in Richmond, BC. “I’ve even had clients text me from the hotel thanking me for their little extra amenities that they ‘discover’ in their room with my compliments."
In order to be accepted into the Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection, properties must meet a specific set of criteria. And, while high standards are in place, Hall emphasizes that the partnership is a two-way street.
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