Centara Signs on to Mauritian Development Project

Thailand's Centara Hotels & Resorts announced plans late last year (2011) to expand into Mauritius with a brand-new hotel. However, their plans appear to be much broader in scope than just a single resort property. The company recently announced they have signed onto a brand-new project now being developed on the north-east coast of Mauritius; and ambitious project that will see construction of a brand-new ocean side community named Azuri.

Although Centara is not building the community themselves, they have entered an agreement to manage the new luxury property which will be a combination of residential housing and a luxury hotel. The idea behind the project is to take advantage of the current real estate environment that seeks to encourage both residency and investment among foreigners. The friendly real estate policies developed by the government in 2011 are spurring significant residential housing growth on the island.

Although the exact details have not yet been released, industry experts suspect the residential housing at Azuri will be part of a pooled rental arrangement in which home owners who choose to lease their property, either full or part-time, will be able to turn over the responsibility to Centara. Centara would manage those homes right along with the hotel, splitting the proceeds between themselves, the home owners, and the land developer. It's a scheme that many luxury hotel companies are shying away from but which is proving to be beneficial to those embracing it.

This type of mixed use development could prove to be stiff competition for family friendly hotels in Mauritius. Right now the number of those hotels is limited due to the long history of Mauritius being more of a romantic island getaway. And even among those hotels that are family-friendly, the costs can be prohibitive when compared to the accommodations being provided. Residential homes tend to be less expensive in terms of weekly or monthly rental, and they provide so much more to the average family. This may end up being the wave of the future for family tourism throughout the entire Indian Ocean region.

Mauritius has long been a favourite tropical destination of European travellers, primarily those from France, the UK, and Germany. Being able to trade the often cool and dreary weather of northern Europe for the sun and sand of Mauritius ensures that nearly 70% of the island's visitors are European. And even as Mauritius and Seychelles continue to prosper, Mediterranean destinations are remaining flat or falling as a result of the ongoing European financial crisis. This is a great time for the Indian Ocean to establish itself as the premier region for tourism across the globe.

Right now Mauritius is in the midst of her peak travel season. But statistics show there are still plenty of open beds and flights if you're interested in booking a last-minute holiday. If you prefer to wait till after March you'll be able to take advantage of even better deals and lighter passenger loads. Either way, you owe it to yourself to spend some time in Mauritius.

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Angsana Hotels and Resorts Opens New Mauritius Property

Balaclava, in the Turtle Bay region of North West Mauritius, welcomes a new Banyan Tree Hotel under the Angsana brand name. The international hotel chain recently opened Angsana Balaclava following the purchase of the property last year. The new hotel is the 11th resort under the Angsana name in addition to more than 40 luxury spas operated by the company.

The luxury boutique hotel includes 51 suites and one of luxury villa on the Turtle Bay Lagoon. It features a very traditional design meant to give guests the feel of an authentic Mauritian village. Thatched roofs, wrought iron gates, plenty of lush greenery, and local art complete a presentation of tropical comfort and peaceful relaxation. The hotel would be ideal for Mauritius honeymoons and intimate couple’s getaways. The fact that the hotel is a mere 15 minutes away from Port Louis also means that guests are very close to some of the best nightlife, shopping, and dining on the island.

The new Angsana Balaclava offers three swimming pools as part of a public space separated from the suites via waterfalls and several types of native foliage. The Angsana Spa is the perfect complement with both double and single treatment rooms, water jet stations, hamman, yoga facilities, and a restorative pool. Couples with a penchant for private relaxation and well-being will feel right at home in this wonderful resort.

The opening of the resort comes at a time when the Mauritian tourist industry is seeing steady growth. It is the second new hotel to open in as many months, and several new properties are slated to begin operations at various stages in 2012. Hotel operators are hard at work increasing bed space and amenities in response to the increased number of arrivals expected this year. If all goes according to projections, Mauritius could finally eclipsed the 1 million mark for 2012. Last year the total number of arrivals was just over 900,000.

The upswing in Mauritian travel is partly due to a return to European economic stability. But more importantly, travel experts place a lot of the success with the fact that both government and private sector tourism officials have been criss-crossing the globe promoting the island as the premier destination in the region. Adding to those solo promotional efforts, Mauritius has joined Seychelles and the rest of the Vanilla Island nations in conducting some joint promotions to raise awareness of the entire Indian Ocean region.

Mauritius is still remains the top Indian Ocean draw, something that's unlikely to change in the near future. She has the best economy, the most friendly business environment, and the most opportunity for tourism-based businesses in the region. Obviously, her gorgeous tropical climate, white sand beaches, and abundance of leisure activities are also a big draw. The future of Mauritius looks bright enough that several international airlines are getting into the act by increasing non-stop flights to and from the island. For all intents and purposes it's "all systems go" for a good 2012.

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Tourism Contributes to Improved Economic Confidence in Mauritius

The Mauritius Chamber Of Commerce and Industry's most recent report outlining consumer confidence shows significant improvement in the fourth quarter of 2011. According to the report, private sector businesses have a favourable outlook of the nation's economy at a rate of 39%, as opposed to 17% whose economic outlook was unfavourable. Those who gave the Mauritian economy good grades cited several reasons for their positive views.

Among those reasons are the rise in tourist numbers and the fiscal reforms the government included in the 2012 budget. As part of that budget taxes on capital gains, dividends, and interest income were all eliminated, encouraging foreign investment in the nation's leading industries of tourism and sugar production. The tax cuts also have spurred many Mauritian business owners to invest significant funds to develop and expand their own companies.

As for the contribution of tourism to the economic outlook, local business owners have observed an increase in the number of arrivals this year of about 7%. The increase translates into most of them doing better than the year before and thus, increased consumer confidence.

The combination of increased consumer confidence and foreign investment are seen as positive steps in maintaining the Mauritian economy's position as the best in the Indian Ocean region. This is especially true when you consider Mauritius' relationship with Europe. Europeans provide a customer base which makes up roughly 67% of all exports and nearly 70% of tourists visiting the island. It's expected that increased investment in the tourism industry will only make those numbers better.

As the Mauritian economy continues to strengthen she will further enhance her position as one of the world's premier tourist destinations. Already known for great Mauritius wedding packages, romantic honeymoons, and luxury family vacations, this Indian Ocean paradise will be debuting new resorts and tourist venues in 2012 and beyond. There are currently two new resorts being built as well as a huge entertainment and tourist venue in the northern region. Furthermore, one of the island' largest resort operators announced this past week plans to secure funding for a ninth resort on Mauritius.

The gorgeous tropical climate and stunning beautiful environment are the main draws to the region. But Mauritius is working hard to develop other things that will bring new visitors in; things like professional and amateur sports. The island has seen a rise in golf holidays and tournaments, as well as events focused around key water sports like surfing, kite surfing, and sport fishing. Tour operators, resorts, and other tourism-related businesses are all joining forces to offer inviting an exciting combination packages.

Europeans who have never visited Mauritius will find that there's no better time to do so than right now. Heading into the island's peak tourism season, there is still space available into January and February of next year. Tourists are encouraged to contact their local tour operator for pricing information and booking details.

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Mauritian Government to Divest Some Tourism Interests

In an ongoing effort to reshape the way Mauritius engages in the tourism industry, that nation's government announced over the weekend plans to divest itself of some of its tourist interests. The plan not only helps further the island nation's goals for revamping the industry, it also helps raise some much needed cash for other expenditures. Among the divestitures are the new developments at the Port Louis waterfront, the Lake Point Complex, and several casinos.

Beyond the announcement no further details have been given as to a timetable for completing the divestments. It is assumed that the government will now go through the valuation process to find out exactly how much its property is worth. Whether or not international bidders will be allowed also remains to be seen. It may be that the Mauritius government decides to keep all of the properties under the control of local investors, although that would be highly unlikely.

The sale of the properties is in keeping with the plan Mauritius is currently on to attract more foreign investment and enter new markets. Government officials have been working extra hard during this past year to completely revamp the way the nation does business in the tourism sector. They are working to develop relationships between international and local investors, public and private sector organizations, and other nations like Seychelles and the Maldives.

Given the announcement there is new speculation about whether the country's national airline, Air Mauritius, will also be fully or partially put on the sales block. The government-owned airline has long been protected against losses through the contribution of its shareholders, but after opening up her skies to foreign airlines, Mauritius may need to consider privatizing the airline in order to compete effectively. Nothing specific has been said about Air Mauritius to date.

Perhaps helping to encourage the sale of all or part of Air Mauritius is the fact that the international airport in Port Louis was recently voted as the best airport in Africa. Ongoing capital improvements are continuing to make it a more desirable destination to fly into, resulting in increased flights from airlines like British Airways.

Individuals coming to the island for Mauritius honeymoons, family holidays, and romantic getaways should notice no significant changes once the divestments are complete. If anything, there may even be slight improvements made as private-sector companies seek to enhance the properties they purchase. Regardless, the island will still be home to bright golden sunshine, turquoise-blue lagoons, lush gardens, vast sugar cane fields, and her majestic mountains.

She will continue to provide the ideal destination for Indian Ocean deep-sea fishing, snorkelling, sailing, and a host of other water based activities. Her luxury resorts will also continue providing the same high quality experience combined with amenities that will make you feel like royalty. Suffice it to say that the divestment is good not only for the Mauritian government and the purchasers, but also the visitors coming from various locales around the world.

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Bloomberg: Mauritius Needs More Air Flights

A November 23 (2011) report from Bloomberg highlights the need for more flights to Mauritius to keep up with burgeoning hotel capacity. Bloomberg's information comes from the Association des Hoteliers et Restaurateurs de l'Ile Maurice, the leading trade organization for the Mauritian hotel and restaurant industry. According to the Association, the 2011 occupancy rate for Mauritian hotels will finish at about 65%. However, that's expected to increase in the coming years if flights are increased in line with the ever-growing number of available beds.

The association's chief executive officer, Jocelyn Kwok, noted that bed capacity has increased 15% over the last four years while flight capacity has fallen by 2%. Part of the disparity can be attributed to protectionist policies used in recent years by Air Mauritius to retain an almost exclusive lock on flights coming in and off the island. But at start of the year Air Mauritius seemingly abandoned that philosophy and has since worked to open up Mauritian skies to other airlines.

In fact, as reported earlier this week, British Airways has transferred the hub of its pleasure travel business from Heathrow to Gatwick, and is increasing flights to many of its most sought-after destinations, including Mauritius. Furthermore, the airline just announced a flight schedule change which will allow tourists visiting Mauritius an extra day on the island. More flights could be added early next year as well. In addition, Air Mauritius noted that a prominent Asian airline, which it hasn't yet identified, will also be adding new flights in early 2012.

With plane seat capacity growing tourist officials expect hotel bookings to increase through 2013. They are especially excited about the industry's new emphasis on Mauritius family hotels as a way to promote the island ad more than just a romantic getaway for beach weddings and honeymoons. The Mauritian tourist industry is actively working on expanding family-based holidays through more activities, family-friendly accommodations, and even new construction projects currently under way.

Mauritius is focusing their family-friendly effort on activities that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. At the heart of those activities is the island's wide range of water sports which include everything from parasailing and kite surfing to deep-sea fishing and diving. The golfing sector has even gotten in on the act by developing family focused golf holidays which provide instruction and tee times for golfers of all ages and abilities. And if you know anything about golf in Mauritius, the island has some of the most spectacular courses in the world.

Mauritius leads the way in Indian Ocean travel primarily because they are proactive in developing both their brand and natural environment. If the nation's hotel and restaurant sector are correct in their assessments, the next two years could be extremely profitable for the Mauritian tourism industry. That would be great news for everyone involved.

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Economic Freedom Stimulates Mauritian Tourism Sector

Silicon India has just released its list of top 10 countries with the most economic freedom; a list which has garnered some interesting results. As far as Mauritius is concerned, it ranked first among 46 countries in Africa and the sub-Saharan region, as well as extremely high among all developed countries around the world. This economic freedom has spurred private sector growth, foreign and national investment, and confidence in both the tourism industry and arrivals coming to the island.

Central to their success is the fact that the Mauritian government plays very little direct role in economic development while keeping taxes and regulations as competitive as possible. Rather than trying to control markets through government fiat, Mauritius tends to allow the private sector to manage the open market system. Lest anybody disagree with their philosophy, it's hard to argue with the results. Mauritius has the strongest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of the strongest economies in the world, on a per-capita basis.

This can be seen throughout the Mauritian tourism industry in terms of the amount of new investment continuing to flow into the island. Among some of the developments over the last couple of years is a strong push by resort operators to make Mauritius the golfing capital of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius golf holidays are not only allowing arrivals to play on excellent championship-level courses, but many are developing complete packages which include instruction for golfers of all ages and skill levels.

What's more quite a few of the resorts are working together to offer golf packages which allow guests to play multiple courses during their stay. And the island has managed to land two major golf tournaments in 2011 that combine the best pros and their amateur counterparts. Much of this success may not have been possible had the Mauritian government insisted on continuing its previous philosophies of government-owned business and tight state regulation.

Another burgeoning sector in Mauritian tourism is the family holiday. More and more resorts are adopting family-friendly activities and renovating some of their guest rooms to make them practical for families. Things will only get better with a very ambitious construction project that has been undertaken in the northern part of the island; a project which will develop a brand-new, all-inclusive entertainment complex to include at least two new hotels and a theme park. The 10-year project is designed to be extremely family-friendly as a means of attracting new visitors and keeping them in the region.

Most Europeans know Mauritius for her stunning beaches and gorgeous tropical weather. But if not for a concerted effort by the Mauritian government to allow the economy to expand on its own, much of what we enjoy might not otherwise be accessible. Thankfully, free enterprise reigns in Mauritius, making it the perfect environment for a thriving tourism industry.

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Tourist Revenues Continue Upward Trend in Mauritius

Industry experts have been closely watching Mauritian tourism ever since the start of the 2011 calendar year. Almost immediately they began noticing a jump in the number of arrivals to the island, usually hovering around 4.5% to 5% per month. By early summer arrivals had increased some 7%, even as the Mauritian government was in full court press promoting the island around the world as a top-notch holiday destination. Their efforts appear to be continuing to pay off according to recent statistics just announced by the Bank of Mauritius.

As reported by Reuters, the Bank of Mauritius announced earlier this week that tourism revenues rose by some 9.7% over the twelve months ending on August 31. For that same period in 2009/2010, revenue stood at approximately 37.8 billion rupees as opposed to the 41.5 billion rupees realised this year. That's quite an economic boost when one considers the fact that tourism makes up roughly 10% of the Mauritian GDP. The revenue increase simply adds to what is already one of the best economies in the Indian Ocean region.

In addition to revenues being up, the total number of arrivals also increased from 903,867 in 2010 to 963,078 this year. That's an increase of nearly 7%, keeping in line with the numbers being recorded in June and July. Overall the tourism picture in Mauritius looks very good for 2011. Government officials are hoping to see even better numbers as the peak travel season opens in December. With the addition of a pro golf tournament and a couple of other special events, Mauritius should see good numbers through December and into 2012.

Experts attribute much of the increase to a better economy in Europe, which supplies nearly 2/3 of the region's annual visitors. But they also don't discount the Herculean efforts made by the Ministry of Tourism to boost the island's profile. In addition to working on quite a bit of self-promotion, Mauritius has also joined with the Vanilla Islands cooperative that seeks to promote the entire Indian Ocean region in a joint effort.

Amidst all of the good news this might be the perfect time for Mauritius family holidays. With the winter season fast approaching in Europe, families looking for fun in the sun leading up to the Christmas holidays could choose no better destination. Mauritius offers great luxury resorts, exquisite dining, inspiring culture and history, natural tropical beauty, white sand beaches, and of course, some of the most consistently spectacular weather anywhere on the planet.

UK travellers should find Mauritius especially attractive due to the fact that this past summer was nothing to cheer about. And now that they are in the full throes of autumn, the traditionally warm and sunny European destinations in Spain and southern France are cooling down as well. This is a perfect time to get a flight and escape to a beautiful tropical environment. There are still plenty of flights available as well as resorts for every taste and budget.

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