With guests increasingly demanding seclusion and privacy on holiday, as well as accommodation for multi-generational family groups, exclusive-use villas are much in vogue.
The trend has been observed by Roberto Viviani, Wilderness Safaris’ Business Manager for Europe and the UK. Wilderness Safaris operates on North Island in the inner islands of the Seychelles. “With more and more requests for multi-generational travel, exclusive-use villas and sole use of camps are growing in demand; and we see this as a continuing trend,” he says.
“Family travel is already a large market for Wilderness Safaris and to be able to cater for their needs with villas encourages more great family travel destinations, not only in the Seychelles, but other destinations in Africa.”
North Island is renowned as a private-island retreat, offering privacy and exclusivity, with only 11 private guest villas, and appears on polls naming the world’s top hideaways. It has 10 Presidential Villas and one even more exclusive villa, known as Villa North Island, perched on granite boulders with its own private beach entry. A personal Villa Attendant and a Guest Experience Host are on hand to curate private experiences for guests on the island at all times.
Credits: Villa North Island.
Mark Wernich, Director of Business Development for Africa at Preferred Hotels and Resorts, agrees that the growth of exclusive-use villas has been globally evident over the past three years.
“Baby boomers and the rise in multi-generational travel have, to an extent, fuelled demand for the increased supply of luxury private residences, but this market trend is also rooted in the successful business model of Airbnb and its competitive set.”
Preferred Hotels and Resorts launched Preferred Residences in 2007 through a strategic alliance with Interval International, a hospitality branding programme for luxury shared ownership resorts, private residence clubs, and condominium-style hotels.
Banyan Tree Seychelles.
Since then, the collection has evolved to represent member hotels and resorts with residential-styled accommodation options. In 2017, the collection has about 70 members.
Says Wernich: “Properties featured in Preferred Residences appeal to a range of consumer travel segments, from families that want to create an intimate and inclusive home-away-from-home experience, to groups of friends in search of shared lodging, to executives looking to make an impression when conducting business meetings, or for when an extended stay is required.”
The common thread is the requirement for space, privacy, security and convenience, coupled with quality assurance, guarantee of luxury, and peace of mind.
Essque Zalu Zanzibar.
Essque Zalu Zanzibar, a member of the Preferred Residences Collection, regularly accommodates multi-generational and extended families from countries such as Oman, the UAE, India and the US.
Nikki Wiedemann, Sales and Marketing Manager at White Pearl, Mozambique, says even though they do not offer exclusive, family villas, they have 22 stand-alone suites that offer the same level of privacy. As the resort emphasises romantic travel, privacy is a request across all markets.
