Recommend February 2014 - (Page 8)

editor's notes become a CATS- certiﬁed anguilla travel specialist The all-new Anguilla Travel Agent Specialist Program offers information on everything this island offers: from its very elegant accommodations, including some fabulous villas, to restaurant picks, must-sees, festivals and the most important information of all- how to get to Anguilla. Once you look over the course material and take the 20-question exam-available online at edu.recommend.com/anguilla- you'll be eligible for an array of incentives, including prizes, consumer leads, The Travel Institute and Association of Canadian Travel Agencies credits, and FAM trip opportunities to one of the Caribbean's most elegant destinations. Recently, my travels took me to Mexico City, one of those destinations that I tell everyone they must visit. Why? Well, Ayesha Colquhoun, a tour consultant with Indus, puts it perfectly: "There is so much to see and do in this city with so much history-the Aztecs, the Mayans, and lastly my favorite, the food. The people in Mexico City were very friendly, and the streets felt safe...." Top that off with the city's cultural bounty and a stay at a Four Seasons property, and you've got a cosmopolitan getaway your high-end clients will want to book. Get the 4-1-1 on page 46. Another out-of-this-world destination that is getting a lot of traction lately is New Zealand, which is our cover feature for this biannual Luxury & Spa issue. Turn to page 50, where me in Miami's Wynwood District Recommend's publisher/editorial director Laurel Herman has outlined some of the top properties to book in this country that offers "stunning nature as a backdrop" and a "magniﬁcent tourism infrastructure." For even more dramatic properties in exotic locations, make your way to page 54 to get the scoop on Kenya's choice camps. In this feature, U.S. public relations representative for the Kenya Tourism Board, Alyson Marks, points out that Kenya is "certainly seeing an increased demand for high-end accommodations and luxe offerings." Right here in the U.S., we've handpicked a few boutique properties (page 14) that you'll want to tell your hip and fashionable clients about. We've hopscotched across the country to bring you goodies in New York, San Francisco and Miami. And for those artsy clients who make their way to Miami, a must-see is the city's Wynwood District with its murals by worldrenowned street artists and its countless art galleries (check out my editor's pic). costa rica travel planner One of Latin America's most popular and beautiful destinations takes center stage in this issue with the Costa Rica Travel Planner (page 23). This planner outlines the top reasons this country is tailor-made for your clients, from its ecotourism prowess to its multiple natureand ocean-based activities, as well as getaways that include spa, city and land-loving pursuits. correction In the Delta Air Lines' 2014 Caribbean, Mexico & Latin America Travel Guide, in the Bermuda section (page 16), we recommended the St. Regis Bermuda as a "best place to stay." Unfortunately, this property never debuted on Bermuda. In place of the St. Regis, we recommend Rosewood Tucker's Point, with villa accommodations and a 12,000-sq.-ft. spa. E-mail me at paloma@recommend.com become a costa rica travel specialist With the Costa Rica Specialist Program - Part 1, you'll get in-depth information on the amazing infrastructure growth and expanded vacation LET'S GET SOCIAL Hang out with us @Recommendmag and facebook. com/recommendmag. And if you want to see what our editors are up to away from the ofﬁce, follow them @Paloma_RecMag, @EdWetschler, & @LaneMN. options your clients can enjoy in this Central American paradise. In the Costa Rica Specialist Program Part 2, you'll gain a thorough understanding of the Certiﬁcate for Sustainable Tourism program, in which hotels and suppliers are certiﬁed by the Costa Rica Tourism Board. Beneﬁts for both programs, available on edu.recommend.com, include a listing of you and your company as a Costa Rica Specialist on recommend.travel's Costa Rica Specialist Finder, as well as on Costa Rica's own website, visitcostarica.com; three CEUs from The Travel Institute or two certiﬁcation credits toward the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies; and a personalized full-color, printable certiﬁcate. 8 february 2014 8-9 Editors.indd 8 recommend.com 1/21/14 8:09 AM PAL-17 http://edu.recommend.com/anguilla http://edu.recommend.com http://www.visitcostarica.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Corinthia Hotels
Tour Talk: Convertible Caravans of Europe
Boutique Hotels Beckon
VIP Havens
Crystal Cruises
Costa Rica Travel Planner
Anguilla, Foodie Paradise
Carlisle Bay, Antigua
Culturally Infused Mexico City
New Zealand's Luxury Retreats
Kenya: Where Wildlife and Luxury Coexist
Chic Outlet Shopping

Recommend February 2014