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Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
LuxRally Travel Named Forbes Travel Guide-Endorsed Agency
Miami, FL June 08, 2025 --( )-- Luxury travel firm, LuxRally Travel has been named among select agencies worldwide to be endorsed by Forbes Travel Guide. Forbes Travel Guide ('FTG') recognized LuxRally Travel for its leadership in the industry, dedication to elevating the role of travel advisors, support of hotels that have earned FTG Star Ratings and engagement with FTG as a trusted source for objective, third-party verification of exceptional hospitality experiences. FTG is the only independent global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, ocean cruises and their restaurants. Its 67th annual list in 2025 honors over 1,540 rated hotels in 90 countries. The coveted Five-Star, Four-Star and Recommended awards are earned through incognito inspections on FTG's hundreds of exacting quality and service standards. 'The Forbes Travel Guide has been a core resource for our agency. Their rating system is used by our agents on a daily basis and is fully integrated into our curriculum for new agents. We are proud to be one of the few agencies endorsed by FTG and are committed to continuing a standard of excellence in the travel industry,' said David Eisen, Founder and CEO of LuxRally Travel. 'FTG acknowledges LuxRally Travel's commitment to world-class service, which complements FTG's own principles,' said Richard Lebowitz, Senior Vice President of Travel Industry Outreach for Forbes Travel Guide. 'Through its endorsed relationship with FTG, LuxRally Travel completed a range of dedicated training, communications and engagement across its advisor network that distinguishes FTG Star Ratings as a trusted source of hotels vetted for service and facility excellence. We are grateful and honored to collaborate with the LuxRally Travel team.' To learn more about LuxRally Travel, click here, and to learn more about Forbes Travel Guide, click here. About LuxRally Travel LuxRally Travel is a full-service travel agency based in Miami, FL, with over 300 agents across the United States. Founded in 2022, LuxRally has rapidly made waves in the industry by reimagining what a modern agency can be. The company pairs cutting-edge technology with a relentless commitment to personalized service. LuxRally bans its agents from charging fees, guarantees client support around the clock, and offers rigorous—yet completely free—training to all of its travel professionals. About Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Travel Guide is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, ocean cruises and their restaurants. FTG's anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on up to 900 objective standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travelers select the world's best luxury experiences. The only way to get a Five-Star, Four-Star or Recommended rating is by earning it through their independent inspection process. For more information about Forbes Travel Guide, please visit Contact Information: Luxrally Travel Courtney Eisen +1(850)294-8081 Contact via Email Read the full story here: LuxRally Travel Named Forbes Travel Guide-Endorsed Agency Press Release Distributed by
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Minor Hotels Unifies Its Brands Under One Name, Plans More Growth By 2027
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara For a hospitality company, name recognition is key when it comes to attracting travelers to their hotels. And for hospitality groups that have multiple brands under the same portfolio, it is especially important for potential customers to know that they are linked as part of the same umbrella. This was the driving reason for Minor Hotels, say top executives, to consolidate their many global brands under one name. Minor Hotels is nothing new. It has long been the parent company for hotel brands like Anantara, Tivoli, Avani, Elewana Collection and NH Collection among others. Avani Moscova Milan It created the luxury Anantara and premium lifestyle Avani brands, but truly began its growth by acquiring others like NH Hotel Group, Tivoli, Elewana Collection and Oaks. In what it calls a 'guest-facing pivot,' the Minor Hotels brand will now be front and center rather than a name behind the scenes known mostly by hospitality insiders. The Nation in Thailand reports that this is a way for the brand to continue building its business-to-business model, but also focus on business-to-consumer opportunities. Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel and Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort. Minor Hotels is based in Bangkok. Rather than rely on meetings planners and travel advisors, it wants consumers to know its many brands. This strategy helps it to bypass intermediaries and boost profit margins along the way. 'Minor Hotels' customer-facing pivot is both necessary and smart, especially now with eight brands across varied chain scales and categories,' says editor-in-chief of HOTELS magazine David Eisen. 'Hotel companies that lean into an asset-light franchise or managed strategy need to show owners that their brands are worth the investment.' Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel Currently, the brand has nearly 560 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments in 58 countries. Minor Hotels is set to add more than 300 hotels to its global network by 2027. The group has been on a growth spree, most recently expanding its hotel portfolio by nearly a third when it acquired NH Hotel Group and its significant presence across Europe of business, leisure and luxury-focused hotels. Nearly one third of the portfolio is in the luxury segment and will be part of Minor's brands like Anantara, Tivoli, and Elewana Collection. Minor is also focused on a premium segment that can serve both business travelers and the leisure market using brands like NH Collection, nhow and Avani. The premium segment makes up another third of its forthcoming pipeline. The remaining third involves a variety of hotel types, many of which are conversions from other brands. The Mekong Explorer Tent at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort Eisen points out that Minor Hotels is not the brand, but an umbrella to other brands (like Accor, for example), and you won't see that name on buildings but rather the hotel's own brand. 'Defining those unique brand promises to consumers is vital in an ever-changing distribution and loyalty landscape,' adds Eisen. This year, several Anantara properties in Thailand have made their Hollywood debut by playing backdrops for the filming of HBO's 'The White Lotus 3.' They include Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, and the show's fame is expected to fuel interest in these properties (as well as the Four Seasons in Koh Samui, another major filming location for the show). Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel in Porto sits within a working wine cellar, the oldest wine cellar in the city. Tivoli executives say they look for unique architecture that have historic significance in the destination. The hotel is on the Gaia side of the river providing picturesque views of the city's old town. Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel It's not just about port wine at the hotel although many rooms are part of the old cellar, and guest room hallways look into the existing cellar. There is also an impressive spa, outdoor heated pool, indoor hydrotherapy pool and direct garden pathway to the waterfront (something no other hotel on this side of the river offers). NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa opened last year in two historic buildings of the Finnish capital. They occupy both the New Student House and Hotel Seurahuone, which is considered one of the city's best-preserved architecture. Both buildings are more than a century old although it's hard to tell from the modern interior design. The hotel is the first for the Minor group in Finland and offers guided sauna experiences for those that want something truly local. Anantara Ubud Bali Resort Anantara Ubud Bali Resort is another of Minor Hotels' most recent openings and brings Anantara's focus on wellness and luxury to the Indonesian destination. The resort sits within the lush jungle of Ubud, which has been a famous retreat for yoga and meditation practitioners for decades. Opened in late 2024, this is the second resort for the Anantara brand in Bali. Other Anantaras around the region will see significant renovations like the resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, which is seeing major upgrades to elevate it to the latest luxury expectations for the market. The rooftop bar, SEEN at Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisbon. Its loyalty program will now be known as Minor DISCOVERY instead of each hotel's brand name attached to the DISCOVERY name. Anantara DISCOVERY and Tivoli DISCOVERY will now be part of Minor DISCOVERY, which makes it easier for members to understand how they can earn and redeem through the program for any hotel in its network. Other major shifts include a new visual identity, simplification of its loyalty program (which remains under the Global Hotel Alliance) and unifying the properties and program functions through a mobile app. The panoramic sauna at Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel For every direct booking made through a Minor property website or app, members can earn a $5 bonus to redeem at properties. And after the fourth direct booking, members will receive an additional $20 to redeem at Minor Hotels around the world. Victoria Hilley, co-founder of Furthermore Travel, regularly books clients with Minor's luxury brands like Anantara. But, she says many customers are unfamiliar with its properties, many of which are in Asia. 'Minor can now emerge as a major player to be reckoned with and become a brand of choice for travelers across the globe," says Hilley.
