Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

THE 12TH EDITION of Travel+Leisure India’s Best Awards wrapped up on a high note in December ’23. Our first issue of 2024 is an ode to all the T+L Champions who were felicitated at IBA—individuals who are pioneers and super achievers in their respective fields of work. Delve into our cover feature to explore how travel has been a pivotal force in shaping their personal and professional trajectories (p. 41). Relive the captivating moments from one of India’s most esteemed travel and hospitality awards in our comprehensive event highlights coverage (p. 84). With the start of the new year, our Discoveries section presents a curated list of must visit destinations in ’24 (p. 08). In our other stories, we travel to Vancouver Island to test drive Mercedes-Maybach’s first launch into…

THE DESIGNER DUO Falguni and Shane Peacock, known for ethereal bridal couture and nouveau designs of their eponymous label, have always been at the forefront of India’s rich fashion landscape. We chat with Falguni Peacock on how weddings are evolving in India and trousseau must-haves this season. There has been a growing shift towards intimate luxury, as couples are preferring glamorous, bespoke celebrations with limited guest lists. How is this trend translating to the bridal trousseau? Regardless of the scale of the celebrations, brides have always indulged in getting the ensemble of their choice and haven’t compromised on this aspect. Whether marrying amidst 15 or 1,500 people, they are sure of adorning couture outfits for their special day. Brides haven’t shied away from heavy ensembles—or light for that matter—as long…

What inspired you to combine travel photography with the unique gesture of personally delivering postcards to the people you photograph? It all started when I was travelling to Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh on a motorcycle in September 2019. I am a travel and landscape photographer. So, I keep my camera handy most of the time. In Rangrik Village, I entered a small shop where two ladies were spinning yak wool yarn. Seeking their permission, I took their photo. Their initial smiles faded when they realised they wouldn’t see the picture again. This encounter made me realise that despite being frequently photographed, the people of Spiti Valley had few pictures of themselves. I observed few old photos kept as treasures in various homes due to the rarity of printing pictures…

Tell us about Rampuri Cuisine and what makes it special? The Rampuri cuisine is an amalgamation of the robust and rustic Frontier cuisine, with the delicate elements of Awadhi cuisine. Our ancestors came from Kabul and the Peshawar region of current-day Pakistan. So, the food is primarily meat-dominated, but over the centuries, we have integrated local elements of the region of Rohailkhand into it. So, we also have unique dishes like shaljam gosht, dal gosht, and shabdeg, which bring together lentils or vegetables with meat. How has the wide repository of books at the Rampur Raza Library added to the culinary heritage of the state? The library was established in May 1949 after my grandfather merged the state of Rampur with the union of India and turned his palace into…

How does it feel to be recognised as the Champion of Local Travel? It feels amazing; all those 5 am wake-up calls to go out shooting on the streets of different Indian cities seem worth it now. The [recognition] is a great way to show the industry that hospitality brands and destination content can go hand in hand. What does a shoot day in your life look like? Honestly, I am very calm and well-organised. And I have a great video team with me, so it’s a zero-stress workday and on autopilot [mode]. I just show up on the day, well planned, and enjoy the experience, while the cameraman records it. And one thing that’s always in my head on shoot day is ‘Where’s my next coffee?’ What was your…

SKYSCANNER RECENTLY released its Travel Trends 2024 report; it details the latest trends shaping the industry and traveller behaviour. The report has identified seven travel trends for 2024, out of which four are culture-led and three behaviour-led. “Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024 report reveals that cultural exploration will be a priority for Indian travellers in 2024, with cultural curiosity driving the decision-making process while planning trips. Additionally, the report features trending destinations and those offering the best value for travellers in 2024” says travel expert Mohit Joshi. According to the report, 86 per cent of Indian travellers plan to take the same number, if not more trips abroad in 2024 compared to 2023. While 26 per cent say the cost of flights mostly determines their choice of destination, globally 30 per…

Can you tell us about Saundh and the brand’s journey? Saundh was created to bridge the gap between quality design and affordability. We started as a one-store brand in October 2019 with a design-oriented approach and unparalleled manufacturing. In 2021 we launched our e-commerce platform and by the end of 2023 we had 33 stores across 19 cities, launched our menswear vertical, an artist division called Saundh Imagine, and participated in over 15 exhibitions including luxury pop-ups, and hosted over 13 in-store events. At a time when fashion is a diverse playing field, how do you retain your positioning? By jumping right in the middle of the field! The best approach is to focus on your strengths, keep improving your product, and keep enriching the customer experience. It is also…

Audemars Piguet x Cactus Jack THE ROYAL OAK PERPETUAL CALENDAR OPENWORKED “CACTUS JACK” This 200-piece limited edition is crafted in brown ceramic, for the first time at Audemars Piguet. There is also a sapphire dial, smoked external zones of the counters, brown applied hour-markers, a brown inner bezel, and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating. Price on request Jacob and Co x Supreme SUPREME FOUR TIME ZONE WHITE GUILLOCHE DIAL The watch is a modified version of the Five Time Zone, featuring New York, Paris, Tokyo, and local time. Each of the time zone dials have their own crown, so they can be set individually. The watch is powered by four precision quartz movements and is available in two dial colours. Price on request Patek Philippe x Tiffany &…

What challenges did you face while bringing a luxury retail brand like Pret A Manger or Tiffany & Co. to India? Was it a challenge to localise them? We work hard not to localise it. I have been a strong anti-localisation champion. As joint venture and franchise partners, our job is to follow the same business model so our customers keep getting the same cutting-edge experience. With Pret, the brand allows for 20 per cent local categories. [For instance], amongst the juices, we’ve launched guava, which is a tropical fruit in India. We’ve also created a kokum pomegranate juice, which is a small palate customisation. For brands like Tiffany & Co., I would work backwards to ensure there is no customisation. We try to adopt the best practices, designs, marketing,…

You are deeply involved with the local weavers, schools, and young entrepreneurs in Gwalior. What are the steps you’ve taken to empower these communities? Initially, the idea was to see how we could be useful, and we realised that without community there could be no change. When it comes to the empowerment of my community, I follow the three Cs—conversation, connection, and collaboration. For our craft and design community, we started Aaranya, which gave us a chance to bring in design and idea interventions and hire local talent. We spoke to the community and understood their craft and hurdles; this helped us create the range at the store. Today, Aaranya works with local communities while also sharing their coordinates so more people can reach out to work with them directly.…

What motivated you to embrace slow living in the mountains? Barty: I spent a lot of time in the mountains, especially for my summer vacations. Somewhere, I always knew this was where I wanted to be. When Ronnie and I got together, we discussed that we’d like to be in the mountains. Ronnie: We thought it would be more of a retirement plan though. B: But life always throws you curveballs, and we had a major one! The simplest solution, then, was to get out of the state of mind we were in, move out of the city, and shift base. That is probably one of the best decisions we’ve taken in life. R: I’m from Manali. Like every Himachali, I went to a city to study and get a…

Visit Rabat in Morocco for its museums, galleries, and architectural wonders. Asia 1 VIETNAM DA NANG The captivating central coast of Vietnam, Da Nang boasts an irresistible fusion of natural wonders, cultural richness, and exhilarating experiences. The spectacular Marble Mountains stand tall as testaments to ancient folklore, housing awe-inspiring caves and grottoes waiting to be explored, while the Son Tra Peninsula, cloaked in verdant forests, beckons adventurers with its biodiversity, and the iconic Linh Ung Pagoda offers panoramic vistas of the coastline. The modern beach city stands proud with an array of UNESCO-listed sites, including the historic Hoi An ancient town and the imposing My Son Sanctuary, bearing witness to Vietnam’s rich cultural legacy. Not far away, beyond the city’s bounds lie pristine nature reserves like Ba Na Hills, where lush…

Drawing the curtains on a three-city tour, comedian Atul Khatri performed his final act of Laughter on the Menu–a stand-up comedy series organised exclusively for members of ALL – Accor Live Limitless (Accor’s lifestyle loyalty programme), curated by Travel + Leisure India & South Asia—at Pullman New Delhi Aerocity on November 18, 2023. The Delhi edition of the comedy series was held at the hotel’s iconic Peacock Ballroom, a lavish pillarless space whose blue hues were accentuated further with mood lighting and fresh flowers. Khatri’s hour-long special took the audience–comprising members of ALL – Accor Live Limitless, who redeemed their reward points in exchange for a seat at the exclusive show—through his life journey. His highly relatable content and quirky observations were met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation.…

Good Earth has been a pioneer in promoting indigenous craftsmanship. How has the brand’s commitment to traditional design evolved over the years? The philosophy of van vaibhav or ‘splendour of the forest’ teaches us about the interconnectedness of everything and has been our guiding design philosophy. This philosophy inspires us every day. It guides our business approach, which respects natural cycles and allows time for things to grow and flourish. It inspires our designs, and our choice of natural and sustainable materials and forms. Most of all, it reminds us to value a slow and mindful life, to take pleasure in fragrant flowers and birdsong, and to keep seeing the joy in every day. The latest collection from Good Earth is inspired by Morocco. What aspects of Moroccan culture and…

What inspired you to innovate and create experiences that go beyond traditional hospitality offerings at The Postcard Hotel? In the world of luxury hospitality, three holiday influential brands—Aman Resorts, Six Senses, and One & Only—revolutionised global holiday experiences. However, in the last decade, the founders of all these three brands were no longer running them and all these brands passed into new hands and are no longer founder-led. This transition made us wonder how the world of luxury resort hospitality could not have any leadership prompting a deeper exploration, especially within India. This realisation fuelled the ambition to create a novel global luxury hospitality brand, one centred around customer-centricity, authenticity, and sustainability. Tell us about the unique concepts at The Postcard. At The Postcard, we offer anytime check-in and check-out.…

It’s been a milestone year for you and your brand. How would you describe the journey so far? This year has been full of several much-awaited milestones and it has given me a lot to be grateful for. There isn’t a single day where I don’t feel thankful for the support system I have in my wife—Divya—and the entire Rahul Mishra family. We represent over a thousand embroidery artisans through this brand, and I am proud to think that they would be the finest the world has to offer. Do you believe Indian couture is finally getting its due on the global stage? Indian craftsmanship was always the backbone for the global luxury industry as most of the couture houses have relied on Indian artisans for their surface embellishments and…

How do you balance global design trends and local cultural preferences in your projects? I love infusing design with rich narratives—be it rooted in geography, culture, memories, or compelling tales. Rather than chasing trends, my focus is on crafting user-centric designs that honour individual stories and context. Working across diverse locations in India, I translate clients’ personalities into unique design narratives, blending modernism with native essence. Your work transcends boundaries and involves curating bespoke luxury spaces. Could you share a memorable experience or project that uniquely reflects this philosophy? I enjoy creating unique objects that reflect my clients’ personalities. For instance, one client wanted a modern home celebrating their south Indian culture through art and materials. We collaborated on a grand art installation using old chariot elements, integrating memory boxes…

THIS MORNING THE LOCALS of Nanaimo, a small harbour city located in the lower rump of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, are in for a surprise. Normally, the city plays host to a daily throng of tourists chancing it on one of the tiny seaplanes that skit and wobble over from the mainland metropolis of Vancouver. Today is different. This morning, the good folk of Nanaimo play host to an imposing crescent of cars. Mercedes-Maybach’s first launch into the all-electric luxury SUV market, the EQS 680. For a marque previously known for its meaty V-12 motors, it’s a refreshing tack. Not that this has the citizens of Nanaimo’s chins wagging; I don’t think they have the foggiest idea of quite what this two-tone painted tech behemoth they’re looking at is. If…