Tinsel and turkey

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New Year in New York promises snow and plenty of festive cheer — not to mention shopping opportunities galore.

Leading Hotels of the World released a taster of its member properties' festive offerings in July; but three months later and a poll of the Gulf's leading agent operators unearthed few packaged products up for grabs - indications that it is not only the consumer that is late in coming to market for seasonal treats.

With the second Eid break falling the week prior to Christmas this year, savvy travel professionals are already foreseeing pressure on airline seats as well as accommodation, perhaps forcing a rethink on the destinations that are traditionally big players during this time of year.

According to managing director of The Travel Collection, Jacqueline Campbell, potential for travel will be huge, with school holidays, Eid, and Christmas and New Year taking place in quick succession, but the fact that this regional peak coincides with traditionally busy travel times could prove a problem.

"Elsewhere, people book a long time out during this period and we are already hearing that the Maldives as a destination is nearly full for New Year," she says.

"There will be a need to plan for alternatives, perhaps the Christmas markets in Europe or Asia where the weather is very good now."

Far and wide, this message is reiterated. Top end safari specialist Wilderness is one operator with the ‘full' sign up on its luxury camps in southern Africa during this peak season, and Africa Beckons also confirms that most of the Botswana Delta camps are fully booked, as well as Cape Town hotels.

Oberoi's regional director of sales and marketing Lincy Isaac stresses the point: "Typically our resorts in India, Mauritius and the Red Sea are booked in advance for this period from almost all other source markets except for the Middle East -we are almost sold out for this festive period with the top suites and rooms the first to be booked, especially for special occasion days," she says.

"We would certainly recommend that bookings be made earlier rather than later and that agents try and educate the customer by mentioning that an early reservation means the possibility of getting a better choice and higher quality - last minute bookings often mean a compromise on some aspect from the customer's end."

This view is endorsed by Six Senses, whose luxury resorts in the Maldives are booked well in advance for the festive season according to area director Ryosuke Yakuwa.

"Due to the proximity of the Maldives to the Middle East, bookings from this market come with the shortest lead time of less than one week," he says, pointing out that customers looking for specific accommodation can be disappointed since in the peak Christmas period - villas with one or more bedrooms that can accommodate families sell out fast.

One solution is put forward by Emirates Holidays, whose solid reputation has served to persuade many resorts to keep allocations for longer than normal to accommodate Middle East travellers.

"Christmas is difficult as places like the Maldives are getting full, often booked a year out, but we do have allotments and this is the benefit of booking through a big operator such as ourselves," explains destination development manager for the Americas and Europe Marco Heinrich.

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