With demand for immersive experiences overtaking traditional notions of luxury, Minor Hotels’ Anantara brand is reaping the benefits, reporting strong growth from the Australian market.
Speaking to LATTE at the recent Essence of Phuket travel show, Minor Hotels’ Regional Director of Sales Chirodeep Chakraborty said that experience has always been at the core of the Anantara offering.
“Anantara is only about experiences and only about making the stay,” he said. “It’s not about showing off. We are selling experiences and happiness. That’s it.”
Instead of simply focusing on high-end amenities or grandiose properties, Anantara is concerned with crafting tailored experiences that make guests feel connected to the destination and its local culture, Chakraborty explained.
This emphasis on experiential luxury is seen across the company’s diverse range of properties in Thailand and other regions. Whether it’s a riverside retreat or a serene mountain escape, each Anantara hotel integrates its unique surroundings into the guest experience.
“Each one is very local,” Chakraborty said. “Each one is very connected to where they are located.”
It’s an approach that extends to Anantara properties in locations like the Maldives and Sri Lanka, along with Chiang Rai in Thailand, where guests can enjoy activities like breakfast with elephants in bubble tents or cultural ceremonies over water.
The Australian market has been particularly significant for the company’s growth, with Australian travellers forming a key segment of the brand’s clientele. “For the whole of Asia, it’s the fourth biggest market,” Chakraborty shared, with Bali and Thailand particularly popular destinations thanks to their comparative proximity and direct connections from major cities like Melbourne and Sydney.
To further enhance its reach, the company has established strong partnerships with key Australian travel agencies, such as Luxury Escapes. This focus on the Australian market has seen Anantara’s visitor numbers from this key market grow by between 20% and 25% percent each year post-pandemic, according to Chakraborty.
He also highlighted the company’s strategic presence in destinations that are popular with Australians like Uluwatu in Bali, known for its scenic beach and family-friendly appeal.
For ensuring it caters well to families is another important part of its formula. “Australians love family,” he noted.
Looking ahead, the company is focused on further enhancing the guest experience while continuing to grow its presence in key markets. “It’s only going up,” Chakraborty said.
Meanwhile, the impact of The White Lotus Season 3 is certainly being seen, according to Chakraborty, with the popular HBO TV show set in Thailand stoking sales further.
Minor Hotels confirmed a surge in online interest and bookings at three of its Anantara properties which feature in the series: Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas.
The trio saw web traffic spike 104% year-on-year in February, alongside a 41% rise in direct online bookings. Global web traffic for all Minor’s Thai luxury properties increased by nearly 40% for the month.
