25Jul 2018 by Peter Bates
Discover the Unfamiliar Australian Coast of Margaret River

Discover the Unfamiliar Australian Coast of Margaret River

Luxury Beat
I rarely write about my own travel experiences in this space, preferring to discuss a topic of interest to all of us in the industry, to help set the agenda and stimulate conversation. But once in a while I visit a place so extraordinary that I want to share with as many colleagues as I can. So please indulge me as I recount a recent trip to an area that’s unfamiliar to most luxury travelers but deserves greater attention: the Margaret River region of Western Australia. I found its combination of scenery, surfing, and wine unique, and its unhurried yet sophisticated vibe utterly captivating.   I’ve been to Perth several times and have even made it up to Broome, the remote beach…
Read More
26Sep 2014 by Peter Bates
The State of Golf Travel Today

The State of Golf Travel Today

Luxury Beat
The pulsating thrill of U.S. and European sports competition, the promise of unrivaled golf play and, of course, spectacular greens and fairways that inspire some of the greatest swings around – this is the embodiment of the 40th Ryder Cup, which tees off on the PGA Centenary course at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland this week. As the New York Times said this past weekend, “The Ryder Cup remains… one of the consistently best competitions in international sport.” With one of the most watched sports events in the world ready to launch, I started thinking about the state of golf travel today – trends, emerging destinations and the like. So I reached out to various friends and experts in the industry to get their perspectives, and their feedback proved to…
Read More