AMOUAGE - The Gift of Kings

Founded over a quarter of a century ago, Amouage is a niche luxury fragrance house that draws inspiration from its birthplace of the Sultanate of Oman, infusing reference points from a rich and colorful heritage that fires the imagination of all who come into contact with its wonderful products. Amouage is derived from Frankincense (also called Olibanum) an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, particularly Boswellia Sacra. In the year 1983, at the request of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sayyid Hamad bin Hamoud al Busaidi, then Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court, Amouage founded the company in order to reconnect with the Arab tradition of luxury perfumes. Their first perfume launched in 1984 under the same name was designed by Robert Guy. The design of the bottle - gold, silver and semi-precious stones - is entrusted to Asprey London a sign of luxury. Amouage was elected as the “Product of the Year” at Cannes in the year 1991.

Amouage is a lifestyle sought after by only the most sophisticated and discerning international consumer. Today, it has a stellar following around the world including Royals, global leaders and some of the most celebrated names in film, television, fashion, sport and music. At the heart of the brand “Amouage” lies a signature accord that cultivates the ultimate luxury of being unique and distinctive, that draws in line with the destination Oman.

The perfume brand has evolved in Oman through Amouage’s existing premises in Muscat. The two-storey perfumery opened its doors to visitors to view the various stages of perfume manufacturing from ingredient maceration to bottling and packaging as well as explaining the perfume extraction process.

Amouage’s new Factory & Visitors’ Centre is intended to become a staple tourist destination and has been especially built for guests fully to experience the brand’s essence and DNA. This new state-of-the-art Factory and Visitors’ Centre in Muscat, Oman can be visited by tourists during daytime. 

Wander bugs ready with summer bags

The early bird catches the worm. The worms here are the best deals. The early birds are those bit by wanderlust and in a rush to book well in advance for their summer holidays.

Summer is still a few months away. But demand is soaring and travel providers are wooing potential customers with their best deals, hoping to do big business.

Booking figures for the months of April, May and June, as obtained from leading tour operators, clearly indicate a surge of 10-15%, with most people opting for international destinations.

Europe is a favorite this year too, though new locations have made it to the itinerary. Turkey and Egypt are much sought after, as are South Africa and Australia. “Domestic bookings start happening only after March”, said Kawaljit Singh Narula, assistant vice – president, LPTI India.

“Europe’s rich culture and warm hospitality make it a popular destination. More travelers are seeking destination. More travelers are seeking to explore it and we’ve received substantial queries this season. We’ve also got good response for our packages to the US, Southeast Asia and Australia,” and Vishal Suri, deputy chief operating officer, tour operating, Kuoni India.
For those who’ve booked themselves on a long Europe tour with Le Passage to India, the perk includes a Mercedes pick up to and from the airport. Then there are heavy discounts and free cruises by SOTC which are being lapped up by holiday makers.

Considering that family’s holiday twice a year, child friend’s vacations are the order of the day.
Theme parks, animal farms and children’s park are part of the itinerary. Among the popular destinations are Universal Studios in Singapore, Lego Land in Malaysia and the Butterfly Farm in Penang. The Ostrich Farm in South Africa and Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage in Australia are equally sought after as they’re considered extremely child friendly.

Another niche package is for the youth. “We’ve brought in a new concept with a focus on young travelers ages 18-35. This is a completely new range of holidays and the highlights are affordability, night life and adventure activities,” said Neelu Singh, COO, ezeego.com.

Thomas Cook (India) Ltd has launched its signature youth-centric travel product range ‘Rock-on Holidays’. The itinerary includes components like bike tours and pub crawls in Spain, scuba diving at Ko Samet, elephant trekking and rafting in Bali, mountain biking, paragliding and Alpine trekking in Switzerland, horse trails in South Africa and a local village experience in Laos. “Youth is a real strong, segment, poised to grow at an exponential rate of 25-30%,” said Madhav Pai, director, Leisure Travels (Outbound), Thomas Cook (India) Ltd.




Courtesy: - Times of India.