Innovation In The Indian Ocean

Many of the greatest brands in the world share synonymous character traits - they are brave, irreverent, unapologetic, and the majority have a sense of humour. most importantly, they innovate, the master currency of differentiation. Think Apple, Starbucks, Nespresso, Nike, or virgin. you’ll have a list of your own that spring to mind, but ultimately re-writing the script is what they do best. And in a market that is divided into leaders and followers, for every one of those brands, we can cite dozens of their competitors who try in vain to replicate them.

- Dean McCoubrey

The world is rich in extraordinary travel brands, each seeking to earn their own corner of the market - opulence, decor, modernity, adventure, or eco-tourism, to name a few. But the last decade has seen a new breed of disruptors across all industries, those who understand a new set of savvy and discerning consumers who hold higher expectations, and a voracious appetite for novelty and surprise.

South Africans that “do the Mauritius thing” are familiar with the white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, water sports, and endless buffet evenings. And resorts wrestle over the quality of these primary features. But in such a competitive space how often does one encounter something really new, pioneering, disruptive perhaps?

LUX* Resorts and Hotels is making a big play across the Indian Ocean, one of the fastest growing brands in the region. And it’s a rapidly evolving space with literally dozens of well-known hotels undergoing overhauls in the last five years.

Although the white, bright and light rooms from the globally renowned designer, Kelly Hoppen, have often been the talking point, it is now the creative liberty of the brand which is stealing more of the limelight. Its CEO, Paul Jones, formerly of One&Only is fixated on the element of surprise and innovation at memorable touch-points in the resort - the reason why I found my sunglasses resting on a square cleaning cloth in my room, my name sewn into my gown, a happy birthday pillow on the bed for my wife with a small bag of gifts, or even a towel wrapped in the shape of a cake with rose petals as decoration.