During cherry blossom season this spring, travel agency Remote Lands took a family of six on a monthlong trip to Japan that included private helicopter rides, VIP tickets to a sumo wrestling tournament, a private tea ceremony led by a renowned master and meetings with top textile and lacquerware artists. The price: $500,000. “Before, it was bragging rights for Americans to say, ‘Oh, I went to Europe to ski in Val d’Isère,’” says Catherine Heald, founder of the New York agency specializing in bespoke luxury vacations. “Now the bragging rights go for skiing in Japan or to charter a deluxe yacht trip in Thailand.”
Heald’s business is booming as wealthy travelers vacation with a vengeance following the pandemic. A cornerstone of that rebound is the newfound cachet of Asia, where a slew of pricey hotels and resorts have opened in recent years to serve flush travelers. And once on the ground, they’ll find a growing range of activities such as sailing trips with private dive guides in Indonesia and train excursions with spas and fine dining across Singapore and Malaysia.
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