BTL Lisboa Tourism Fair

The 07 BTL travel fair in Lisboa was held between January 24th to 28th. It was bigger than previous years, and most of the affluents visited it during the afternoon. I visited the fair for 3 days and had the chance to meet various touroperators and agents, and especially some 5 star hotels in Portugal of future luxury hotel openings that I may add to my selection of recommended properties.

Additionally, I have to say that the website of the BTL fair was not good enough. It was not updated, registration procedures failed quite often and the communication was not fluent between visitors and the organization. Let´s hope they improve this aspect for next year...

http://www.btl.fil.pt/

Fine dining in Sevilla

Fine dining in Spain is a great experience. Our gastronomy has definitively become one of the best in the world, and some of the most awarded restaurants are in Spain. When it comes to Andalusia, the southern region of the country and probably the most typical, food is based on mediterranean products, and more and more combined with a touch of international ingredients. There are excellent places for a fabulous dinnner, and maybe the location of such places is what makes it even more magical. In Seville, the capital of Andalusia, we can find places like La Alqueria , managed by the world famous Ferrán Adriá, and the only restaurant in Andalusia with 2 Michelin stars. Tasting menus at 125€ pp without wine. Also recommendable is Sevruga , a cosy 3 level place by the riverside of Coria, a little town just minutes from Sevilla. Private wine cellar and average price of 35€ pp a la carte. Once in the city, Egaña Oriza is an elegant restaurant in the center, managed by chef Jose Maria Egaña, and with private rooms available. Another little gem in the city: Az-zait an intimate place with excellent service. Around 50€ pp.

Sevilla is a paradise for tapas. With an endless list of tapas bars, it´s also highly recommendable to stroll around the streets, go from bar to bar, enjoy local wines and gastronomy. Restaurants are very good, but a tapas tour is a must when visiting this charming city.

Jets & Islands

Luxury travel always heads for new trends and options. In the recent years, private jet services have been one of the main demanding options when it comes to moving from one place to another. Several companies offer a wide variety of services, jet models and flights. The customer profile is not the rock star or CEOs as it used to be, but more and more it´s approaching companies using it for their trips or business. It rivalizes any first class onboard service at a top airline, personalized treatment is taken for granted and the most important thing: you fly when you wish, no schedules.

Using a private jet to get to a private island, is quite a good idea. These type of islands, easily found in Mauritius, Seychelles or Fidji to mention a few, are easily prepared to accomodate couples, groups or families and pamper them with the most luxurious and incredible services you can imagine. Places to get lost, forget about the rest of the world and enjoy an array of facilities and activities.

In a world of stress and hard work, finding yourself in such places is a rewarding experience. Packages and prices vary, but it´s reaching more and more customers who are discovering the fact that living for working can be turned into working for living.

Interview in ¨A Luxury travel Blog¨

I have been interviewed at one of the best luxury travel blogs on the net: ¨A Luxury travel Blog¨ ran by Dr. Paul Johnson. Details at:

http://www.aluxurytravelblog.com/2007/01/08/interview-with-eduardo-blanco-of-different-spain/

This blog is highly recommended for tips, reviews and news about the luxury travel industry in all its aspects.

www.aluxurytravelblog.com