2019 Travel & Tourism Awards

Page 14 www.lux-review.com LUX 2019 Travel & Tourism Awards Located in a tranquil island setting far from crowds and cities, Wakatobi seamlessly blends five-star amenities and civilized comforts with a pristine natural environment; a pairing that has secured its reputation as one of the world’s finest resorts. The resort was established in the mid-1990s as a scuba diving outpost on a small, remote island in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, known as Onemobaa. At that time, only dedicated scuba divers would make the journey, drawn by the opportunity to dive on some of the most pristine and spectacular coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. Over the past two decades, Wakatobi Resort has continued to grow and expand its amenities to include gourmet dining, luxury villas, spa services, and concierge-level personal attention. This, combined with the resort’s reputation within the travel community, has attracted a broader clientele. Experienced divers and underwater photographers remain a core market, and they are provided a range of special services that include private dive and snorkel guides, private boat charters and on staff pro-level imaging support. In addition to its land-based operations, Wakatobi also operates a luxury dive yacht, the Pelagian, which carries a maximum of ten guests on week-long excursions to more distant areas of the Wakatobi Regency. Wakatobi is an upscale dive resort in Indonesia catering to scuba divers, snorkellers and marine enthusiasts, who visit from around the globe for unique marine life experiences, relaxed luxury, and exceptional guest service. As part of our overview of a selection of our deserving winners from this year’s Travel & Tourism Awards we profile the resort to find out more. Wakatobi Resort and Pelagian Dive Yacht Luxury Dive Resort of the Year 2019 – Indonesia & LUX Customers Choice Award – Indonesia In recognition of the growing number of snorkellers, casual divers and family groups choosing Wakatobi, the management team continues to add services and amenities such as child care, personal butlers and on-site event planning for special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries and family reunions. Special emphasis has also been given to communications. Though located in one of the more remote areas of Indonesia, Wakatobi is connected to the world by both satellite and cellular phone service, provides Internet access, and maintains backup systems such as radio communications. Today, 24 years later, thanks to this vast improvement in infrastructure and the team’s dedication to adapting to the ever-evolving needs of its clients, Wakatobi has grown to “In recognition of the growing number of snorkellers, casual divers and family groups choosing Wakatobi, the management team continues to add services and amenities .”