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President Obama has reportedly booked the whole of the Taj Mahal luxury hotel in Mumbai for two days for his visit next week.

The 547-room hotel and its restaurants will be no-go areas for non-hotel staff while he is staying. The Presidential party is also reported to have booked more than 200 other rooms at hotels elsewhere in the city.

“Obama’s contingent is huge,” a senior Indian security official is quoted as saying. “There are two jumbo jets coming along with Air Force One, which will be flanked by security jets. The President’s convoy has 45 cars.”

Two years ago, the Taj Mahal was the scene of a three-day battle between Indian commandos and terrorists who stormed the luxury Mumbai landmark as part of a deadly rampage through the city. The restored hotel reopened in August.

A heavy security cordon will be in place around the hotel during the Obamas’ short visit, and US Navy and Indian ships will patrol the waterfront outside the hotel to guard against any attacks.

by Andy Moreton

Perhaps not next week … but at all other times, the Taj Mahal Palace, as well as other luxury hotels in Mumbai, can be booked through Luxique.

There was, of course, a great deal of satisfaction in Marbella that Michelle Obama chose the southern Spanish resort for a brief private holiday last week with her younger daughter, Sasha.

The Mayor, Angeles Munoz, said the visit had been a chance for the city to highlight its lesser known aspects, such as its heritage and cultural attractions. “We can boast of being a place where many are proud to spend their holidays or have their second homes,” he said. Tourism officials hope the visit will usher in a new wave of arrivals from the United States.

Mrs Obama stayed with friends, a few staff and secret service agents at the Villa Padierna, a sumptuous luxury hotel and spa in the hills above the city. The President didn’t join them on the trip, instead celebrating his 49th birthday in Chicago. Their elder daughter, Malia, was away at summer camp.

Marbella has long been a haunt for the rich and famous, including members of the Saudi Royal family and Hollywood actors such as Sean Connery and Antonio Banderas. It’s also gained an unwelcome reputation as a haven for corrupt politicians and criminal gangs.

Mrs Obama’s visit was not without controversy in the United States, with some people considering that a ritzy vacation in Spain while the US faced tough economic times was off-message. But the Chicago Sun-Times said Mrs Obama and her friends paid for their own hotel rooms and other personal and travel expenses.

by Andy Moreton

The Villa Padierna is one of Spain’s most exclusive luxury hotels, but not so exclusive that you’re denied the chance to savour its charms. Book through Luxique at the best possible rates.

The ‘Obama effect’ of a US President with African heritage, and the 2010 soccer World Cup have been credited with creating a surge of interest in Africa as a tourist destination.

The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) says Africa bucked the global trend in 2009 – it was the only continent to see a rise in the number of international tourist arrivals: up by 5 per cent.

That compared to a slump of 4 per cent in travel worldwide amid the economic crisis and the swine flu pandemic.

The head of the UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, told a tourism conference in Madrid:

“There has been a shift in the way people look at Africa. It’s now considered a serious destination for travellers from the major generating markets.”

Kenya’s tourist board says the fact that President Obama’s father was from Kenya has led to an increase in Americans visiting the country. And the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) says this year’s World Cup in South Africa will have an enormous effect.

“The World Cup is certainly the most exciting thing to happen to Africa, not just southern Africa,” said the ATTA’s head, Nigel Vere Nicoll. “All Africans are very proud that it’s going to be there.”

by Andy Moreton

Check out Luxique’s selection of luxury hotels in South Africa, as well as in Botswana, Kenya, Zambia and other parts of the continent.

There’s nothing like a Presidential vacation to give a boost to tourism – at least that’s what Hawaii is hoping.

As many parts of the United States were facing heavy snow and wintry rain, the Obamas were enjoying the warmer climate of Kailua in Hawaii for their Christmas break. Tourism officials hope others will have seen them enjoying the sun and fun and decide to follow suit.

This is Mr Obama’s first trip as President to the state where he grew up. He spent last Christmas there as President–elect. The state visitors bureau has set up a ‘Barack Obama’s Hawaii’ page that entices tourists with images of him golfing, body surfing and strolling along the beach.

Tourism in Hawaii has dropped by about 5.5 per cent from last year. Rob Kay, who runs the ‘Obama’s Neighborhood’ website, said: “It’s hard to anticipate that his visit will bring any kind of boom, but it can’t hurt.”

by Andy Moreton

Searching for some winter sun? Try Luxique’s pick of the luxury hotels in Hawaii – the Four Seasons Resort Maui and the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

President Obama’s visit to Ghana in West Africa last week was a bit of a whirlwind affair, but there will always be one permanent reminder of him in the capital, Accra.

The 18-room Hotel Obama, which opened on American Independence Day, is dedicated to him, and its room names include Michelle Obama, Martin Luther King, Joe Biden and The White House.

“I called it Hotel Obama because the President represents all that is possible in bridging ethnic and racial barriers,” said the Chief Executive of Town and Country Plaza, Kwame Owusu.

Ghana is hoping to push its credentials as a holiday destination in the wake of the President’s visit. It has fine beaches, lakes, wildlife in protected areas and many castles and forts.

Although Mr Obama’s visit was brief, the Minister of Tourism, Juliana Azumah-Mensah, called it ‘a chance in a lifetime’ to show the world what Ghana had to offer. The country’s hoping to attract a million visitors a year by 2012.

by Andy Moreton

Kenya is likely to reap considerable benefit in tourism from Barack Obama’s election as US President as people seek to trace his roots.

The country’s Tourism Minister, Najib Balala, is predicting a 10 to 15 per cent increase in the number of American visitors and says there will also be interest from Europe, particularly the UK.

Officials have already visited Obama’s late father’s birthplace - the once-sleepy village of Kogelo in the west of Kenya. The President-elect’s paternal grandmother and an uncle still live there.

“Kogelo is now in the international spotlight as a tourist attraction,” said Anastasia Wakesho, who chairs the Domestic Tourism Council. “As stakeholders, we are thinking of coming up with programmes to make the place attractive to local and foreign visitors.”

by Andy Moreton

Luxique can help you book some of the finest villa accommodations and luxury hotels in Kenya at the best rates.