Mr. & Ms. Connoisseur | #4

We congratulate our partner DERTOUR Deluxe on its 20th anniversary. We discover a design gem in the Caribbean and encounter French Polynesian joie de vivre on board the Paul Gauguin - and a very special group. Plus: Will the tourism match "human versus artificial intelligence" end in favor of human? Read for yourself.

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Chapeau! A real double anniversary can be celebrated: Just like our long-standing partner DERTOUR Deluxe , Connoisseur Circle will also be 20 years young in 2026. All the more reason for us to congratulate Enrica Arend, Head of DERTOUR Deluxe Division and Mike Lehmann, Director DERTOUR Deluxe & Cruises , and their team!





Accompanying the leading German tour operator as a journalist for many years is one of the most exciting decades of a publisher's life. With DERTOUR Deluxe, our readers discovered luxury travel destinations with a tour operator guarantee: carefree packages with the innovative twist of travel professionals who know what they want to offer a hedonistic, well-travelled target group.

DERTOUR Deluxe customers of the best travel agencies in the entire German-speaking region in turn have access to the best source of inspiration for luxury travel currently available: Connoisseur Circle. With them (and through many other distribution channels that have made our luxury travel magazine, founded two decades ago, the market leader), we have become arguably the most popular editorial resource for high-class travel. We are still learning from the needs and wishes of our readers - not least from our partner DERTOUR Deluxe . Especially because the tourism group is miles ahead of the field this year: With Wilderness an African legend is being added to the program - including sustainable luxury safaris in Botswana, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. New hotels on Mykonos (Myconoan O - THE new insider tip for insiders), in Provence (Zannier Bendor with a sensational concept for foodies) and on Lake Como (the VERY private Asia Retreat & Spa) stand for contemporary luxury, which Director Lehmann describes as follows: "Individuality is becoming increasingly important for luxury travelers. Many guests want to combine travel modules flexibly and design their Signature Journey according to their own ideas. Our expanded portfolio offers ideal conditions for this - with modular offers, personal advice and partners who enable tailor-made experiences." Voilá and congratulations!

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Roche Bobois is a global brand, as far as we know. But when European design meets entrepreneurial courage from Germany and Caribbean flair, it comes as a surprise. A match!





The French have probably not really realized the paradisiacal setting in which their latest collections now invite you to marvel and relax - otherwise they would at least have reported about it on their website: Because the cosmopolitan duo Anne and Rolf Coppenrath - both of whom shook up the German publishing scene for decades before finding their new home in the USA and Turks & Caicos - have furnished six ultra-luxury villas with furniture from the high-class outfitter. Connoisseur Circle could not miss out on their project Skyline Villas . In fact, all of the villas were furnished with hand-picked designer furniture from the French label. Stylish home accessories, elegant bathrooms and kitchens, first-class bed linen, towels, Sonos sound systems and BBQs: the very best! The hideaways at the highest point of the island of Providenciales are ennobled with fabulous views of the Caribbean Sea; a concierge team around the ever-ready Tennesha takes care of every wish, and shopping, the dream beaches of the archipelago under British overseas administration can be reached in minutes. Incidentally, we flew non-stop to our destination with United via New York (the Business Class flight is unfortunately a service disaster, as is typical in the US). Air Canada is recommended from Europe via Toronto or Montreal; British Airlines flies to Turks & Caicos via London and Nassau or Antigua.

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High regular guest factor, risk of repetition! The passengers in the cabin next to us extended their cruise on board three (!) times. What's going on, we wondered - and discovered the secret on a trip to the Society Islands in the South Seas: It is called Paul Gauguin , is a luxury passenger cruise ship of the French shipping company Ponant, and in the league of small ships with personal on-board service, excellent (French-influenced) cuisine and an entertainment program with class, authenticity and amiability the absolute discovery - even for professionals who have already seen a lot.

In addition to the dream itinerary - which leads from Tahiti via lesser-known islands to Moorea and Bora Bora - it is a sensational on-board team that ensures a very special experience for the maximum 330 passengers: the "Les Gauguins and Les Gauguines" are the cultural heart of the ship: an ensemble of Polynesian hosts who create an authentic and cheerful connection to the culture of the island world on board. They bring the warmth, lightness and joie de vivre that many travelers associate with the South Seas, are lively cultural ambassadors and endearing entertainers all in one. They usually come from one of the islands and welcome guests on their first day with flowers, music and a smile. They wear traditional pareos, shell ornaments or the characteristic tiare flowers. They tell stories, explain customs, give introductions to Polynesian myths and show how to tie a pareo or weave flower wreaths.





The male team creates a slightly melancholy yet cheerful soundscape with ukuleles, drums and vocals. All of them and the rest of the ship's crew, who demonstrate their talent as entertainers on a highlight evening in the Grand Salon, among other things, lend the Paul Gauguin a heartfelt hospitality that is definitely different from the on-board programs of other shipping companies. The European-Polynesian friendship on board could not be better embodied than by Captain René-Paul Boucher and the Polynesian Hinanui Ina as Cruise Director. Wake up relaxed after Hina's enchanting morning announcement on board, soak up the scenery and air, plan the day at your own pace and taste, enjoy culinary highlights, explore local arts and stories - and forget the world in the evening in a relaxed atmosphere under the stars of the South Seas.

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Man versus machine: Where will the journey take us in 2026? The agency Spotlight Communications asked 26 travel experts about the destinations that will shape this year. They then asked the AI . "Our aim was to understand what is lost - or added - when AI decides what we should discover," says CEO Lucy Clifton about her experiment.





Exciting: The two lists of the "Man vs. Machine" study revealed something essential about how we discover the world today. Only one destination - Botswana - appears on both lists. AI prefers destinations with clear signals: anniversaries, changing access conditions, conservation projects and important new openings. Lucy Clifton: "It recognizes patterns well, but cannot convey anticipation. The human list is shaped by experience and is much more subjective." Travel experts clearly have a "feel" for which place is on the move and has something to offer in the future. And then there's Botswana. On both lists. KI praises the conservation projects and careful management. Travel professionals talk about tours, rock paintings and the feeling that safaris here are more authentic and less hectic. So which list should we trust? Lucy Clifton: "We asked Chat GPT, of course, and the answer was, 'If I had to choose, I'd follow the people - not because they're always right, but because they recognize where things haven't been sorted out." Wow. We are genuinely impressed.