We spoke with Bahora Mukhamedyarova, Sales Director at Asialuxe Travel, about the philosophy of service, the evolution of All Inclusive, and why memories are becoming the primary currency of tourism.

– Bahora, Asialuxe Travel recently celebrated its seventh anniversary. Stepping outside usual terms and professional descriptions, how would you describe the company today?

–Asialuxe Travel is much more than a company that sells tours. We have built a complete travel ecosystem—with dozens of offices across the country, international representations, our own charter programs, a global partner network, and more than two thousand travel agencies working with our product. But the most valuable part of this system is its people. A team capable of turning the complex mechanics of travel into a calm, predictable, and inspiring experience for our clients.

We are deliberately growing at the intersection of service, technology, and human empathy. This means we are building reliable flight logistics, providing access to a range of hotels, providing 24/7 client support, and creating flexible travel solutions that reflect the real scenarios of today’s traveler.

That’s why we’re not afraid to be pioneers—to launch long-haul routes, rethink seasonal destinations, and test new travel formats even when no one else has done it before us.

–So, we’re curious to know, what values underpin your product philosophy?

-We have never viewed a product as a simple set of services bundled into a package. I often remind the team: flights, transfers, accommodation—these are merely tools. Our real product is the memories that become part of our traveler’s inner story.

In childhood we are shaped by books, in youth—by people, and in adulthood—by travel. During trips, one changes their perspective, encounters a new version of themselves, and discovers different cultures, values, and meanings.

And if we look at tourism through this lens, our task isn’t to send someone on a trip, but to create a moment capable of changing their view of the world—and perhaps of themselves.

–How do you build a service in this context, so that a traveler feels supported at every stage of their journey?

-We choose hotels, flights, and services in a way that creates a sense of confidence even before a person begins packing their suitcase.

We build our service on the principle of professional mountaineering: the client sees only the beautiful route, while below there are always safety nets stretched—nets they may not even know exist. We proactively embed solutions for situations that might happen but likely won’t: cancellations, delays, errors, language barriers, cultural nuances, overbooked hotels.

When a person knows they are protected—even without personally verifying it—their vacation becomes natural and carefree.

–Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about Turkey and a potential move away from All Inclusive packages. How realistic are these predictions?

-Today Turkey has no economic, product-related or strategic reasons to abandon All Inclusive. This format is the foundation of its tourism model and one of the country’s major economic drivers.

Context matters: Turkey is the world’s number one in scale, quality, and diversity of All Inclusive. It is a destination that has spent decades building expertise in this model, investing billions of dollars in infrastructure, staff training, standards, and service chains.

For Turkey to give up All Inclusive would be like Switzerland giving up watches, or Japan giving up technology. Such a step would not just be irrational, but against market trends.

For travelers from CIS countries, All Inclusive remains a key factor in choosing a destination, as it offers financial predictability, emotional comfort, and convenience for family travel.

Today, Turkey isn’t abandoning All Inclusive—it’s elevating it to a new level of quality. The discussion isn’t about cancellation, but about evolution. Instead of the usual “buffet”, the focus is now on gastronomy, signature cuisine, and high service. In parallel, specialized concepts are also growing fast: Wellness, Family, Adults Only, Lifestyle—each aimed at more precise guest needs.

It’s also worth noting that Turkey isn’t the only player today. The Maldives is also reimagining All Inclusive. Once seen purely as a “romantic island luxury,” the Maldives have in recent years managed to enter a completely new category and become a top destination for families and long vacations from the CIS. This was made possible because many island resorts rethought their product and offered All Inclusive not as a “convenient package,” but as a well-planned, comfortable, and financially predictable holiday solution.

– How do you anticipate which destination will become “the next great find”?

– We draw on the latest tools — from machine learning to predictive AI insights — yet the true final judgment rests on human intuition, something that data alone can’t fully capture. We tune into shifting traveler moods, emerging cultural rhythms, and global currents; we speak with voices from across the world; and we stay present at the key international forums where the future of travel is quietly taking shape.

–Many believe the best trips are spontaneous, but you often emphasize the value of early planning. What are the real advantages of early booking for a tourist—beyond the price?

-Early booking is a sign of a thoughtful approach to vacation. It’s not so much about discounts as it is about quality, freedom of choice, and control over the result. When you plan ahead, you get the best dates, best conditions, the best room categories, and the most convenient logistics—things that may no longer be available closer to the season.

And it’s important to consider another objective reality here: the tourism market is growing very fast, and we see this not in analytical reports, but in our daily work. Last season, we truly felt how much demand increased—at peak season, finding available rooms in popular and high-quality hotels became increasingly difficult. Many categories sold out long before the start of the holiday period, and some hotels were booked up for major contracts even before active sales began.

Therefore, in today’s conditions, early booking is no longer just a rational choice, but a quality strategy. It allows you not to save money, but to get exactly the product you truly want, not just what’s left over.

And as the market continues to grow, this model will become not just a trend, but the new normal for thoughtful travel.

– The New Year is right around the corner. Which destinations do you find the most compelling this season?

– I would name several places that are completely different in mood and emotion: the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Phuket, Phu Quoc, winter Antalya, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Sharm El Sheikh.

This isn’t about geography — it’s about the mood, the format, and the feeling you carry within the journey.

– Then let’s do a quick fire round: I name a destination — you tell me who it’s for, and why.

– Deal. I love specifics.

– Sri Lanka

– This is “travel with meaning.” For those who want not just the sea — but to feel the planet: world-class surfing, whales, dolphins, safaris, tea plantations, the tropics, and a culture with soul. Here, the mind unclenches — and inspiration flows.

– Phuket

– It’s an “emotion control panel.” In the morning — beaches straight from a Bounty commercial, in the afternoon — trips to Phi Phi and James Bond Island, and in the evening — Bangla Road, where the street itself turns into an adventure. For those who want to live, not just rest.

– Maldives

– The Maldives are a “self-healing mode”: calm, water all around, and a level of service that understands you before you even ask.

– Antalya

– Winter Antalya is “everything we love about Turkey,” only quieter and more cost-effective. Large resorts, heated pools, wellness, great cuisine, kids’ programs — and prices that pleasantly surprise during New Year’s season.

– Saudi Arabia

– Saudi is the new global wow-destination. Riyadh is a dynamic metropolis and stage for global events: SoundStorm, UFC, J.Lo, Eminem, elite football matches, e-sports. Al-Ula offers absolutely unique landscapes, ancient cities, canyons, and luxurious desert resorts. And Saudi’s Red Sea is the new premium resort cluster on a world-class level. It’s the choice of trailblazers who want to be there before everyone else.

–How do you envision the future of tourism?

-Broadly speaking, the travel market is evolving more rapidly than ever before, and success will accrue not to those who merely offer a greater volume of tours, but to those who possess a superior comprehension of the traveler. The future of tourism is not a rivalry of prices, but a contention of meaning and service excellence. Presently, a traveler opts not for a geographical destination, but for the desired state of being they aspire to attain. And our imperative is to assist them in discovering not merely a destination, but the apposite experience, which will become a part of their personal narrative.

-Broadly speaking, the travel market is evolving more rapidly than ever before, and success will accrue not to those who merely offer a greater volume of tours, but to those who possess a superior comprehension of the traveler. The future of tourism is not a rivalry of prices, but a contention of meaning and service excellence. Presently, a traveler opts not for a geographical destination, but for the desired state of being they aspire to attain. And our imperative is to assist them in discovering not merely a destination, but the apposite experience, which will become a part of their personal narrative.