#66 AUGUST 2026
BEYOND Growing Bigger, Staying Close We recently announced our tenth lodge, our second at Uluru, with more destinations already taking shape. It would be easy to measure this moment by growth alone. But as Mike, our CEO, reminded us at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit in Sydney, our job was never just beautiful rooms or extraordinary itineraries — it's the connections that stay with a guest long after they've left. And those only happen when they don't feel scripted. That's exactly why we've kept our lodges intimate on purpose. Small key counts mean our teams have the time and space to notice, to listen, to remember what someone mentioned yesterday, to know when a guest wants adventure and when they just want quiet. It's what lets people feel they're not simply staying with Beckons — they're being genuinely cared for by the people of Beckons. As we grow, protecting that distinction only gets more important. And here's the thing: you're already proving it works. When we opened up the 2026 Team Engagement Survey and asked for your honest voice, 81.6% of you showed up to give it — landing us at an 80.8% engagement score. To put that in perspective, most companies would consider that a strong result after years of work; we got there in our first year as Beckons. That's not a coincidence. A culture built around noticing and caring for people doesn't stop at the guest experience; it's how you show up for each other, too. You told us what's working, and you told us where to lean in next — and your leaders are already turning that into real conversations, lodge by lodge. That same instinct — to care for what and who surrounds us — is exactly the spirit behind Tomorrow Beckons, our new commitment to leaving every place, every community and every culture we touch better than we found it. Nature builds the places we call home. Culture shapes them. And it's on all of us to look after them, for the guests of today and the ones still to come. Ten lodges will become more. New places will join the map. But no matter how far Beckons travels, the experience — and the way we show up for each other along the way — should always feel small, human, and personal. That's not just where we're headed. It's who we already are. There's a lot to celebrate and even more to tell — dive into our new Beyond edition (fresh new look included!). Glad you're here!
Around the grounds
LON 131° Cocktail training, Dune House-style (because Alice's welcome and Nayla's birthday deserved a proper toast!)
A good boy just turned 5, Maxstyle — and that cake looked way too good for him!
SLK Executive Chef Mat and Sous Chef Jeff, plating magic in motion!
How many team members does it take to iron a tablecloth?
Did it really snow at Huka Lodge or could it be the snow maker hired for the EVT group buyout?
Incredible views at The Louise. We still don't get why winter isn't our peak season!
Final result for the Miele launch: a beautiful riverside setting at SLK!
Leave The World Better Some things are too special to just admire: they need looking after. That's exactly what Tomorrow Beckons is about. It's our global regenerative travel program, connecting every lodge across Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Canada around one shared mission: protecting the landscapes, wildlife and communities that make each of our destinations extraordinary. Every guest can contribute 1% of their stay, and twice a year we run online auctions and raffles — stays, experiences, the good stuff — with every dollar going straight to our local partners. It's already earned Beckons a Travel + Leisure 2026 Global Vision Award for regenerative luxury travel, which, honestly, feels like the whole team's win. This spirit lives in every lodge around the world — from Capella Lodge tracking a Hawksbill turtle across the Tasman, to Longitude 131° standing behind First Nations-led businesses and wellbeing with the NPY Women's Council, to The Louise partnering with the Maggie Beer Foundation to reimagine nutrition in aged care, all the way to Tierra Patagonia working with the Cerro Guido Conservation Foundation to protect pumas and keep ranching and wildlife in balance across 100,000 hectares of wild Patagonia. Because caring for the world is never one single act — it's caring for every part of what surrounds us. And speaking of pumas — word travels fast down there. Not long after Tomorrow Beckons launched, a small welcoming committee showed up right outside Tierra Patagonia: pumas, spotted wandering close to the lodge, almost like they'd heard the news and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Coincidence? Sure. But we prefer to think they approve!
Ali Takes Beckons to the Big Stage! Ali spent a few days at the SITE ANZ Incentivise Live Conference this year — and Beckons wasn't just in the room, we were part of the show. As host of the event agency clients in attendance, our Lodges and brand had a front-row seat. Between sessions on travel trends, AI-driven decision tools and the future of city experiences, one thread kept coming up: culture is what actually builds successful businesses — which, let's be honest, feels like it was written about us. Here's the headline data point: the incentive travel market is splitting in two. Lower-budget programs are fading, while premium programs keep growing — companies that believe in incentive travel are doubling down. That's exactly why our qualification process matters so much: finding the right fit between client and Lodge isn't paperwork, it's the whole game. Because clients aren't really buying rooms or event space — they're investing in recognizing their top performers, building stronger teams, and creating moments people actually remember. And the growth sectors to watch? Pharma, automotive and insurance are all leaning into reward and recognition programs — with Oceania and South America topping the list of where they want to go next. Which, conveniently, is exactly where we live. Incentive travel isn't just a trip anymore — it's a business outcome wearing a very good pair of shoes.
Around the grounds
Want to see a cute guest? Come to Tierra Patagonia to meet this little cutie!
The Capella Team kicking off the season with a beach BBQ at Ned's!
Jhoy, Haley, Jordy & Wendy on a famil visit to Te Puia in Rotorua
Darcy, Saksham, Sam, Sanjay & Gavin – Birthday celebrations and out for lunch at Fino!
Full moon at ATA!
Neil Perry and our team hard at work!
It’s PIMMS o’clock with Morgan & Amber at the tennis courts!
The Road to Our Grand Season Opening! Behind every unforgettable season is a team working full steam ahead to get there — and Tierra Patagonia is deep in it. Between recruiting new team members, prepping the lodge down to the last detail, and getting every system dialed in, the countdown to the 26-27 season is officially on. But even in the busiest stretch, we make time for the fun stuff: a BBQ to send off winter in true Patagonia style! With the house starting to fill up again, there's nothing better than gathering the whole team around good food and even better company. And when it comes to building that team, we don't mess around — we hit the region's job fair to spread the word about Tierra Patagonia as a place to build a career, not just work a season. Onwards to opening day!
Behind the Beckons Magic: Meet Celso Pérez We know your whole career has been connected to nature: as a guide, Head of Transportation, and now Experience Coordinator at Tierra Patagonia. Why this outdoor path? This all goes back further than that. My dad emigrated from the Catalan Pyrenees to Chile, fleeing the Spanish Civil War, and he was someone deeply connected to the mountains: as a kid he'd take me camping, and when I was eight my mom signed me up for scouts. That love of the outdoors kept building. Years later, working in a suit and tie as a Product Manager at a lab in Santiago, I decided to hang up the tie: I felt my world was out there. Moving to Patagonia in 2000 meant creating my own experience, a radical life change and, literally, an adventure. I arrived with a different outlook, but also with a more structured, administrative background that I was able to combine with what I was learning in the field.
Celso, exploring in our Navigation to Puerto Toro, Chile’s National Park Bernardo O’higgins
The jump from guide to the responsibilities that came later didn't happen overnight: it built job by job, by showing that you can bring a different attitude to your guests and your team, and that, over time, opens doors.
When did your interest in flora and fauna photography begin? It came from having the chance to live and work in incredible places across the country, north, central, south, and coming across sunsets and landscapes I wanted not just to see, but to tell and pass on. People cross continents just to photograph these places, and there I was, living it, without keeping any record of my own experience. I started out with analog cameras while I was working in Santiago and heading up to the mountains with groups in the central Andes: capturing a glacier or a mountain that almost no one gets to see felt special. From there it just snowballed, until it became the passion I'm still refining today through my current diploma.
A beautiful puma we're pretty sure is "Dark" — though feel free to join the debate with our Experience Team and help us settle it once and for all!
More in the next page!
Of everything you've photographed in Patagonia, which photo are you proudest of? I have two, and it's hard to choose between them. One is a record, both photo and video, of Dark, the puma who reigned over the Patagonian steppe for years and who passed away recently. It was my first truly close encounter with a puma, after always having seen them from a distance, and managing to capture that, in good quality, was very special. The other, almost contradictorily, has nothing to do with wildlife or classic landscapes: it's a tree in autumn in Tierra del Fuego, with an intense red that still surprises me, proof that nature behaves completely differently depending on where you are.
Behind the Beckons Magic: Meet Celso Pérez
A breathtaking autumn tree in Tierra del Fuego. Is there a Patagonian animal or species you've been trying to photograph for a while that you haven't managed to capture yet? Yes, the "siete colores" (the Many-colored Rush Tyrant). It's a migratory bird that arrives in Patagonia within a very narrow window, barely two weeks in February, give or take, and there's only one spot, within this whole huge park, where it actually shows up. Photographing it is a real challenge, almost an Indiana Jones kind of adventure: finding the treasure, having it actually be there, and managing to capture it. This year, that's exactly the goal: being in the right place at the right time to finally get the shot. What would you say is the main lesson you took from Atacama that you apply in Patagonia today? Adaptability, and above all, learning to slow down and observe, something I picked up from the ancestral cultures of the north. I learned to pause and really read my team: how they move, how they behave, what their body language tells me. I lean a lot on a lesson from a teacher I had in San Pedro: when someone brings you a problem, that person isn't a problem, they're your teacher, and you're the student who has to solve the exercise. That forces you to widen your perspective instead of closing it off. I also became a Hotel Manager there, running groups of 160 people, which pushed me from being someone field-based into truly becoming a hotelier. You've worked in teams in both Atacama and Patagonia, how would you describe the difference between leading or working as a team in these two such different environments? They're completely different personalities. Atacama has indigenous Atacameño communities with their own decisionmaking structure, even today, some matters still go through the Indigenous Peoples' Council. Patagonia is multicultural in a different way, shaped by Yugoslav, German and English settlers, plus a strong wave of migration from Chiloé. The rhythms of life are different too, Atacama is calmer, Patagonia's tourism boom has been much faster and stronger, and that forces you to change how you communicate and lead. I had to learn, through observation, that you can't talk to someone from Atacama the way you talk to someone from Patagonia.
Behind the Beckons Magic: Meet Celso Pérez You spent many years working as a guide, Experience Coordinator and Hotel Manager in San Pedro de Atacama. If someone's visiting our north, what excursion is a must? For me there are two: Altiplánica Lagoon and Piedras Rojas, which today run almost as a single excursion, climbing from the San Pedro salt flat up to around 3,500 to 4,200 metres. It flips the desert upside down: the vegetation and wildlife, foxes, guanacos, rheas, vicuñas, are up high instead of down low, so as you climb, the landscape keeps surprising you. And if you're after something more romantic, the astronomical tour: it connects you to Andean cosmology, the Milky Way as the river of life, and to the science of the sky, which to me is the closest thing to an actual time machine, the light you're seeing already happened, so you're literally looking at the past.
And in Torres del Paine, what would be that unmissable excursion? The French Valley, without a doubt. You cross a lake by boat, then trek to one of the loveliest valleys on the W, climbing alongside a river, with glaciers, forest, and a real chance of spotting huemul deer, pumas and birds. If you want something outside the classic circuit, I love Vega Castillo: of the nearly 110 bird species recorded in Patagonia, you can find around 98 of them there, almost the entire habitat in one place. It's somewhere you don't just photograph, you experience. If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting their career in hospitality, what would it be? Watch and study your guest closely: knowing who they are and where they come from gives you the tools to work with. Even among ourselves as Chileans we're already different from one another, so imagine with someone from a completely different culture. Language is part of that, some cultures simply speak in a way that sounds harsher, and that doesn't mean the person is angry. If you don't understand that, you won't connect with the guest, and without connection, the experience never happens. Everything else, the food, the details, matters enormously, but it comes after. The first thing is understanding who you're welcoming into your home. If you had to describe your time at Beckons in one phrase, what would it be? Growth and opportunity. That's the main thing I feel with Beckons, and what I want to keep giving back: I know there are real opportunities to be recognized and evaluated fairly, and I don't say that out of ego, I say it because I genuinely feel there's room to grow.
A Tradition Worth Repeating: Andi&Co Returns to The Louise The Louise proudly welcomed Andi&Co back for a 4-night buyout — third year running! The Lodge got a full transformation, with Chef Gavin firing up canapés terrace-side on Andi&Co's own grill. Interactive, delicious, and clearly a tradition worth keeping! Huge thanks to the whole team for making it happen.
Proud Members of the Seppeltsfield Road Family The Louise has always been more than just a neighbor on Seppeltsfield Road — we're proud, active members of the Seppeltsfield Road Business Alliance (SRBA). Together with 40+ businesses along this stunning stretch of the Barossa, SRBA is all about championing the region: driving visitation, building community spirit and keeping its heritage alive, all through volunteer-led projects ranging from environmental initiatives to community events and joint marketing. Members meet monthly at different businesses (naturally, with plenty of good food and wine along the way!), and The Louise has long punched above its weight here — with several team members serving on the Executive Committee over the years. Pictured below: the July Executive Committee meeting, hosted at Hentley Farm, where Hannah was treated to a very well-earned lunch. Alongside Hentley Farm, the current committee brings together Seppeltsfield, Paul Mara, Two Hands and Barossa Valley Ballooning — a lineup that's opened the door to some great collaborations on event weekends, wine dinners, referrals and new experiences. Good neighbors make for a great valley.
Sky-High Show at Tierra Atacama! On August 27, the sky over San Pedro put on a show: a deep partial lunar eclipse painted the moon in shades of copper and red, with nearly 93% of it slipping into Earth's shadow — about as close to a total eclipse as you can get without quite crossing the line. Under the Atacama's famously clear skies, the team wasn't about to let that pass with just the regular stargazing tour. They put together a special extended stargazing excursion just for the occasion — running well past the usual schedule to catch every phase of the eclipse and dig into the astronomical phenomena behind it. Guests joined in throughout the night, turning it into one of those spontaneous, once-in-a-season moments that make Tierra Atacama, well, Tierra Atacama. And the icing on the cake? Two very lucky team members visiting from Santiago — Marce and Jose — didn't just catch the eclipse, they walked away with an incredible shot of the Milky Way to go with it. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Some nights, the desert really does deliver!
Kellie Takes Beckons to Asia: and the Numbers Prove It! This past quarter, Kellie flew the Beckons flag across Singapore, hitting ILTM Asia Pacific, Virtuoso Connects and the AMEX Global Partner Showcase — three big stages, one clear mission: get Beckons in front of the people who send travelers our way across Greater China, India, Japan, Singapore, Korea and beyond. The result? 183 appointments with luxury travel advisors, DMCs and trade partners in just four events. That's not just a busy calendar — it's already translating into real bookings: over NZD $103,000 confirmed for Huka Lodge from China and Taiwan alone, plus roughly AUD $96,000 in additional bookings through our Australian inbound DMC partners serving the Indian market. But the real win might be what's still to come. Beyond the immediate numbers, these events are building the relationships, training and trust that turn a first meeting into years of referrals — positioning Beckons as the collection to watch for the next generation of high-value travelers across Asia.
Big stages, bigger pipeline — nicely done, Kellie!
Behind the Beckons Magic: Meet Monica Luna de Diego If you had to describe Capella in three words to someone who's never been, what would they be? A tranquil holiday haven. What's the most incredible place you've ever traveled to? New Zealand's south island. And what's still on your bucket list? I would love to travel around South America one day.
Monica, caught here chasing sunrise views over Lord Howe Island.
If you had to pick a song that takes you right back to your time at The Louise, what would it be? And what about a song for this new chapter at Capella? For my time at The Louise: El Encuentro (Alizzz x Amaia) Currently sitting on my desk at Capella listening to: Vaitimbora (Mari Froes x TRINIX)
What's the most exciting moment you've had working at Beckons so far? The most exciting and special moment for me was when our CEO, Craig Bradbery, reached out in February 2024 wondering whether I would consider applying for the Assistant Lodge Manager position that was about to open up at Capella Lodge. He put me in contact with Mark and Libby, Capella's lodge managers at the time, and shortly after I was offered sponsorship to remain in the company and move over to Lord Howe Island as Capella's new ALM. What would surprise people most about a typical day in your life as Assistant Lodge Manager at Capella? No one day is the same! My role has a strong focus on guest experience, and I remain guest facing throughout the day. I then combine that with checking arrival suites, assisting any department needing an extra hand that day, and supporting our lodge managers Bridie and Ryan in anything they may need. What do you enjoy most about working so closely with our guests? I thoroughly enjoy helping them curate their day on Lord Howe Island. Giving them activity recommendations and learning about what they enjoyed the most that day as they return to the lodge is one of the most rewarding things I get to be involved in. From your time at The Louise, is there a particular landscape or moment you still think about fondly? The view of the vineyards that surround The Louise as I cycled back home after work to Nuriootpa is something I don't think I will ever forget. In the longer summer days, I would be riding with the sun setting behind me, thinking - what a special place to be! Something I learned at the lodge that has stayed with me ever since is how important storytelling is to promote a sense of place and connection between our guests and the regions our lodges are located in. More in the next page!
Behind the Beckons Magic: Meet Monica Luna de Diego Tell us a story from your time at Beckons that's stayed with you. Sonya Bowden, The Louise's lodge manager during my time in the Barossa Valley, gave me an "Aussie slang" pocket dictionary for my 30th birthday that I carry with me everywhere I go. It has come in very handy in more occasions than I can count! Lord Howe Island is a breathtaking place — what's your favorite outdoor activity there? Any spots or activities you'd recommend to someone who loves the outdoors? I love all the different hikes Lord Howe Island has to offer, especially the Goathouse Cave trek - my favourite! I also love how easy it is to go snorkelling on a hot summer day - my favourite way to disconnect and immerse myself in a whole different world... the underwater world! If you could give one piece of advice to someone just joining the Beckons team, what would it be? Give yourself time to learn all the procedures and specifications you will be trained in. The Beckons standard of service is unlike any other I have ever come across, and once that training is absorbed you are left with a perfect base to add your genuine and personable style of service to the mix.
Kellie & Ali Bring CWL to the World: One Webinar at a Time Kellie and Ali teamed up with Air Canada to host an exclusive trade webinar spotlighting Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge for 70 travel partners and incentive houses across Australia. The session gave everyone in the room a clear picture of how to position Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge — whether it's for luxury leisure travelers, milestone celebrations, private groups or incentive programs — paired with the inside scoop on Air Canada's network and the smooth connections it offers between Australia and Canada. Trade partners, meet your new favorite recommendation!
Longitude 131° Goes the Distance in August! The Australian Outback Marathon brought out the best of Longitude — with our crew lining up alongside Yulara School entrants (aka the Lanyon brothers) for a frosty morning of personal bests. Huge congrats to Martin from F&B for smashing the full 42km marathon, Ricardo from GSA for taking on the 21.5km half, and Lou and the boys for tackling the 11.6km Fun Run — because nothing says "outback spirit" quite like running through the desert before sunrise!
The Real Finish Line? Right Here. After all that outback running, meet our pastry Chef Elisa — busy whipping up sweet macarons, because if anyone's earned a treat after 42km, it's this crew. Ohhh, yes please!
And our chefs aren't lagging behind either, cooking up their own delicious personal bests in the kitchen!
A Day to Remember at Capella Lodge
Silky Oaks Steals the Show at TTNQ Ali joined fellow TNQ suppliers on the road, representing Silky Oaks Lodge and Beckons at the recent TTNQ roadshow — sharing our latest portfolio updates with 125 corporate meeting planners and event agencies across Sydney and Melbourne. The response was genuinely inspiring: attendees left the room motivated to put Tropical North Queensland on their radar for future events.
And it wasn't just goodwill — the roadshow already delivered real leads for small corporate retreats and travel incentives, including two opportunities worth a combined $276K for groups traveling in 2027. Not a bad couple of days on the road!
Beckons Santiago Celebrates Children's Day in Style In Chile, we marked Children's Day by breaking out our Beckons caps — and honestly, we're just as excited about them as any kid could be. Turns out the color works just as well on us as it does in our brand palette. Coincidence? We think not!
Around the grounds
SLK A Wonderful Team and we couldn't be prouder of everyone's efforts
Lon F&B Team Catching the Sunset — Anne-Claire, Agathe, Thush, Jorran & Matteo
Lon Exp Team all together!
Rodrigo, Alejandro, Caterina & Mati all together at our wine training session!
Estephanie with a view! – LON F&B Supervisor
Brendan & Michael scouting new possibilities with the design dream team on Huka Lodge's green field site — exciting times ahead! ATA - PAT Chef & Sous Chef with Rodrigo in our training session!
This Month's Roll of Honor Héctor Apablaza Maintenance Team — Tierra Atacama This month's Tierra Spirit goes to Héctor, for his outstanding dedication and drive. Whatever the task, Héctor shows up with passion, commitment and a readiness to help that never quits. Since joining the team, he's shown real talent, great camaraderie, and a genuine hunger to keep learning every day. His professionalism speaks for itself — keep it up, Héctor, you're doing great. We're incredibly proud to have you on the team. Congratulations, Héctor!
Joanna Freeman Spa Team — Huka Lodge This month's Team Member of the Month is Joanna Freeman, and it's easy to see why. Her dedication to the Spa — and to the wider team — has been outstanding, showing up every day with initiative, a strong work ethic and a genuine willingness to learn and grow. Over the past two months, while Spa Manager Torrie has been away, Joanna stepped up without hesitation to take on extra admin duties, becoming an invaluable support to the whole team along the way. Congratulations, Joanna — well deserved! We are happy to have you on our Team!
Chef Josh Espanola Kitchen Team - Longitude 131° This month's Employee of the Month is Chef Josh Espanola — a true asset to the Longitude 131° kitchen. Josh brings consistency, care and quiet dedication to everything he does, the kind of team member others can always count on. His work ethic and passion for the craft don't go unnoticed, and the team is better for having him. Congratulations, Josh, well deserved!
Honorable Mention — Worth Celebrating From the strange-but-true Huka Lodge files: meet Amber, proudly showing off the Huka trout tattoo she got last year. Talk about company loyalty — now that's dedication with a permanent twist!
Thank You for Showing Up Really Showing Up Being a people-first company means more than saying it — it means actually listening. And this time, you gave us so much to listen to. When we opened the 2026 Beckons Team Engagement Survey, 81.6% of you took the time to answer honestly — a number that's genuinely rare in our industry. And what you told us landed us at an 80.8% engagement score, just one year into Beckons. That's not a coincidence. It's proof that a culture built around noticing and caring for people shows up in how you show up for each other, too. So, thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your honest experiences — the wins worth celebrating and the areas we still need to work on. You didn't hold back, and that's exactly what we needed. Here's what happens next: every Lodge and corporate team will work through their own results, with their own leaders, in their own context. This isn't a one-size-fits-all fix rolled out from head office — it's local conversations, led locally, because what matters to the team at Clayoquot isn't necessarily what matters at Longitude 131°, and that's exactly the point. Your leaders are already turning your feedback into real next steps, tailored to what your team actually needs. Your voice shaped this. Now it's shaping what comes next.
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