A reputation for excellence draws big spenders and business travelers
GOLD STANDARD LONG-ESTABLISHED AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXCLUSIVE RESORTS, MONACO SETS A BENCHMARK FOR THOSE SEEKING TO EMULATE ITS SUCCESS IN ATTRACTING THE RICH AND FAMOUS
HIGH LIFE Visitors can depend on receiving top-quality service at the luxurious hotels, restaurants, and boutiques
THE BEST way for New Yorkers to get to Monaco is to fly to Nice airport. From there, it is just a 40-minute bus ride along the highway, 20 minutes by train, or a seven-minute hop by scheduled helicopter.
Once in the Principality, visitors can almost abandon all forms of transport, if they wish. With so much to see packed into such a small an area, many tourists find they can walk practically everywhere they wish to go.

As a luxury destination, Monaco offers an open invitation to its visitors to spend money. In addition to the gambling at the casinos, including the legendary Monte Carlo Casino, there are plenty of chic restaurants and expensive boutiques to explore. It is an ideal place to buy luxury goods—everything from cars to cosmetics, and glassware to jewelry.
Leading tourist attractions include the Royal Palace, the Cathedral, the old city, the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium, and the fabulous parks and gardens dotted around the Principality.

Monte Carlo is the main resort and residential area. In the evening there might be opera, or a performance by the renowned Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, and there are numerous nightclubs, cinemas, discotheques, and variety shows.

Tourism in the Principality peaks in the summer months when the temperatures are in the upper 70s fahrenheit and the motor racing and the yachting regattas draw the crowds. With mild weather even in the winter months, however, and easy access to the Alpine ski resorts, Monaco aims to attract sophisticated independent travelers and business tourists all year round.
Twenty years ago, annual occupancy rates were at 40 percent, now they are at 70 percent. Business tourism accounts for most of the additional 30 percent.
DARIO DELL’ANTONIA
DARIO DELL’ANTONIA Former President of the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority

High-quality service is the hallmark of Monaco’s tourist industry. “The Principality is a very agreeable and luxurious place,” says Dario dell’Antonia, who recently retired from his position at the head of the Tourism and Convention Authority. “Once you have acquired a reputation for excellence, that is what is expected of you and what you must provide.”

That reputation attracts people to Monaco from all over the globe. American visitors are an important presence and tend to spend, on average, two days longer in the Principality than other visitors. They also spend more money.

“U.S. citizens are an essential part of the international flavor of Monaco, that is a fact,” says Mr. dell’Antonia, adding, “We get a lot of stars over here for the world TV awards ceremony.”
Much of what Monaco has to offer is unique. “In my opinion, Monaco does not have direct competitors. We are a niche market, and there is no other place like Monaco in the world,” says Mr. dell’Antonia.

“What is important is to maintain the very high quality of infrastructure here, the security, the cleanliness, our cultural events, and the sports events like the Formula One Grand Prix and the international tennis tournament.
“Rather than copying others, we have to be so good that they look to copy us,” he says. “Our job is to set the benchmark.”

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