Industry experts offer tips on how to arrange the ideal romantic getaway

More than 4 million men and women marry every year, and nearly 44,000 weddings occur every week, according to The Travel Institute’s (www.tia.org)  Honeymoons and Destination Weddings Lifestyle Course, which cites data from the 2003 National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census “Statistical Abstract 2001 Honeymoon Market Report.” The program goes on to note that the honeymoon market tends to be a stable one, year after year. Regardless of the effects of the global economy on the rest of travel, that statement seems to be holding true.

“Honeymoons and destination weddings are what have kept us going this summer,” says Rob Sherman, managing director at Antigua’s Curtain Bluff resort (888-289-9898, www.curtainbluff.com).  “These bookings have been as strong as ever because it’s a business that doesn’t end.”

Honeymoons are truly an evergreen business, especially given that they can result in a lifetime of repeat bookings as well as referrals. Stephanie Diehl, owner of Freeport, Ill.-based Travel Designed by Stephanie, says, “If you’re booking honeymoons and destination weddings, you’re constantly increasing your client base. After the honeymoon, couples will keep coming back to book subsequent trips, including family vacations.” Diehl also adds that “brides are great for referrals.”

But securing honeymoon business is also a matter of advance planning, which means preparing before the trip as well as before the engagement. Single clients planning romantic getaways can be honeymooners in the making, so it’s also important to be just as detail-oriented about these bookings. Following are some tips on arranging the perfect resort-based honeymoon or romantic escape.

Interview the couple before doing anything else. If they have a preconceived notion of what their ideal trip will be like, you’ll want to know that before you start researching or planning anything. Then your goal should be to meet and exceed their expectations. Find out where they’ve traveled in the past and what they enjoyed about their trips, as well as what they didn’t like about them. Take note when they tell you they like couples massages or horseback riding on the beach. “Honeymoons are a life event, so I ask what I can do to make their dreams for it come true,” says Diehl. “I want to make sure that what I plan is in line with the picture they already have in mind.”

Discuss room category choices after selecting a resort. Depending on the clients’ budget, the level of accommodations booked can be more important to couples than to most other travelers. “Room category does matter because couples want to feel pampered, rather than feeling like they’re in their home. Most want a giant Jacuzzi and ocean view,” says Mindy Milliron, travel consultant at The Travel Place-Bethesda, Md. Julie Fuhrman, director of group sales and catering at Key West’s (Fla.) Ocean Key Resort & Spa (800-328-9815, www.oceankey.com)  seconds that most honeymooners want a Jacuzzi and ocean view, but she adds that room choices depend not only on the couple’s budget but also their age. “Travelers in their mid-30s to early 40s will spend more time on the balcony enjoying the sunset, whereas younger couples don’t care as much,” she says.

Suggest private accommodations if they’re available. Couples traveling on a honeymoon or romantic interlude typically value their privacy while away, so if a resort has separate cottages or villas, be sure to offer them to clients. “Our honeymooners like the exclusivity of being in their own villa and having their own plunge pools,” says Ernie George, general manager at Stonefield Villas (www.stonefieldvillas.com)  in St. Lucia. “They’re in their own little world.” George also says that these couples happily make use of room service, so be sure the property offers that amenity when booking clients in such free-standing units.

Recommend all-inclusive resorts. Whether couples have a limited budget and want to keep track of their spending or they simply want a worry-free vacation that doesn’t require planning where their next meal will be, all-inclusives are a great option. “All-inclusive resorts are a big sell, even at the higher end of the market,” says Sherman. “Guests don’t sign for anything, and they can eat and drink all day. It works because it’s so easy, and guests don’t have to worry about using cash.” Better yet, many of these resorts include special amenities at no extra cost for honeymooning guests. For example, honeymooning couples spending four nights or longer at Curtain Bluff can enjoy a sunset sail on a 49-foot sailboat, a bottle of champagne and a private dinner, among other things.

Borrow ideas from a resort’s honeymoon or romance packages. The Cove Atlantis (888-877-7525, www.thecoveatlantis.com),  on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, has a $100,000 honeymoon package that includes private jet service from any location in North America; one week’s accommodations in the penthouse suite, featuring a full bar and private home theater; a dedicated spa therapist; and, among a plethora of other inclusions, dinner every night at one of the resort’s restaurants, including Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature restaurant Nobu and Jean-Georges Vongericten’s Café Martinique. “The program was actually developed to showcase all of the elements that guests staying at the resort could enjoy on their honeymoon, although we did sell the package to a couple who stayed with us in June 2007,” says Lauren Snyder, executive vice president and chief communications officer at Kerzner International, The Cove’s parent company.

Advise couples with different interests to split their trip between a beach resort and city hotel. Client couples might have separate ideas of what constitutes a romantic vacation, so breaking up the getaway between a beach resort and a city hotel in the same destination might be a solution that will make them both happy.

“For years, I’ve been seeing couples where she views the entire honeymoon as lying in the sand, and he says he’ll go crazy,” says Milliron. “Guys don’t want to go shopping, but they’re happy to find a town square where they can sit, have a drink and people-watch, so I often divide the trip into a city stay for a few nights and then a beach stay. That’s happening more and more often.”

Alert clients of special dinner options that might be available at the property. More and more resorts are offering private dinner options. These could be on the beach or in an onsite, reservations-only restaurant available to guests staying in a particular room category. For example, dinner at the Chef’s Plate is available, with reservations, only to guests staying in a Royal Junior Suite Oceanview category at The Royal Playa del Carmen (800-760-0944, www.realresorts.com)  in Mexico.

Royal Hideaway Playacar (800-999-9182, www.royalhideaway)  recently unveiled its new Chef’s Table at Las Ventanas restaurant, offering a one-of-a-kind dining experience for 10 people who are invited by Executive Chef Raul Vaquerizo and Managing Director Jean Agarrista, via personalized letter.

Iberostar Hotels and Resorts (www.iberostar.com)  also just began offering a private dinner for couples in the Presidential Suite of the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso on the Riviera Maya. For a total of $750, couples can have cocktails in the spacious living room while peaking into the kitchen as a chef prepares their meal, and then enjoy dinner à deux on the oceanfront balcony. These private dinners are also available in the Presidential Suites of Iberostar’s additional seven Mexico properties, with rates starting at $400 per couple.

Call the property in advance to let it know of your client’s arrival. “Just do it,” Milliron says. “Don’t wait for clients to tell you to call.” The Bethesda-based agent suggests calling the resort directly and speaking to the general manager. “Introduce yourself and let him know that you have clients coming,” Milliron advises. When speaking with the general manager, also consider asking if he’ll be able to greet your guests upon their arrival and if it would be possible to have a note from you left in their room, wishing them a wonderful stay. The general manager might offer to include a fruit platter or bottle of sparking wine with the message.

Find out what special, off-property excursions can be arranged during the couple’s stay. When talking up a particular resort, it’s always good to know what sites and activities are in proximity to the property. But once clients have decided to book the property, find out before they leave if there are any off-site activities that can be arranged exclusively for them.