The Stylish New Must-Have for Aussies Who Love the Sun
Miss Amara’s new Beach Mat Collection turns a simple seaside essential into the ultimate design-led gift for sun lovers, holiday hosts and hard-to-buy-for friends.
2 min
If there’s one thing every stylish Australian needs this summer, it’s a beach mat that looks as good as it performs.
Miss Amara has just launched its all-new Beach Mat Collection, and it’s already shaping up to be the must-have accessory of the season. For the person who has everything, consider this the rare gift that’s both chic and genuinely useful.
Crafted for long days outdoors, these mats strike the sweet spot between practicality and luxury.
Each one is double-sided with exclusive in-house prints, built-in carry handles and a soft 3mm foam interior that delivers a plush feel without the bulk. The water-resistant exterior shakes off sand, dries fast and stands up to the rough-and-tumble of Australian summer living.
The collection spans tonal, elevated colourways – Zama Tonal Chocolate, Cairo Cream and Cocoa, Solari Terracotta, Cream and Sky Blue – giving the humble beach mat a design-forward makeover.
Whether you’re setting up for a beach day, claiming a shady patch at the park or creating a chic picnic moment, each mat instantly upgrades the scene.
Available in two generous sizes – 140cm x 140cm ($109) and 200cm x 200cm ($129) – these mats also arrive beautifully boxed, making them a gifting no-brainer.
Think summer hosts who insist you bring “nothing,” the friend who lives by the beach, the couple who travels every weekend, or the person in your life who is impossible to shop for.
Beyond aesthetics, Miss Amara has built in clever features that make a difference: corner peg loops for windier days, a quick-fold design for easy packing, super lightweight construction and a durable polyester exterior that can be spot-cleaned or rinsed off in seconds.
They’re made for the high-traffic realities of summer – beach runs, backyard hangs, road trips and everything in between.
And with Miss Amara’s Black Friday sale running through December 1, there’s even more reason to snap one up. The brand’s biggest event of the year includes up to 60 per cent off rugs across staggered sale periods, making it the ideal time to stock up for gifting season.
For design lovers, sun seekers and anyone who values a little luxury in the everyday, Miss Amara’s Beach Mat Collection is the summer staple that proves style and function can absolutely coexist
A resurgence in high-end travel to Egypt is being driven by museum openings, private river journeys and renewed long-term investment along the Nile.
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A resurgence in high-end travel to Egypt is being driven by museum openings, private river journeys and renewed long-term investment along the Nile.
2 minAbercrombie & Kent says demand for Egypt is rising sharply across its key markets, with the destination now ranking among the company’s top performing regions for 2026.
The luxury travel group reports strong year-on-year growth across the UK, US and Australia, spanning private journeys, small group itineraries and high-end celebration travel.
Some Egypt itineraries in the US market have more than doubled compared with last year, while forward bookings already extend into 2027.
Industry observers point to a renewed confidence in Egypt as a destination, underpinned by significant cultural investment and a growing appetite for deeper, more personalised travel experiences.
One of the main catalysts has been the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, located beside the Giza Plateau.
The museum, the largest in the world dedicated to a single civilisation, brings together the full collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures for the first time and has reignited interest in Cairo as a standalone cultural destination rather than a gateway stop.
Abercrombie & Kent’s Senior Vice President, Egypt, Amr Badr, said: “The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum has been transformative – we’ve seen a significant surge in enquiries since November, and the calibre of traveller is remarkable.
“These are culturally curious guests seeking genuine immersion rather than surface-level touring.
“They’re booking private after-hours access to the museum, arranging consultations with Egyptologists, and approaching Egypt with the same intentionality they’d bring to any major cultural pilgrimage.
“Egypt has always been extraordinary, but 2026 feels like a renaissance moment – the perfect convergence of world-class infrastructure and a new generation discovering why this civilisation has captivated humanity for millennia.”
According to Abercrombie & Kent, British travellers are increasingly pairing museum-led experiences in Cairo with classic Nile journeys, while demand is also rising for private dahabiya charters and bespoke river itineraries.
In Australia, repeat high-spend travellers are returning to Egypt for milestone celebrations, often opting for private touring and exclusive access experiences.
The company is responding with further long-term investment along the Nile. Later this year it will launch Nile Seray, a new luxury riverboat that will feature in a private journey debuting in 2026.
A second vessel has already been commissioned, signalling confidence in sustained demand for high-end river travel in the region.
Egypt occupies a central place in the company’s history. Founder Geoffrey Kent first introduced Nile cruising to the brand in the late 1970s with the SS Memnon, laying the foundations for what has since become one of its most enduring destinations.
Nile Seray is now accepting reservations for departures from October 2026, with four-night voyages priced from USD $3,125 per person.
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