Leica teams up with resort company for luxury photo tours

 

 

Leica's newest announcement is bound to make those who worry about the famed camera brand's dedication to photography fret even more. Rather than a new piece of gear, it's the unveiling of a partnership with a luxury resort organization, for a series of resort-based photography vacations, all of which come at a typical Leica price.

Exclusive Resorts has partnered with Leica Akademie for a trio of trips, dubbed "Destination in Focus." Each of the three trips runs four days, and take place at Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, Real del Mar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Miraval Resort in Tucson, Ariz. Each of these is a resort owned by Exclusive Resorts, where you'll be pampered, fed, and stay in huge suites. But unlike your usual luxury trip, they also include the chance to learn with the Leica Akademie.

Each trip will include multiple excursions and lessons, as well as access to $100,000 of Leica gear -- including the new Leica X Vario. So if you've ever wanted to spend your days both receiving a personal massage, and learning how to use a Leica Monochrom, this could be your chance.

However, as you would expect from anything involving the Leica red dot, it's not particularly cheap. The retreats start at $2,999 for the four days, and that doesn't include travel. This partnership seems to show just how much Leica has become a luxury symbol and lifestyle marker, rather than solely a maker of cameras.