Tourism in 2009 defied the credit crunch, gave us even more spectacular resorts and offered up unparalleled levels of luxury.

A round-up of the year’s best luxury travel places and openings.

1 -The New Yorker Hotel

Located in an 80-year-old Art Deco building, the legendary New Yorker Hotel completed a five-year $70 million renovation project in January.

2 - Mandarin Oriental Sanya, China

Private villas with individual plunge pools are standard lodgings at the Mandarin Oriental Sanya resort on Hainan Island, just off the Vietnam coast.

The resort opened in March.

Orbino, makers of Italian premium technology cases, announced today that it has launched Aria, an extraordinary case for the MacBook Air made out of pure aircraft grade aluminum and premium leather.

Aria, a super-slim, play through case with a modular pocket system, is handmade in Orbino’s Italian workshop. The case sports a sculpted anodized aluminum frame and the finest vegetable tanned Tuscan leathers.

Orbino’s Aria case is available in five luxury colors: Black, Brown, Deep Red, and Orange. Orbino will also offer custom options including custom anodized aluminum colors and finishes, limited edition luxury skins such as genuine Crocodile, Snakeskin, and Ostrich.

The Aria for the MacBook Air can be purchased from Orbino’s online store. Prices start at US$529