Here is a summary of the data, and the full findings can be seen here:
Autumnal Journey
The top five international travel destinations for autumn are the United States, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Mexico.
While many Americans continue to travel within the country, Virtuoso has observed a return to international travel among tourists from all over the world, including Australia, Canada, and the United States.
Some of the most dynamic and exciting cities in the world have tourists swooning, and they’re prepared to pay for it. Hotel rates are 11 percent higher in Paris this fall than they will be in 2022, while they are up 16 percent in London and New York. Rome has increased by 19 percent, and Florence has increased by the most, at 37 percent.
Looking for a fantastic deal? Rates for hotels have decreased in Palm Beach, Athens, and Cabo San Lucas.
Holiday Season
The United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Thailand are predicted to be the most popular international destinations this holiday season. Dream vacation destinations for tourists include Anguilla, Turks & Caicos, the Bahamas, and St. Barts. The Kohala Coast/Kailua-Kona, Wailea, Argyll and the Scottish Isles, and London are also in high demand.
The cost of hotels is consistently rising year after year; during the holiday season, the average daily fee for preferred hotels has risen to around $1,600 (almost £1,254) per night.
New York, Los Angeles, and Vail are good holiday vacation choices in the United States, but a 13 percent drop in hotel prices only amounts to a relative discount on ski resorts.
Everything Relies on the Experience
Travel that is customized is even more popular. According to a recent survey, 57% of travelers from all around the world believe that “creating a travel experience that best fits my expectations is more important than price.” Travelers from Mexico, Hong Kong, Brazil, China, and Australia in particular should be aware of this.
Private travel is a luxury that many people have attempted during the pandemic and are unwilling to give up even as prices rise due to the lack of products designed exclusively for such use. In the Caribbean, Croatia, Greece, and St. Tropez, yachting is becoming more popular, and Virtuoso’s 2023 yacht bookings are up 79% over 2019.
While commercial first-class is still the preferred option for longer-distance flights, private aircraft is becoming more and more popular for domestic and shorter international flights.
Travelers are increasingly looking for experiences that demand more physical and mental effort. Scientific expeditions like accompanying scientists on fieldwork in the Galapagos and Antarctica are growing in popularity, and C-suite clientele are engaging in activities that go beyond the usual comforts.
High-net-worth individuals travel for a variety of reasons, including adventure, expedition, and culture (37%, 34%, and 16%, respectively).
Wine and food are top priorities, particularly for Baby Boomers and Generation X: Twenty percent of clients book vacations with food and wine as the primary focus, and 70% of Virtuoso advisors have noticed a rise in culinary travel. A staggering 47 percent of them spend between $10,000 and $25,000 (about $7,840 and £19,600) per trip, and another 15% spend between $25,000 and $50,000 (roughly £19,600 and £39,201) per trip.
The two most popular culinary experiences are eating on the street (60%) and touring a brewery or distillery (88%) followed by a celebration with family and friends (57%). In the meantime, hyper-local, neighborhood-to-table dining (53 percent), high-low foodie experiences (48 percent), authenticity and cultural immersion (87 percent), and high-low foodie experiences are some of the developing culinary experiences. Participants were free to select from a variety of choices.
Culinary hotspots like Portugal, Copenhagen, Croatia, and Colombia are on the rise and each is positioned to become a culinary capital.
The popularity of wellness travel is on the rise, with 44% of travelers spending between $10,000 and $25,000 (about £3,920 and £7,840) and 47% spending between $5,000 and $10,000 (roughly £3,920 and £7,840) every trip. Mexico, the United States, and Europe are the most popular locations, and 59 percent of travelers take solitary wellness vacations there.
Emerging wellness experiences include sleep programs (34%), creative and performance art (44%) and sustainable wellbeing (34%). In addition to an increase in African safaris with a wellness component, emerging wellness destinations include Thailand, Bali, Fiji, Iceland, and Thailand.
Sustainability
During this week’s Virtuoso Travel Week, the Virtuoso Impact Report, Sustainable Travel, 2023, was launched. It features Virtuoso partners and how customers perceive their business practices. Eighty-eight percent of tourists want their money spent on travel to go toward preserving the environment, especially programs like waste disposal and recycling, preserving and restoring landscapes, and utilizing, implementing, or supporting sustainable and renewable energy sources (like solar, wind, hydroelectricity, or geothermal energy).
Sixty-four percent of tourists are dedicated to maintaining cultural sustainability, including assisting in the restoration of historical places and helping Indigenous people.
The economic potential of initiatives like assisting small, independent enterprises and youth initiatives also interests another 64% of people.
Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/virtuoso-reveals-top-travel-trends/