Virtuoso Unveils Luxury Travel Trends For The Fall And Festive Seasons And Beyond

Virtuoso has leveraged its extensive network of travel advisors, preferred partners and high-net-worth/ultra-high-net-worth clientele to determine what’s new and next in luxury travel, while also revealing the data and insights that prove it. Respected as the leading “Voice of Luxury” and industry trend forecaster, Virtuoso has based its findings on a data warehouse of (US) $80 billion in transactions and an ongoing series of surveys.

The key takeaway is that travel remains robust, even against a backdrop of global challenges. Year-to-date sales have surpassed those of 2023 for the same January-June timeframe by 14 percent and skyrocketed 211 percent over 2019, with future 2025-2026 sales already up 38 percent over last year. The demand for travel advisors remains high, with a 76 percent increase in consumers seeking out travel advisors this year via the network’s site, virtuoso.com.

While domestic travel dominates in fall 2024, travelers are venturing afar in record numbers, with Italy, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Spain, Saint Barthelemy, Portugal, Canada and Japan topping the list. The largest growth areas year-over-year are Canada (+168 percent), Japan (+160 percent) and Saint Barthelemy (+155 percent). Major cities like Paris, London, New York, Rome and Tokyo are showing significant increases compared to 2023, while destinations like Taormina (Sicily), Napa and Amsterdam are seeing rate declines, making this fall a great time to visit.

For the festive season, Mexico, Hawaii, Anguilla, Costa Rica and Saint Barthelemy are the most sought-after destinations, with Saint Lucia, the Dominican Republic and Grenada coming on strong with double- and triple-digit percentage increases. Notably, Maui is up 66 percent for the holidays compared to last year. Fall and festive season bookings are expected to be strong, with fall bookings up 23 percent and festive season bookings up 32 percent compared to 2023. Additionally, Virtuoso’s preferred hotels are seeing rate increases of 46 percent in the Caribbean and eight percent in Mexico.

When it comes to the hottest travel trends, Virtuoso advisors have noted continued demand for exclusive-use experiences such as VIP transportation, luxury yachts and private residences, along with itineraries that incorporate next-level stimulation and engagement. Requests for these exceptionally high-end experiences have increased for 89 percent of Virtuoso advisors. Leading trends in ultraluxe travel include expedition cruises, exotic destinations (such as Fiji, the Maldives and Thailand) and African safaris. Top motivations for ultraluxe travel are celebrations, passion-point experiences (like sports, arts, culture, concerts and festivals) and once-in-a-lifetime trips.

Another notable trend is the rise in travel to cooler climates, or “Coolcations,” to destinations in northern Europe and Canada, which were up 44 percent this summer, while visits to warmer spots, including Italy, Greece and France, have slightly decreased.. Additionally, there is growing interest in off-the-beaten-path destinations and travel during off-peak times, reflecting the trend toward more responsible travel as a response to overtourism. Sales for Virtuoso’s sustainable partners reached $700 million in 2023, with Virtuoso advisors pointing to Slovenia, Portugal and Croatia as preferred alternatives to more visited spots.  Advisors are instrumental in educating clients about sustainable travel while fulfilling their travel aspirations. These efforts are detailed in the 2024 Virtuoso Impact Report, the first ongoing study that tracks luxury travel’s positive contributions to sustainable travel.

Please access complete findings here.

Booking analysis is based on transactional data sourced from Virtuoso’s travel agency members; off-the-beaten-track travel insights were based on surveys conducted with Virtuoso advisors; and sustainability findings are the result of a recent in-depth analysis of Virtuoso partners.