Every year Virtuoso surveys its luxury travel agencies and advisors in 50 countries, to forecast what the coming year will bring. The Luxe Report unveils consumer preferences in high-end and experiential travel.
The latest Virtuoso Luxe Report shows travel in 2019 will be highly personalised and inspired by a desire to experience new destinations in unusual ways.
Every year Virtuoso surveys its luxury travel agencies and advisors in 50 countries, to forecast what the coming year will bring. The Luxe Report unveils consumer preferences in high-end and experiential travel.
From specific seat numbers on planes and hotel room numbers to particular rental car types, travellers are more vocal about their precise preferences.
They are seeking not just restaurant reservations, but exact tables at in-demand hot spots as well as pre-ordering wine to accompany the meal. They also ask their advisor to book sessions with hairdressers, massage therapists and even tattoo artists.
Through the Luxe Report, Virtuoso uncovered five trends – all with an overarching movement toward personalisation.
Motivation
Social media’s influence is unmistakable, as it drives travellers’ desire to find the most captivating backdrops and the best time of day for snapping images. Clients are requesting on-site photography sessions to create Instagram-worthy content, including replicating shots they admired online.
Virtuoso advisors are arranging themed photo-shoots characteristic of destinations, such as wearing traditional geisha attire in Kyoto or ball gowns in Venice.
Transportation
When flying commercial, airlines with state-of-the-art business and first-class cabins are a favourite. Upon landing, VIP airport arrival services that whisk travellers through customs and ease tight connections are growing in demand.
Accommodation
Experiential travellers who have seen it all are craving stays in unconventional accommodations. Those range from a treehouse to a monastery to an igloo in Norway, a tent in the Moroccan desert, the shores of the Red Sea, and even a bubble nestled in nature so they can gaze at stars before drifting off to sleep.
Recreation
People want to explore their passions through bucket-list experiences. Sports fans are asking for tickets to major events such as the Olympics, Super Bowl and Wimbledon. Art aficionados are inquiring about private tours of locales like the Vatican after hours.
Shoppers want appointments at high-end stores such as Hermès to purchase signature items like a Birkin bag. Music lovers are booking trips to summer festivals and concerts. Advisors are also arranging private dinners with influential local figures.
Conservation
Travellers are expressing heightened interest in animal-related experiences. Some request visits to animal protection facilities or to observe animals in the wild, such as whale watching and viewing rhinos at close range.
Some want to interact more directly with animals, such as at the Giraffe House in Nairobi or dog sledding to the North Pole. They also exhibit concern for animal welfare and want to ensure that interactions are sustainable.
A total of 1,071 travel advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated agencies in Asia-Pacific, North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the Middle East were surveyed for the global version of the report, drawing on their vast experience as well as client requests to provide insight into 2019’s hottest trends.