In Brief: Virtuoso’s latest survey and booking data indicate that luxury travelers are increasingly choosing autumn travel, longer multi-city trips, and wellness-focused stays, while booking further in advance and spending more on premium accommodations and experiences.
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Virtuoso Data Shows Rising Demand for High-End Travel Despite Higher Rates – Image Credit Unsplash+
Autumn Travel Gains Ground
Bookings for autumn 2026 were up 59 percent, while sales rose 69 percent.
September sales increased 77 percent, and bookings rose 55 percent. October bookings were up 59 percent. November bookings and sales both increased by more than 70 percent.
Sales at Virtuoso’s preferred European hotels rose 39 percent through June, while fall bookings to Europe increased 49 percent despite hotel rates rising by more than 7 percent.
Rates rose 179 percent on the French Riviera, more than 130 percent in the Greek Isles and 78 percent in Puglia, Italy. Festive-season bookings increased 65 percent, and sales rose 56 percent.
Longer Trips and Multiple Destinations
Some luxury travelers are combining several cities and countries into one itinerary, a trend Virtuoso calls “city-maxxing.” About half of these itineraries include travel between countries.
France and Italy were the most common country pairing, followed by France and the United Kingdom, and Italy and Switzerland. Italy appeared in two out of five multicity routings, including itineraries connecting Florence, Rome and Venice.
Stays are becoming longer, with some travelers using private villas, branded residences or second homes as a base for regional travel. Private aviation is playing a role in some trips, with millennials leading requests for private jets at a rate 6 percent above the global average.
Advance Bookings and Higher Spending
Leisure bookings scheduled one or two years ahead rose 50 percent.
Bookings valued at $50,000 or more increased 47 percent, while cruise bookings at that spending level rose 49 percent. Travel sales of $100,000 and above also increased 49 percent. Advisors reported growing interest in high-priced accommodations and private travel options, including exclusive hotel sections and private clubs with guest rooms.
Overall network sales were on pace to rise nearly 21 percent year over year. Growth was reported across traveler-origin regions, led by Greater China, the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Middle East and Africa, and continental Europe. U.S. sales rose 21 percent.
Hotels recorded a 25 percent increase in sales, followed by cruises at 22 percent. Bookings for hotel rooms priced at $1,500 or more per night rose 37 percent. Average nightly rates were $1,653 for luxury international hotels and $1,445 for luxury U.S. hotels, compared with $985 and $790 in 2019.
Wellness and Longevity Travel
Bookings at wellness-segmented hotels rose 28 percent, sales rose 44 percent, and average daily rates increased 23 percent.
The category includes trips focused on sleep, metabolic health, mental health and medical diagnostics. Virtuoso identified longevity travel, which combines health assessments with high-end accommodations, as a growing area of interest.
AI Use and Advisor Demand
Seventy-four percent of Virtuoso advisors use artificial intelligence in their business, and 70 percent of preferred partners do as well.
Advisors raised concerns that AI-generated travel suggestions can rely on similar online sources and produce repetitive itineraries, directing travelers toward the same heavily visited destinations.
Seventy-nine percent of luxury travelers were open to working with an advisor for future trips. Half of the advisors surveyed said clients were seeking alternatives to destinations affected by overcrowding.
Virtuoso’s July survey of nearly 800 advisors found that multigenerational and family trips were the most requested travel type, followed by premium ocean cruises and celebration travel.
Please access complete findings here.
