New research by Virtuoso, the world’s leading network of luxury travel advisors, has challenged a number of common perceptions about the current state of high-end travel.
Shared at the 37th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, the 80-page report revealed a number of trends and insights predicted to shape the industry for 2026. These included top priorities and destination preferences of luxury travellers, as well as the evolving mindsets on sustainability and motivators for using a travel agent.
The report also challenged the current misperceptions around travel, providing reassuring findings on the state of the industry that will likely benefit luxury travel advisors.
US travel is declining
It’s undeniable that US tourism has faced significant challenges in recent months, with factors like rising costs, natural disasters and political instability negatively impacting the number of international visitors to the country.
Spending from inbound tourism is projected to fall by seven percent in 2025, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, with visitors from the UK in 2025 dropping by 14% from the year prior.
Despite these concerning statistics, the US remains a top destination for high-net-worth individuals. Virtuoso data found that its inbound travel sales to the US over the past six months have even seen an increase of four percent, while sales for fall 2025 are up 27%.
Booking windows are shortening
Last-minute bookings have been a hot topic in recent months, with many advisors reporting a jump in clients asking for their holidays to be planned with minimal notice.
Virtuoso’s report revealed however, that booking windows overall have remained unchanged. The average length of time between a client booking their holiday and arriving at their destination was 122 days in both 2024 and 2025, proving that there’s still a strong market of travellers who wish to plan trips months’ in advance.
Solo luxury travellers are mostly men
It’s no secret that solo travel is booming, with 76% of Millennials and Gen-Z planning solitary trips this year, according to the American Express 2024 Global Travel Trends Report.
What may surprise you, however, is the gender breakdown of high-net-worth independent travellers. Nearly 70% of Virtuoso’s solo bookings were for women, most of whom are skipping touristy areas for more ‘off-the-beaten’ track destinations. These clients are also showing increasing interest in exploration cruises, which can offer a more secure way for women to travel alone.
Fall travel is ‘shoulder season’
Autumn has long been sold as ‘shoulder season’, with the time period between September and November usually offering lower rates and quieter environments to the summer months.
Its reputation for being less expensive and less busy may be changing, however, with Virtuoso reporting a 30% increase in bookings for fall 2025 compared to last year.
This uptick in off-peak travel has also been predicted by Globetrender, who revealed in its 2024 trends report that British Airways Holidays’ customer searches for May and June were double that of July and August.
