The Luxury Trends 2023 report highlights the luxury operator’s top performing destinations for 2022. Compared to trading in 2019 Barbados retains the top position, while a surge of more than 50% in sales propelled the Maldives into second place. Growing sales also placed Greece third, and the UAE fourth, with business up 48%. Oman is highlighted as a key “hot spot”, with sales up 38%.
The report also highlights the impact of the new One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro, as it helped drive up sales to the destination by 354%.
French Polynesia stood out as a “hot destination” in both 2022 and 2023, with sales up 206% in 2022 compared to 2019. Kenya has entered the top 10 destinations for 2023, and India is described as “one to watch” for the coming year, with sales already sitting at 58% of total bookings for 2019.
The report also highlights several key trends, including:
A gateway to something more
Carrier’s experts predict luxury travellers will linger longer in “transit cities” that were one just seen as a gateway to another, such as Singapore and Bangkok. “Carrier is seeing clients looking for something of genuine substance; they want to truly get under the skin of a destination,” the report explained.
The multiplier effect
Following several years where customers were forced to put their travel plans on hold, Carrier predicts luxury travellers will be seeking trips that include multiple experiences and/or destinations to get the best out of their time away. Examples include exploring Indonesia, bucket-list experiences in Rwanda and self-drive road trips in California.
Flying the Nest
The operator has seen an increase in enquiries from families seeking a once-in-a-lifetime trip before older children head off to university, which develop independence and new skills, prepare youngsters for their next adventure and prioritise family bonding. To cater to demand Carrier has launched its Flying the Nest range, and head of product and commercial Simon Jeffries said: “We’re very proud to have finished up with a curated range which is truly different to anything else in the market while remaining relevant to our customers wants and needs.”
Local spirit
The report explains the importance clients now place on ensuring their trip has a positive local impact, with an increase in clients favouring smaller, locally owned properties. The report explains: “It’s no longer all about large luxury chain hotels, international food and designer furniture. Now, regional authenticity has evolved into a more highly prized commodity than pan-global luxury. Recently, there’s been a real acknowledgement that when we travel, it can affect the local environment – everything from the economy, the cultural values we bring and the impact we have on the local ecosystems. So now, more luxury travellers are making ‘local’ a priority instead of just a ‘nice to have’.”
Carrier also expects to see a rise in clients wanting to spend more time outdoors on their trips, and those looking to celebrate milestones on a landmark trip with friends or family. It also outlines the foodie trends the team predict will take off this year, including farm-to-fork dining, the rise of elevated all-inclusive offerings and developments that will mark Dubai as a “hot gourmet destination.”
The report includes a roundup of Carrier’s most anticipated hotel openings for the year ahead, including the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino and Six Senses Crans-Montana in Europe, the newly opened Atlantis The Royal in Dubai and &Beyond Punakha River Lodge in Bhutan.
