The global network of more than 20,000 travel advisors unveiled the findings of its insights report at its annual trade show and conference last week, revealing the trends that are set to define the industry in 2025 and beyond.
From exclusive access to remote destinations, Virtuoso said the expectations of high-net-worth travellers are only set to increase going forward.
The research also showed a strong future for the trade, with demand for Virtuoso agents skyrocketing and sales from January to June 2024 surpassing those of the same timeframe last year. Here, we round up the key takeaways.
1. Luxury advisors wanted
The figures speak for themselves; Virtuoso has seen a 76% increase in the number of people seeking out a travel advisor in 2024. The in-depth report revealed that clients are drawn to agents for a number of reasons, including expertise, access and value for money. Other benefits noted were accountability and time-saving service.
2. Ultra-lux requests
The report revealed that demand for ultra-luxury travel is also on the rise, with 89% of advisors seeing an uptick in requests for “exclusive use, private or exceptionally high-end experiences”. The top ultra-luxury requests listed were VIP transportation services, such as multilingual chauffeurs and private vehicles, as well as rare experiences and exclusive access.
As for the most popular type of ultra-luxury travel, high net-worth clients are most interested in expedition cruises, African safaris, and visiting “exotic locations” like the Maldives or Fiji, the report found.
The top three motivations for these experiences were celebrations, such as birthdays and anniversaries, passion-point experiences, like a special sporting event or arts festival, and “trip-of-a-lifetime” holidays.
High-net-worth clients are most interested in expedition cruises, African safaris, and visiting “exotic locations”
3. Independent women
Solo female travel is on the rise amongst Virtuoso clients, with women accounting for 71% of agents’ single party bookings. Of this demographic, 47% are either separated, divorced or widowed, and 40% said they are seeking a sense of belonging on their travels.
4. Destination watch
The top autumn destination is easily China, according to the report, with advisors noting an increased interest of 146% in visiting the region this autumn. Japan, Iceland, and French Polynesia should also be on agents’ radar over the next few months as these are seeing increasing interest, along with Australia, the UK and Ireland. Looking further ahead, the festive season should see a pique in demand for travel to warmer countries, like Hawaii, Mexico, Anguilla, Costa Rica and St. Barths.
The top autumn destination is easily China, the report found
5. Informed sustainability
The report found that while luxury travellers do care about sustainable travel, it’s crucial for them to understand the supplier’s initiatives before investing.
The report shows 66% of advisors said clients are prepared to spend more if they are informed about the supplier’s environmental policies, while 52% said their clients would splash out for natural and cultural heritage, and 44% said they’d pay more for local people and the economy.
