Ultra-privacy, exclusive experiences top luxury travellers' 2024 wishlist

Ultra-privacy, access to exclusive experiences and surprise-and-delight offers from hotels and resorts are at the top of the wish list for luxury travellers in 2024, according to luxury travel advisors across Internova Travel Group’s portfolio of brands.

For the first time ever, Internova, one of the world’s largest travel services companies, surveyed its top sellers of luxury travel across its sophisticated collection of agencies including Altour, Global Travel Collection, Nexion Travel Group and Travel Leaders Network.

The Internova Index

Luxury Advisor Insights report showed that while Mexico is the number one destination for American luxury travellers, three European countries are in the top five — the United Kingdom, Italy and France — along with Japan.

South Africa, Australia, Turks and Caicos, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates round out the top 10 luxury travel destinations. In addition, 70% of luxury travel advisors said they will be booking more ocean and river cruises in 2024 than in 2023.

When it comes to the type of travel, 78% of advisors said travellers are interested in customised trips and private tours, as opposed to being part of a large group tour.

More than 60% said that their clients want to visit multiple destinations and they’re asking about skip-the-line experiences, things that are difficult for them to get on their own, like tickets to a sold-out concert.

Family travel, health and wellness, luxury sports travel and solo travel are also high on the list for clients. A quarter of advisors said that their clients are interested in ultra-private travel, which includes booking private villas, jets and yachts, as well as seeking out destinations that are off the beaten path in places like Europe.

Cultural engagement is also a big draw for luxury travellers. Nearly half of the advisors surveyed said that their clients want immersive experiences, opportunities to connect with local communities and learn about a different way of life.

Culinary travel, focusing on food and wine, is also in demand, along with travel for learning, which includes classes, workshops and acquiring new skills from salsa dancing to surfing.

About 12% said clients have expressed interest in responsible travel, with an emphasis on sustainability and being environmentally friendly. Nearly 8% have clients with an interest in LGBTQIA+ travel.

Not surprisingly, travellers have strong preferences when it comes to luxury hotels and resorts. Advisors were asked what’s most important to their clients, and nearly three-quarters responded that they love it when hotels surprise and delight their guests, providing welcome amenities and upgrades without the guests having to ask for them.

Two-thirds of advisors said their clients believe it’s very important that the hotel know and accommodate their preferences. More than half agreed that a concierge service that includes access to exclusive or hard-to-get experiences is also very important to clients.

Trip Planning

Forty-five per cent of those surveyed said that their clients are planning to take more trips in 2024, and 52% said their clients plan to spend more on travel next year. About 70% expect that trip lengths will be similar, with most vacations lasting from eight to 10 or 10 to 14 days.

Travellers are also increasingly seeing the value of using a luxury travel advisor to plan their vacations. Respondents said about one-third of their clients are using a travel advisor for the first time, and 71% of advisors were able to save more than five hours of their clients’ time when planning an international trip.

“The results of this survey show that demand for travel remains strong, with luxury travellers increasingly seeking out the high level of personal service that our skilled professional travel advisors can provide,” said J D O’Hara, CEO, Internova Travel Group.

“The human connection is vital in ensuring clients have the unique experiences that they desire when they travel.” – TradeArabia News Service