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Where will luxury travelers go in 2015? Virtuoso, the luxury travel agency network, has unveiled two reports based on surveys of its member agencies that show the destinations and travel preferences of their customers.
In the first report, Virtuoso tapped into its data warehouse of more than $32 billion in consumer transactions to determine that the greatest volume of business from the network is heading to mostly warmer spots in the Southern Hemisphere in the first quarter. For the months of January through March 2015, the Top 10 destinations, in order are: Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, South Africa, Hong Kong and Chile
Virtuoso also debuted its annual "Hot List" showing the destinations that are seeing the most year-over-year growth in the first three months. Countries on the "Hot List" for January through March 2015, in order, are Singapore (up 155 percent), New Zealand (up 95 percent), Aruba (up 36 percent); Israel (up 32 percent), Puerto Rico (24 percent), U.S. Virgin Islands (up 23 percent), France (up 22 percent), Bahamas (up 20 percent), Chile (up 20 percent) and Spain (up 20 percent)
Virtuoso also took a look at its client profiles to uncover the types of travel various generations prefer and their spending habits. Baby Boomers still represent the largest segment of travelers for Virtuoso agencies, though the network is seeing a surge in Gen X clients that has now put them ahead of the Senior segment (those born before 1946).
In terms of travel preferences, Millennials and Gen X-ers like private or escorted tour experiences (38 percent and 34 percent, respectively) and hotel stays over cruises (both at 15 percent). Tour experiences include Virtuoso's on-site destination partners, which can create bespoke individual trips. Meanwhile, Boomers and Seniors continue to favor cruises, at 26 percent and 42 percent, respectively.
While Seniors annually spend 56 percent more on travel ($11,077 per person) than Millennials ($7,110 per person), Gen X-ers spend the most overall on a per person basis ($627 per day; $8,458 per trip). That daily spend is almost 20 percent higher than Millennials ($527 per person) and a third higher than Seniors ($471 per person). Boomers spend an average of $9,907 per trip and $522 per day.
Virtuoso also issued its 2015 Virtuoso Luxe Report, based on an annual survey of its travel advisors. For the first time in five years, river cruising beat out multigenerational travel as the number one trend. That was followed by active or adventure trips, celebration travel, family travel, luxury cruising, touring (guided or private), culinary travel and villa rentals.
Croatia, which didn't make the top 10 in 2014, was in the top spot in the Virtuoso Luxe Report in the Emerging Destinations category, followed by Myanmar/Burma, Cuba, Bhutan, Iceland, Peru, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands.
The most popular international destinations for 2015 are, in order, Italy, France, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, England, New Zealand, Turks & Caicos, Peru and Thailand. The most popular U.S. destinations for 2015 are New York City, Maui, Napa Valley/Sonoma, Las Vegas, Miami/South Beach, San Francisco/Bay Area, Orlando, Alaska, Hawaii's Big Island and Los Angeles.
The 10 most popular family destinations, according to the Luxe Report, are Italy, Orlando, Mexico, Hawaii, England, Costa Rica, France, South Africa, Dominican Republic and Turks & Caicos. On the other side of the coin, the 10 most popular honeymoon destinations are Italy, Maui, French Polynesia, France, Maldives, Mexico, St. Lucia, Kauai, Fiji and Bali.
The 10 most popular adventure travel destinations for 2015, according to the report, are Costa Rica, South Africa, Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, Peru, Australia, Antarctica, Alaska, Grand Canyon and Canadian Rocky Mountains. The 10 most popular cruise itineraries for 2015 are Mediterranean, European rivers, Alaska, Caribbean, Greek Isles, Baltic region, Galapagos Islands, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Southeast Asia.
How long are affluent travelers traveling and what is most important to them? The Virtuoso Luxe Report found that the most popular type of leisure trip for clients booking for 2015 is an international trip of eight days or longer, followed by a weeklong international trip, domestic trips of three to five days, domestic weeklong trips, and weekend getaways to drive-to destinations.
The top five reasons why affluent travelers are traveling, in order, include to explore new destinations, to seek authentic experiences in new destinations, to rest and relax, to spend time or reconnect with loved ones, and personal enrichment. The report also found that socially and environmentally conscious travelers seek out activities that support economic, conservationism or sustainability, followed by support local sustainability efforts, hotels with green practices, hotels that give back and/or support local residents, and giving back to local communities through monetary support.
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