Luxury travelers are willing to spend big on travel and they are looking to travel advisors to help them with their once-in-a-lifetime trips.
New research from Flywire shows that 72 percent of luxury travelers surveyed are spending more on vacations than they did before the pandemic. The research also shows that the complexities of travel due to the pandemic mean that more are turning to high-end travel advisors with 85 percent of luxury travelers believing that travel advisors are the best way to get a personalized travel experience.
The research also found that 92 percent and 91 percent of luxury clients prefer to use airlines and stay at accommodations that require travelers to be vaccinated, respectively.
Seventy-seven percent of luxury travelers also say that their next few vacations will be longer than trips they took 18 months ago, and 93 percent of travelers are more likely to check trip cancellation policies now.
Travel is now more important than ever, with 78 percent of respondents indicating that travel is more important to them now than it was pre-pandemic. This is especially true for travelers ages 18-34 and 35-54, who are excited to explore after years in lockdown.
"The travel industry has been riding a tidal wave of starts and stops for the past two years due to COVID-19," said Colin Smyth, vice president and general manager of Travel at Flywire. "However, with rising vaccination rates and borders reopening, travelers have renewed confidence and luxury travelers, in particular, have expressed the desire to leverage savings that accumulated during COVID-19's lockdown to create unforgettable experiences."
By next summer, travelers will spend an average of nearly $5,000 per person on each trip, according to the survey. However, with that increase in budget comes an increase in expectation. Travelers want unique experiences and hassle-free travel experiences.
Luxury travelers are looking to travel advisors, and they want to work with those who have deep relationships with global luxury suppliers such as accommodation providers, tour operators, and destination management companies.
As one traveler summed it up to Flywire, "one call does it all."
Travelers also want to work with travel advisors because they believe it is the only way to curate a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Flywire's survey found that 74 percent of luxury travelers surveyed say working with skilled advisers is the only way to truly have a luxury travel experience, and 66 percent could not imagine traveling without an advisor.
Providers should focus on creating experiences for guests that sets them apart while also keeping COVID-19 safety a priority. Eighty-eight percent of travelers surveyed believe travel advisors are more important now thanks to ever-changing travel regulations due to COVID-19.
Travelers are also looking for other benefits that advisors provide, including ease of payment (87 percent), knowledge of travel restrictions (55 percent), problem-solving capabilities (54 percent), taking care of everything (51 percent) and peace of mind (50 percent).
"It's imperative that travel agents and accommodation providers facilitate a payment process that is efficient and secure from start to finish," said Smyth. "With Flywire's technology, travelers can trust in the process and focus on the adventure ahead."
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