Travel Advisors Assess What’s Selling This Fall

Fall travel is nearly underway, so we asked travel advisors what kinds of trends, booking patterns, and trips their clients have booked for this autumn—and what trends might be changing as we head into what is historically a shoulder travel season for many destinations around the world. 

Fall Travel Trends: Longer, Intentional Trips

An elderly couple explores a new city. (Photo Credit: Prostock-studio / Adobe Stock)

One major denominator among travel advisors we spoke with was that travelers aren’t taking the short fall weekend getaways as they might have in the past. 

No, they’re exchanging shorter trips for longer, more intentional ones, staying longer in their chosen destinations for a more immersive—and less exhausting—travel experience. 

“Slow travel and intentional travel is in,” said Katie Lynn Reynolds, Travel Advisor & Destination Weddings Lead at Travelmation. “Gone are the days of seeing multiple cities in one rushed trip. Travelers want to enjoy the scenery, immerse in the culture, and truly enjoy the destination. With this, I am seeing now more than ever that guests are choosing more curated experiences versus big box group experiences. Clients are choosing things like the private boat experiences in Lake Como over the group experiences, putting more of their budget towards the unique items they will talk about for years to come.” 

With this new focus comes longer trip times, fewer destinations, and a focus on rest, and this is especially true for luxury travelers. 

“Most luxury clients booked for this fall are traveling for an average of 12 nights in destination,” explained Cole Kirkpatrick, Luxury Travel Advisor with Classic Travel Connection. “They are slowing down how they experience an island, city, and the country they’re visiting. There is a wave of rest washing over every itinerary I’m now pulling travel documents for.”

With this new intentionality, some travelers, especially in the luxury space, are booking further in advance to secure the exact kinds of trips they want. 

“There’s also a continued shift away from ‘Where should we go?’ toward ‘What kind of experience do we want to have?’” said McLean Robbins, founder and CEO of Lily Pond Luxury, an independent affiliate of Travel Experts. “That makes the planning much more personal — and usually produces a better trip. We work really hard to 'calendar' our clients anywhere from one to five years in advance so they can secure best space and rates, as well as ensure they have the best experience possible. Travel doesn't always go according to plan, but having a plan makes traveling well much, much easier.”

Cruise Demand Grows for Fall 

Disney Treasure in New York City (Photo Credit: Disney Cruise Line)

Another major fall travel trend this year is cruising: with higher flight prices, the price point of a cruise—visiting multiple destinations, not having to switch hotels throughout, and having an all-inclusive dining format—has become an attractive alternative to FIT trips. 

“I asked my team what they are seeing regarding the fall travel season and the majority agree that consumers seem to be opting for cruises,” said Kari Dillon, Owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels. “High flight prices seem to be diverting bookings from all-inclusive destinations toward cruising. It seems as though flight pricing seems to be the driving factor in this trend.” 

Flight prices have increased by as much as 24% this year, as aviation fuel prices remain elevated due to the war in the Middle East and some airlines begin using dynamic pricing with the help of AI. 

Weather, War, & Budget Concerns Abound

Flights cancelled across the board. (Photo Credit: William / Adobe Stock)

One throughline that can put a damper on the anticipation of future trips is concerns about pricing, weather disasters and geopolitical conflict, all of which have been increasing this year. Advisors identified several major concerns among their clients, as well as the personal toll it takes to reassure them. 

While concerns center around high airfare prices, routing through the Middle East and even perceptions of how locals see Americans in destinations like China are all questions advisors have been hearing lately, the major concern among clients is the drought impacting river cruising in Europe.

“My river cruise clients are getting more anxious about water levels possibly impacting their October/November cruises,” said Jennifer Walker, CTIE, VTA, owner of Jennifer Walker Travel in Washington, Illinois. “I don’t know anyone who books a river cruise who would be happy shifting to a land-based tour. Having to explain how ship-swaps work and the creative ways the cruise lines are handling the water level challenges can be exhausting and time-consuming to deal with when the clients are months away from travel.”

“We've heard of just about all major headlines, from fuel prices to low river levels,” said McLean Robbins. “Our clients frequently ask us what the weather will be on a random Tuesday in Paris six months away. We get asked anything and everything — it's part of the job, and we roll with it.”

While travelers’ concerns are broad and often center on events that could impact their trip, one advisor noted that these concerns are teaching them to be more proactive about protecting their money and trips, instead of letting them turn them off their chosen trips. 

“While clients are more aware of world events, they’re not abandoning international travel; they’re asking more questions about routing and contingency plans, and they’re purchasing travel insurance earlier and relying on my experiential knowledge and industry networks,” said Debra Hines Brown, CEO & Luxury Cultural Travel Designer at SmartBird World Travel.

Gen Z Travelers, Special Interest Travel and More

Travelers taking the train in Porto, Portugal. (Photo Credit: lubero / Adobe Stock)

Some advisors identified a few, more niche trends they’ve been seeing lately. 

One is special-interest travel, or traveling for special events. “Asia and Europe are the key drivers for this fall, particularly group travel. Special-interest travel connected to various international festivals and events,” said Debra Hines Brown. “Last fall and this fall, I’m booking more fan-based travel for the NFL games in Europe, specifically Berlin and Madrid. Clients are looking to extend their trips and turn them into a seasonal European vacation. Oktoberfest in Germany and the Christmas Markets are gaining popularity and interest.”

One advisor noted how many Gen Z and Millennial travelers are turning towards travel advisors to help them book their trips, seeing it as an encouraging sign for these major generations of travelers. 

“I continue to be surprised at how many young, tech-savvy people are seeking out the services of a professional travel advisor as they realize how precious their time is, and they don’t want to waste their time doing the ‘heavy lifting’ travel planning research often requires,” said Jennifer Walker. “They report they appreciate the personal touch, knowing a human who knows them—their likes, dislikes, fears— will be there to assist them before, during, and after their vacation.”

On booking trends, some advisors noted that last-minute travel demand is ticking up, especially in the luxury category, creating new challenges for advisors. Still, others mentioned booking into 2027 and beyond earlier than expected, too. 

“I'm getting a lot more last minute trip requests than I ever have before,” said Rebecca Schwinn, Owner of Wanderland Escapes. “People are reaching out three months or less for planning trips recently. Which can be overwhelming because you sometimes have to scramble for availability and it makes everything feel like it's happening all at once. Especially if you get several new requests on the same day for the same time frame.”

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