by Brian Major
Last updated: 1:10 PM ET, Thu April 18, 2024
Contemporary travelers’ expectations, tastes and behavior
has changed significantly in the post-pandemic travel era. Nowhere are the trends more evident than in
travel’s luxury segment.
In “What Elements Motivate Luxury Travelers,” the lead
feature in The Luxury Adventure Travel Section of the April 2024 issue of AGENTatHOME,
a group of top travel advisors provide their expert outlook on the amenities,
facilities and services deluxe today’s vacationers demand.
Regardless of their specific vacation tastes and desires,
travelers are clearly inspired to undertake post-pandemic travel. According to UN Tourism, international travel ended 2023 at 88 percent of
pre-pandemic levels (an estimated 1.3 billion international arrivals) driven by
factors including “the unleashing of remaining pent-up demand.”
“A desire for unique and personalized experiences and the
desire to feel taken care of” stimulates today’s luxury travelers, said Virgi
Schiffino Kennedy, owner of Lux Voyages. “It’s not enough to simply stay in a
five-star hotel.”
“Travelers are continuously seeking to visit destinations
that are authentic to the core, custom-made and luxurious,” said Felicia Fencl,
owner of First Choice Travel. “For 2024, Latin America tops the short list of
destinations that have become more attractive to the affluent traveler.”
Showtime Travel owner Belvin Baldwin II said his clients “are looking for private
and unique experiences. It can be anything from a private shopping experiences
where they can purchase limited goods or special meeting with dedicated local
dignitaries to get true feel of the culture.”
Meanwhile Nikki Dickerson-McGregory, owner of Nik of Time
Travel, pointed to the fleet of luxury expedition ships cruising to uncommon
destinations including Antarctica as preferred by a new generation of
adventure-oriented luxury vacationers.
“The ships are small and intimate,” said Dickerson-McGregory.
“The service is second to none and the food is amazing.”
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