Japan has overtaken Greece as the most requested international destination among luxury travellers in the UK and Ireland, while Thailand has entered the top five for the first time, according to Virtuoso’s 2027 Luxe Report: United Kingdom & Ireland, highlighting growing demand for Asian destinations and increasingly personalised travel experiences.
The report, compiled through insights from
Virtuoso-affiliated travel agencies and their professional advisors, identifies
the destinations, travel preferences and experiences expected to shape luxury
tourism in 2027.
Travel advisors are entering the year with a positive
outlook, with 56 per cent expecting leisure travel demand to increase slightly
and 23 per cent forecasting a significant rise. Spending expectations are also
strong, with 76 per cent anticipating a slight or significant increase in
expenditure per trip.
Only 19 per cent of respondents expect spending to remain
unchanged, indicating that luxury travellers are continuing to prioritise
meaningful experiences and are willing to invest more in quality, exclusive
access and personalised services. However, value for money and safety are
becoming increasingly important factors in travel decisions.
Five Trends Shaping Luxury Travel in 2027
Virtuoso identified five major trends expected to influence
luxury travel in the coming year.
Improved accessibility and air connectivity are
opening new opportunities for destinations. Expanded flight services,
investment in luxury accommodation and improved tourism infrastructure are
making previously difficult-to-reach markets more accessible. China’s broader
visa-free policies and increased non-stop flights from London to Cape Town are
among the developments supporting this trend.
Value-driven luxury travel is also gaining momentum,
with travellers increasingly considering exchange rates and purchasing power
when selecting destinations. Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico and Costa Rica are
benefiting from demand among clients seeking premium accommodation, private guides
and exclusive dining experiences at more competitive prices.
Rather than reducing their spending on luxury, travellers
are increasingly changing destinations to maximise the value of their budgets.
Travel advisors are playing a greater role in matching clients' spending
expectations with suitable destinations and experiences.
Multicountry and multicity itineraries are becoming
more carefully structured, with travellers combining contrasting experiences
within a single journey. Examples include pairing safaris with beach holidays,
cultural exploration with relaxation, or city breaks with stays in the Swiss
Alps.
Multigenerational travel and expedition experiences are
another growing trend. Multigenerational family travel has moved up two places
to become the leading travel trend, while expedition cruising has returned to
the top 10 at eighth place. Virtuoso describes the combination as
“Gen-XYZ-peditions”, involving adventurous journeys shared across several
generations.
Demand for ultraluxury travel is also increasing, with 54
per cent of advisors reporting growth in the segment, up 17 percentage points
from the previous survey. Privacy, exclusive property buyouts and personalised
experiences are among the leading preferences.
Solo travel is evolving, with more travellers
designing journeys around personal interests and individual goals. Health and
wellness remains the leading solo travel experience, while women-only solo
travel has entered the rankings at fourth place, cited by 31 per cent of
advisors. France, Iceland and Bhutan are also gaining momentum among
independent travellers.
Japan Leads Global Destination Rankings
Japan secured the top position among international
destinations, ahead of Italy, Greece, Thailand and France.
Its popularity extends across several categories, ranking
first for solo travel and sixth for both family holidays and honeymoons. Tokyo
also topped the city rankings, followed by Paris, Kyoto, London and Cape Town.
Thailand's entry at fourth place in the international
destination rankings strengthens Asia's position among established European
favourites. China also made its debut at seventh place among destinations on
the rise.
Antarctica topped the destinations-on-the-rise rankings and
cruise itineraries, while retaining its position as the leading adventure
destination for the third consecutive year. Other destinations gaining
attention include Montenegro, Kenya, Morocco and Bhutan.
European cities also recorded stronger interest, with Paris
climbing from sixth to second place and London advancing from ninth to fourth.
Lisbon entered the top 10 for the first time at ninth place.
The Maldives retained its position as the leading honeymoon
destination for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Italy and Greece,
which moved into second and third positions. Bali and Mauritius completed the
top five.
Family Travel and Celebrations Drive Demand
Multigenerational family holidays topped the overall travel
trends, followed by authenticity, immediate-family travel, active and adventure
trips, and relaxation and seclusion.
Celebrating a milestone emerged as the leading travel
motivation, moving up from fourth place in the previous survey. Health and
wellness ranked second, followed by escaping bad weather, spending time with
loved ones and rest and relaxation.
In ultraluxury travel, privacy ranked as the most
sought-after experience, followed by exclusive-use accommodation, celebration
travel, fully inclusive resort or cruise experiences, and
hyper-personalisation.
The findings reflect a shift towards more experience-led
travel, with families and individuals increasingly seeking journeys tailored to
their interests, relationships and personal milestones.
More than 3,100 travel advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated
agencies across North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean,
Europe, Africa and the Middle East participated in the survey. Their responses
draw on professional experience, client requests and knowledge of luxury travel
markets.
The 2027 report highlights the continued importance of travel advisors in helping clients navigate changing destination preferences, accessibility, budgets and demand for personalised experiences. -TradeArabia News Service