New luxury travel trends for 2020
Forget superyachts, in-room butlers and opulent beach resorts: luxury travel is being redefined by meaningful ‘EQ encounters’, holidays with the extended family and taking your mates with you on honeymoon…
Luxury travellers are increasingly taking away their parents with them on holiday, as well as their kids, according to a new survey by luxury travel network Virtuoso.
The vogue for multigenerational travel which sees three generations sharing enriching experiences or celebrating milestone anniversaries while on holiday together – not to mention the added parental bonus of having on-call babysitters available during their trip – has been identified as the top travel trend for 2020 by the British version of Virtuoso’s annual <Luxe Report>.
This penchant for sharing adventures with loved ones has become “the new definition of luxury” according to Virtuoso, and is also reflected in the rise of the ‘buddymoon’, whereby newlyweds take their pals away with them on honeymoon.
The <Luxe Report> also identified other emerging travel trends such as ‘EQ encounters’ (seeking genuine interaction with locals to immerse yourself deeper into a culture), ‘country coupling’ (combining two or more different countries or holidays on the same trip) and booking restaurant reservations before arranging flights.
Meanwhile, Italy was ranked the top global destination for luxury travellers with Bhutan – the Himalayan nation which recently topped <Lonely Planet’s> annual ‘Best Of…’ list – selected as the world’s top emerging destination. For multigenerational holidays, France reached <numéro un> in the ‘Top Family Travel Destinations’ category. The favourite country for millennials was Cambodia, while the powder-white beaches of the Maldives was the top choice for honeymooners. Elsewhere, the hospitality and relative safety of India saw it voted the best nation for solo travellers. Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands and New York City nabbed world’s best adventure destination and top city respectively.
The trends identified by Virtuoso include:
Untouristed and Unexpected.
The luxury travel network has reported a rise in demand for culturally unique, off-the-beaten track destinations such as Borneo, Greenland and Oman.
Country Coupling.
Combining two or more destinations on a single trip, such as two-centre breaks pairing skiing holidays with beach stays, or a city break with mountain hiking.
Tasty Travels.
The rise in gastronomic experiences, which can span Michelin-starred restaurants, cooking classes, eating in private homes or even truffle-hunting. Some travellers are even requesting restaurant reservations before their flights are even booked, so they can secure a table at a coveted eatery.
Group Getaways.
Holidays that connect travellers with like-minded souls, such as all-female getaways or escapes that allow people to practice their hobby. One of the mini-trends identified is the ‘buddymoon’, which involves recently-married couples taking friends away on their honeymoon.
EQ Encounters.
The desire for luxury travellers to immerse themselves more deeply in a destination, often by establishing meaningful connections with locals. This could include a personal shopping trip with a resident from the city that you’re visiting or selecting a hotel (or even staying in a private home) because it reflects the neighbourhood/destination more effectively than a Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton.
Enjoying the Journey.
Luxury travellers are turning the journey into a holiday-style experience too, reflected in the rise of members-only terminals at airports. The Private Suite at Los Angeles International Airport, escorts travellers through security, offers them a private room to relax in, plus drives them directly to their aeroplane in a chauffeur-driven BMW.
Virtuoso polled 1,300 travel advisors from across the world for its survey.