Leading
global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel Virtuoso, has
announced a partnership with travel trend forecasting agency, Globetrender to
unveil the Luxury Travel Trend Watch: 2025.
Working with global data from Virtuoso’s 2024 Brand and
Travel Tracker Survey, Globetrender and Virtuoso identified seven
trends shaping the 2025 luxury travel landscape.
Global Wellness Institute is seeing the rise of “Silver
Bullet Wellness,” as wellness tourism is projected to grow 16.6 percent
annually and reach $2.1 trillion by 2027.
Luxury travelers are seeking treatments for insomnia,
cognitive decline and disease prevention, moving beyond traditional pampering
treatments to life-extension programs. Switzerland, Spain, Germany and Thailand
are among countries leading the charge as high-net-worth travelers favor
retreats offering intensive, tailored mind-body transformations.
The term “bucket list” has long dominated the travel
landscape, but the focus has shifted to spontaneous, short-term experiences,
reflecting a “carpe diem” mindset.
In 2025 and beyond,
travelers are embracing “F**k-It Lists” – spontaneous, fun and liberating
adventures that prioritize living in the moment and fueling splurges on more
extravagant modes of travel like yacht charters, first-class flights and
private jets.
Philosopher Alain de Botton notes that the challenge of
travel is that “you take yourself with you,” stressing the importance of
understanding the purpose behind trips.
When planning a trip, most people think of the destinations
and activities, often overlooking how they want to feel. As travel designers ask the right questions to
tap into clients’ true motivations, they can address deeper emotional needs,
giving rise to the “Mood Boarding” trend. Think candlelit banquet inside a
volcano in Iceland.
By 2025, seven generations will be traveling together for
the first time in history, as “Beta Babies” are born to Gen Z parents. This
includes Generation Alpha, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and the Matures. XZ Beta
Travel will see young Gen Z parents traveling with their children and Gen X
grandparents, who often finance the trips.
As a result, hotels are adapting. Shangri-La Hong Kong
Island, for example, transformed an entire floor into a luxury haven for Beta
Babies and Generation Alpha, complete with communal spaces and themed rooms
like treehouses and submarines. In the Italian Dolomites, Sonnwies caters exclusively
to families with wellness offerings, including milk baths and chocolate
massages for kids, an aquapark, playgrounds and zoo.
As more women of all ages are opting for solo, adventurous
trips, travel providers are responding by offering tailored experiences to
cater to this trend.
According to Virtuoso, 71 percent of its solo travelers are
women, with 47 percent divorced, separated or widowed, highlighting a surge in
post-partner or family-raising travel.
AmaWaterways removed single supplements for solo travelers
on select European river cruises in 2024 and Swiss travel network A Small World
launched the Solo Cruise Company, targeting women 55+. In small group travel,
Intrepid Travel will debut its first women-only trips to Saudi Arabia in
November 2024, in partnership with a local female-owned operator.
This trend involves luxury travelers hiring professional
film crews to document their travels, turning holidays into personal legacies.
Unlike the “Set-Jetting” trend, which focuses on visiting movie locations, this
trend lets clients star in their own documentaries, reflecting the growing
demand for personalized storytelling and memory preservation.
Companies like Cookson Adventures, Quintessentially Travel,
Pelorus and Joro Experiences transform travel into cinematic memories,
providing a virtually stunning record of extraordinary experiences.
The seventh trend reflects the growing popularity of racket
sports like tennis, pickleball and padel during vacations.
Companies like Pickleball in Paradise now organize racket
sport-themed vacations and resorts worldwide are capitalizing on this trend by
adding state-of-the-art courts, clinics and tournaments. Notable destinations
include Marbella Club, the birthplace of padel in Europe, and Necker Island,
where Richard Branson hosts the exclusive Necker Cup tennis tournament.
Even cruise lines, such as Crystal Cruises, now offer
onboard pickleball and padel courts on their ships.
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