Asian and Latin locations rose to the top of the list as up-and-coming destinations in the 2010 Virtuoso Luxe Report released recently. India, Vietnam and Cuba were voted top emerging destinations, providing insight into the future direction of high-end travelers. Rounding out the top emerging-destination picks were the Galapagos Islands, China and Chile. Based on expert feedback from its network of travel providers and advisors, the Luxe Report results reflect booking trends, new travel destinations, comparisons to travel in 2009, and above all, forecast the travel aspirations of some of the most upscale travelers in the United States.
The top three trends ranked by Virtuoso providers as influencing clients’ vacation choices included: seeking authentic experiences in new destinations; rest and relaxation; and spending time or reconnecting with loved ones. Interestingly, the survey also found that private villa rental is booming, with 41 percent saying this sector will increase in 2010 over 2009 bookings, supporting the trend towards connecting with loved ones in a private group setting. Of the travel professionals responding, 71 percent said clients are seeking international travel for 10+ days. Weekend getaways to domestic destinations garnered the smallest share with only 18 percent.
The primary reasons for clientele booking their travel through a Virtuoso agent as opposed to booking directly were cited as: expertise; the comfort level of working with their travel provider; the pre- and post-trip support they receive; and the ability of the travel provider to fully customize the trip for them. The largest influences on travel decisions are word of mouth, travel magazines and lifestyle magazines.
Advisors from Virtuoso travel agencies were invited to take the survey in November and December 2009. Results were tabulated from more than 250 responses from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America. The sampling represents 10,000 of the Virtuoso network’s 1.3 million-name database of affluent clients.
(sourced by: Travel World News )
Asian and Latin locations rose to the top of the list as up-and-coming destinations in the 2010 Virtuoso Luxe Report released recently. India, Vietnam and Cuba were voted top emerging destinations, providing insight into the future direction of high-end travelers. Rounding out the top emerging-destination picks were the Galapagos Islands, China and Chile. Based on expert feedback from its network of travel providers and advisors, the Luxe Report results reflect booking trends, new travel destinations, comparisons to travel in 2009, and above all, forecast the travel aspirations of some of the most upscale travelers in the United States.
The top three trends ranked by Virtuoso providers as influencing clients’ vacation choices included: seeking authentic experiences in new destinations; rest and relaxation; and spending time or reconnecting with loved ones. Interestingly, the survey also found that private villa rental is booming, with 41 percent saying this sector will increase in 2010 over 2009 bookings, supporting the trend towards connecting with loved ones in a private group setting. Of the travel professionals responding, 71 percent said clients are seeking international travel for 10+ days. Weekend getaways to domestic destinations garnered the smallest share with only 18 percent.
The primary reasons for clientele booking their travel through a Virtuoso agent as opposed to booking directly were cited as: expertise; the comfort level of working with their travel provider; the pre- and post-trip support they receive; and the ability of the travel provider to fully customize the trip for them. The largest influences on travel decisions are word of mouth, travel magazines and lifestyle magazines.
Advisors from Virtuoso travel agencies were invited to take the survey in November and December 2009. Results were tabulated from more than 250 responses from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America. The sampling represents 10,000 of the Virtuoso network’s 1.3 million-name database of affluent clients.
(sourced by: Travel World News )
