Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group (AKTG) recently wrapped up its largest-ever 100 Club event, bringing together more than 300 attendees, including 200 travel advisor partners and more than 100 employees across AKTG’s portfolio of brands and destination management companies (DMCs).
Held at The Peninsula Chicago and The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, the event featured senior leaders from Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal, A&K Sanctuary, Ecoventura and Cox & Kings, who shared the top trends they are seeing in luxury travel.
Here’s what we learned during this year’s event.
Multicity Itineraries Continue to Gain Momentum
Advisors, suppliers and A&K executives all pointed to the growing trend of multicity itineraries.
In Latin America, travelers are extending their trips and combining multiple destinations in one go.
“They’re going to Chile, Argentina and Brazil,” said Dalia Gibu, vice president of DMC sales and marketing for the Americas. “People are adding more days, going to the Amazon and combining everything.”
This reflects the broader shift that travelers are no longer satisfied with visiting just one country during their trips. Instead, they are combining destinations and often returning to regions they’ve already visited, showing eagerness to see as much as possible and even coming back for more.
In Southeast Asia, the idea of “slow travel” has failed to materialize.
“It resumes exactly the way it was,” said Jean-Baptiste Richard, vice president of DMCs for Southeast Asia, noting that post-pandemic expectations didn’t stick. “People have full itineraries. They’re going to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.”
Women Are Traveling Together
Another emerging trend is the rise of women-only travel groups.
“We have groups of women who want authenticity, immersive experiences and wellness experiences where they can connect,” Gibu said.
These trips are highly experience-driven and mostly centered around culture, food and social moments that foster connection.
Colombia, in particular, is seeing strong demand in this segment, reflecting a growing appetite for vibrant, culturally rich destinations.
“Some trips consist of coffee tasting in the forest, salsa lessons, chocolate tasting and specialized shopping,” she said. “They want a combination of culture and nature.”
Repeat Travelers Are Driving Demand
Clients are not only returning; they’re redefining how they travel.
“We have a lot of repeat clients,” said Jennifer Charlton, managing director of Cox & Kings, an AKTG-owned travel brand focused on immersive, high-quality tours. “More than 50% of our business is repeat clients, and they’re always challenging us to look at new destinations and go deeper.”
In Africa, repeat travel is especially strong, with travelers increasingly craving emotional connection.
“People come for the wildlife, and they leave talking about the people,” said Paul Bauer, senior vice president of Africa and Europe DMCs. “That connection makes them want to come back and experience more.”
Multigenerational Travel Continues to Surge
Multigenerational travel remains one of the strongest drivers in luxury travel, and it’s expanding into more adventurous destinations.
“We’re seeing increasing multigenerational travel coming to Africa because people want to disconnect from the crazy world and spend quality time with family,” Bauer said.
Group dynamics are also changing, with groups ranging from people in their 20s to their 80s all enjoying the same adventures.
“Multigenerational traveling is now expanding to exotic destinations as opposed to typical family destinations,” said Justin Dolan, director of sales at CTA Travel.
Experiences Are Replacing Traditional Luxury
Experiences have become travel’s fastest growing segment this year, and this was echoed during the event.
Travelers are constantly redefining what luxury means, and it’s no longer centered around hotels and accommodations.
They are paying more for experiences than hotels now.
According to Gibu, people are now expecting out-of-box experiences.
“They are paying more for experiences than hotels now,” she said. “Their main goal is to explore the right way and do something unique rather than having the top luxury suite at a hotel.”
This shift is also reflected across regions.
In Southeast Asia, travelers are leaning towards smaller, more intimate properties over large luxury hotels, favoring authenticity at the same price point.
Travelers Are Looking Beyond Traditional Destinations
Travelers are also interested in making discoveries.
From Colombia’s rise in Latin America to increased interest in South Korea as an alternative to Japan, travelers are moving beyond the classics.
"Those that have done the big destinations are looking for something new,” Dolan said.
