Virtuoso has revealed its latest travel trends at its 38th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, drawing from the network’s proprietary data and ongoing travel advisor and consumer surveys.
As 2026 progresses, trip timing is becoming an increasingly important factor for luxury travelers, who are choosing to travel later, stay longer and spend more to experience destinations at their best while avoiding crowds.
Virtuoso is on pace to see a 21% increase in year-over-year sales, with business from U.S. travelers also up 21%.
Hotels are leading sales growth at 25%, followed by cruises at 22%, on-site partners (destination management companies) at 18% and tour operators at 11%. Growth is particularly strong at the top end of the market, with bookings at hotels costing $1,500 or more per night, an increase of 37% — more than twice the growth rate of lower-priced properties.
Rates are climbing alongside demand. Luxury international hotels now average $1,653 per night, while luxury U.S. hotels average $1,445, up from $985 and $790 in 2019.
Here are more of the trends Virtuoso is seeing.
Fall Travel Is on the Rise
Fall 2026 bookings are up 59%, while sales have increased 69%. September is leading the season in sales growth, up 77%, alongside a 55% increase in bookings. October bookings are up 59%, while November bookings have risen more than 70%.
Europe is among the clearest examples of the shift. Year-to-date sales at Virtuoso’s preferred European hotels were up 39% through June, with strong booking and sales growth throughout the first half of the year. September bookings have also steadily increased, climbing from 79% of August’s total in 2023 to 92% in 2025. Virtuoso’s data suggests September could outsell August this year.
Bookings to Europe this fall have climbed 49% even as rates increased more than 7%, driving a 64% boost in overall sales. The French Riviera reflects this growth the most, with business up 179%, followed by the Greek Isles at more than 130% and Puglia, Italy, at 78%.
The trend is extending into the festive season, with bookings up 65% and sales up 56%.
Travelers Are “City-Maxxing”
Luxury travelers are now committing to multicity itineraries, often connected via private flights, a trend Virtuoso has named “city-maxxing.”
About half of these trips cross an international border, with France and Italy being the most common pairing, followed by France and the U.K. or Italy and Switzerland. Italy appears in two out of every five multicity itineraries, anchored by top cities such as Florence, Rome and Venice.
As traveler string destinations together, the average luxury stay is also getting longer, and boosting the popularity of branded residences and private villas.
Private aviation is also gaining traction, particularly among younger travelers. Advisors report millennials are leading private jet requests, running 6% ahead of the global average.
Travelers Are Planning Further Ahead
Clients are increasingly thinking about bookings further out in the future. Global future leisure sales for one and two years out are up 50%. And as the cost of the trip rises, Virtuoso has seen the pattern strengthen. Bookings of $50,000 or more have increased 47%, cruise bookings at that price point are up 49% and production of trips valued at $100,000 and above is also up 49%.
Advisors are also seeing growing demand at the very top of the luxury market, with 45% reporting an increase in requests for ultra-luxe travel, ranging from hotels-within-hotels to private members’ clubs with accommodations.
Wellness Travel Is Evolving
Wellness-focused hotels are outpacing Virtuoso’s broader hotel portfolio, with bookings up 28%, sales up 44% and average daily rates up 23%.
The category has expanded beyond the traditional spa getaway to include sleep optimization, metabolic health and mental-health retreats. Longevity tourism is emerging as a breakout segment, pairing medical diagnostics with five-star hospitality.
Advisors identify three distinct types of wellness travelers: “the performance optimizer,” who seeks data and measurable outcomes; “the restoration seeker,” who prioritizes stillness, nature and digital detoxes; and “the meaning seeker,” who gravitates toward mindfulness and retreats centered on life transitions.
AI Adoption Is Growing, But So Is the Value of Advisors
Seventy-four percent of Virtuoso advisors are now using artificial intelligence in their business, alongside 70% of preferred partners. This is above the 59% industry adoption rate reported by Phocuswright (which is owned by the same parent company as TravelAge West).
However, Virtuoso advisors have also seen the limitations of AI-generated travel content. Its recommendations can overlap, producing repetitive itineraries and contributing to overcrowding by repeatedly directing travelers to the same destinations.
Given these drawbacks of the technology, three in four Virtuoso clients cite their advisor’s accommodation and destination expertise as a key benefit of working with them. Three in five also point to their advisor’s ability to curate experiences specifically tailored to them.
Interest in advisors remains broad, with 79% of luxury travelers saying they are open to using one for future trips.
Amid the influence of algorithms, half of advisors report clients are steering away from over-touristed destinations in favor of analog escapes, with time, privacy and the ability to disconnect emerging as the ultimate luxuries.
Family, Cruising and Bucket-List Trips Drive Demand
In Virtuoso’s July survey of almost 800 advisors, multigenerational and family travel led the trip types clients are increasingly requesting, cited by 69% of respondents. Premium and luxury ocean cruising followed at 63%, with celebration travel at 60%.
Preferences vary by generation. Baby Boomers are driving cruise demand, with 76% showing interest in ocean cruising and 68% in river cruising, while millennials are gravitating toward beach escapes and new luxury products and experiences.
The survey also points to a shift in how clients are booking their trips. Sixty percent are prioritizing bucket-list travel, 42% are booking further in advance to secure their preferred options and 30% are taking fewer trips but making them longer and higher quality.
