Tour operator and luxury specialist Audley Travel recently shared new research into the current and future travel preferences of upscale travelers.
The Premium Travel Report reveals that despite the current economic climate, the average spend on a two-week trip (including travel, accommodation and activities) is over $10,000 per person ($10,767), with 59% expecting to spend more on trips than in the past, and 22% expecting to more than double their spend from five years ago.
Our Analysis: Travel Agents Can Use This Insight to Design the Perfect Luxury Trip
This new report gives travel advisors key insights on how to design the perfect trip for a luxury client. For instance, when asked what is important about their vacation, 59% of respondents say they want to travel to destinations they have not been to before, with almost half (48%) preferring to be around as few other groups as possible, and 36% placing importance on wanting to only spend time with their travel companions. In addition, 77% of respondents want to spend time with local guides on their trip and grow their destination knowledge from an authentic source.
The results are certainly encouraging for the industry as a whole — showing that investment in a trip is still a priority for travelers.
Fast Facts: More Findings From the Report
- When it comes to air and hotel bookings, 32% of respondents traveled in economy on their last trip, 33% in premium economy, 17% in business and 19% in first class. Regarding accommodations, 45% of those surveyed stayed in a four-star hotel and 37% in a five-star hotel on their last trip.
- Western Europe has been the most popular region for trips over the last five years for U.S. travelers (49%), and it remains so for intended trips over the next two years. While a beach break was the most popular vacation type (45%), another 38% traveled to visit family and friends, and 36% took a luxury break.
- The survey showed that all respondents have traveled at least once every two years — 95% took a domestic trip, 72% took a short- or mid-haul international trip, and 61% traveled long haul at least once a year. Looking ahead to future travel, 33% expect to travel on a long-haul trip within the next year, and 55% plan months or years in advance.
What They Are Saying: Listening to Past Travelers Is Key in Shaping Future Travel Trends
“Our approach to expanding our offering and service is centered around listening to our clients and designing trips around their needs — something that has long been the Audley way,” said Heather Heverling, president and managing director, North America, for Audley Travel. “In the bid to continue our search for excellence in this area, we were intrigued to conduct a wider insight piece into the premium travel industry to help broaden our overview of the space and anticipate what might be next on the horizon. The results are certainly encouraging for the industry as a whole — showing that investment in a trip is still a priority for travelers, with a large proportion (59%) still expecting to spend more on trips than in the past, and that wanderlust is still strong with over half wanting to travel to destinations they haven’t been to before.”
