Global Travel Collection (GTC) recently shared new 2026 booking data, revealing shifts in travel behavior among luxury clients.
Summer trips to Europe are down 10% year over year, while fall trips to Europe are up by 25%. Top growing destinations include the Nordic and Arctic north for their expedition cruises and luxury lodges, while more Mediterranean-bound travelers are seeking out Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and lesser-known Greece. Domestic travel for the fall is up 40% this year, and the Caribbean is leading festive season bookings.
For years, luxury meant going where everyone else went, just doing it better. That instinct has flipped.
Why It Matters: Quieter Fall Escapes and Cooler Climes Dominate
GTC advisors sell $2.4 billion in luxury travel annually, so knowing how and where their clients are traveling is a major indicator of what is popular with the ultra-luxury crowd, whose travel preferences often trickle down as aspirational goals for mainstream travelers. GTC clients — who have already booked 1,000 trips costing $100,000 or more this year — are turning away from heat and crowds and opting for cooler climates, quieter fall escapes and a mix of international and domestic travel.
According to Angie Licea, president of Global Travel Collection, this marks a change in how luxury travelers think — instead of just doing a more expensive version of an Amalfi Coast trip, they’re avoiding the crowded area altogether and opting for a more inspired, lesser-known choice.
What They’re Saying: Luxury Clientele Want Less Obvious Destinations
“For years, luxury meant going where everyone else went, just doing it better,” said Angie Licea, president of Global Travel Collection. “That instinct has flipped. Our clients want the place before it’s crowded, the season before it’s obvious and the experience no one else has figured out yet. They’re not chasing the list. They’re writing the next one.”
