Travel is set to return big time in 2023. The same goes for high-end travel. Luxury and experiential travel network Virtuoso says it is seeing a surge in the number of high-income travellers determined to take “multiple big-ticket trips” and prioritise travel “whatever the price”.
But among the luxury travel trends Virtuoso is seeing, it is the spike in luxury cruising, specifically expedition cruising, that is perhaps most notable.
According to Virtuoso, in 2022, expedition cruising rose by a massive 206 per cent on 2019 levels among Australian and New Zealand travellers.
And Virtuoso general manager of Australia and New Zealand Fiona Dalton says, “affluent travellers are increasingly seeking access to highly curated and bespoke experiential opportunities when cruising”.
“Expedition cruising is the perfect travel style, allowing comfort and highly anticipatory service onboard, accompanied by the most extraordinary shore experiences in the most remote destinations,” Dalton said.
“Travellers can explore the far reaches of the Antarctic, visit remote communities along Greenland’s west coast that are inaccessible by road, or cruise the Cape Verde archipelago, off the west coast of Africa, traversing Fogo’s lava landscapes and the dunes of stark Boa Vista.
“Expedition cruising comes in many shapes and sizes, but there is an option for every traveller type and level of drive to push beyond one’s comfort zone.”
Beyond the comfort zone
Using data from $70 billion (US$49.5 billion) in transactions along with insights from the recent Virtuoso Luxury Talks by exELLENce Group program, Virtuoso went about highlighting the trends that would lead luxury travel in 2023.
Bringing together Virtuoso advisors from around the world and other industry experts, the Virtuoso Luxury Talks discovered that the desire for local experiences was leading to activities that require more mental and physical effort.
As a consequence, advisors are seeing a rise in the number of luxury travellers seeking adventures that push them beyond their comfort zone.
Other travellers, it found, want to shadow researchers in Antarctica or scientists in the Galapagos as they immerse themselves in their work. Either way, travellers want to be educated and challenged, Virtuoso said.
Virtuoso also expects luxury cruise production to exceed 2019 levels by a healthy 30 per cent in 2023 as luxury ocean cruising continues its 2022 domination into 2023.
So expect expedition cruises to continue to boom.
Tapping into data from its Wanderlist website, Virtuoso also found the top destinations that Australians and New Zealanders are booking in 2023 are Singapore, Honolulu, London, Paris and Tokyo, which it called the hottest city right now.
For more luxury travel trends, click here.
