Virtuoso: the top luxury trends that are shaping travel this fall

Virtuoso has shared what's new and next in luxury travel, drawing upon data collected from its network of travel advisors, preferred partners and high-net-worth clientele across Canada.

Virtuoso based its findings on a data warehouse of (US) $80 billion in transactions and an ongoing series of surveys, the consortium said Thursday (Sept 12). 

The top fall 2024 destinations for Canadian travellers are:

1. United States
2. Italy
3. France
4. Canada
5. Japan

Forward-looking trends

The following are forward-looking trends revealed in the 2024 Virtuoso Brand & Travel Tracker study, a proprietary survey of high-value travellers across 17 countries conducted in collaboration with YouGov.

Sun-Kissed Sands and City Sights

Canadian luxury leisure travellers have shared their plans for the upcoming fall and festive seasons, with beach getaways and city adventures topping their list. Not surprisingly, Canadians enjoy exploring their own country, with staycations surpassing cruises.

1. Beach (53 per cent)
2. Exploring a city (49 per cent)
3. Foodie/culinary adventure (21 per cent)
4. Staycation (20 per cent)
5. Cruise (18 per cent)
6. Museum/historic tour (18 per cent)

Relax, Rejuvenate and Repeat

Canadians prioritize fulfilling their mental and emotional needs through travel, focusing on joy and happiness (70 per cent), mental reset (58 per cent) and curiosity and exploration (52 per cent), Virtuoso says. 

Secondary motivations vary based on travel companions: couples often choose romantic getaways, families with adult children favour nature and eco-tourism, and trips with extended family or friends are celebratory or adventurous. 

Overall, 72 per cent of Canadians continue to take leisure trips primarily to relax and disconnect, a trend unchanged since 2023.

Setting the bar high

Canadians travel longer and spend more than the average traveller, "which is why they highly value the expertise of professional travel advisors," says Virtuoso. 

• Travellers who use Virtuoso advisors plan to spend twice as much as travellers who use non-Virtuoso advisors and three times more than do-it-yourself planners.
• Virtuoso-advised travellers are expected to spend an average of 14 nights at hotels in 2024 vs. 12 nights in 2023. That's 50 per cent longer than non-Virtuoso-advised travellers and a 16 percent increase year-over-year.
• Virtuoso travellers spend an average of 21 nights on cruises, three times more than the number of nights spent by non-Virtuoso travellers.

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