With the conclusion of the 26th annual Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas last week, the luxury and experiential travel specialist network has revealed its latest trends for Canadian travellers, including top fall destinations, travel interests and motivations.
The survey – drawn from its extensive network of travel advisors, preferred partners and high-net-worth/ultra-high-net-worth clientele across the country, and a data warehouse of (US) $80 billion in transactions – provided the following insights into what’s new and next in luxury travel.
According to Virtuoso, the “key takeaway” from its conference is that that travel remains robust, even against a backdrop of global challenges. Year-to-date sales have surpassed those of 2023 for the same January-June timeframe by 14% and skyrocketed 211% over 2019, with future 2025-26 sales already up 38% over last year. And, importantly, the demand for travel advisors remains high, with a 76% increase in consumers seeking out travel advisors so far this year via the network’s site.
When it comes to trends:
- A notable shift from focusing on a trip to-do list to an emphasis on how one feels during travel. Virtuoso’s research has identified that travelers prioritize curiosity and exploration (77 percent), joy and happiness (65 percent) and awe and wonder of nature (57 percent) as the top emotional drivers for luxury travelers. The intangibles of a travel experience are more compelling than checking off bucket list items.
- Travel to cooler climates, or “Coolcations,” such as destinations in northern Europe and Canada, are up 44% this summer, while visits to warmer spots, including Italy, Greece and France, have decreased by .5 percent.
- Wellness travel is expected to be a major trend this year and into the next, with a focus on “Silver Bullet” wellness – a sub-trend highlighting hyper-specific, targeted “cures” tailored to individual wellness needs. A survey revealed that 70% of travellers are seeking relaxation and disconnection through wellness travel, while half are interested in hyper-personalized experiences and mental resets.
- Solo female travel, dubbed as “Wander Women” by Virtuoso and Globetrender, has seen significant growth, with women making up 71 percent of solo travellers
- Travel to off-the-beaten-path destinations and at off-peak times is growing in popularity, aligning with the trend toward more responsible and sustainable travel as a response to overtourism
- Demand for exclusive-use experiences such as VIP transportation, luxury yachts and private residences, along with itineraries that incorporate next-level stimulation and engagement has increased by 89%
- Leading trends in ultraluxe travel include expedition cruises, exotic destinations (such as Fiji, the Maldives and Thailand) and African safaris. Top motivations for ultraluxe travel are celebrations, passion-point experiences (like sports, arts, culture, concerts and festivals) and once-in-a-lifetime trips.
Top Fall 2024 destinations for Canadians
- United States
- Italy
- France
- Canada
- Japan
Travel interests
Canadian luxury leisure travellers have shared their travel plans for the upcoming fall and festive season, with beach getaways and city adventures topping their list. Perhaps not surprisingly, Canadians love to explore their own country, with staycations actually topping cruises.
- Beach (53%)
- Exploring a city (49%)
- Foodie/culinary adventure (21%)
- Staycation (20%)
- Cruise (18%)
- Museum/historic tour (18%)
Relax, rejuvenate and repeat
Canadians prioritize fulfilling their mental and emotional needs through travel, focusing on joy and happiness (70%), mental reset (58%) and curiosity and exploration (52%). However, secondary motivations vary based on travel companions. For example, couples often opt for romantic getaways, families with adult children favour nature and eco-tourism, and trips with extended family or friends tend to be celebratory or adventurous. Overall, a vast majority of Canadians (72%) continue to take leisure trips primarily to relax and disconnect, a trend unchanged since 2023.
Virtuoso Canadian traveller profile
According to the survey, Virtuoso’s Canadian travellers prioritize travel more than the average traveller by staying longer and spending more:
- 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 is 50% longer than non-Virtuoso advised travellers and a 16% increase year-over-year.
- Virtuoso travellers spend an average of 21 nights on cruises, which is three times more than the number of cruise nights spent by non-Virtuoso travellers.
Top destinations are derived from transactional data sourced from Virtuoso’s travel agency members.