Several Luxury Travel Trends for 2017

In the past, luxury just meant expensive. With increasing savvier travelers and more available travel options, people are shifting their focus from expensive products to good experience. A five star hotel is no longer enough, a unique history that differentiates it from the next luxury accommodation is a necessity.

As demands of luxury travelers change, the travel industry is pushed to get creative in offering meaningful travel experiences. In 2017, luxury travelers are more in favor of having an adventure in undiscovered areas and are craving for customized local experiences. Below are some points you need to know for luxury travel in 2017:

Over-the-top Luxury Accommodations: Luxury accommodation is becoming popular again in 2017. Hence extraordinary experiences are suggested to go along with your king size bed and other self-contained rooms. Immersive accommodation experiences have also been growing in popularity, such as the Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Mexico, where you could find accommodations right in the middle of a jungle, enjoy full-service spa on a dry riverbed or dine in a first-class restaurant.

Luxury in the Sky: It will be possible for many elite fliers to decide when and where exactly to land a plane in its own class. Private jet charters are gaining more popularity, even rapper Jay-Z is interested in it. Compared with commercial flights, private jet charter services offer maximum flexibility with access to 10 times more airports. Single passenger jets to parties of 15 or more are also included in the services, such as Executive Charter Services.

Multigenerational Trips: Multigenerational trips are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. Tourism products are customized to cater to the demand of all ages, like grandparents, parents, and young children who are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime trip in places like the Galapagos Islands and elusive African safaris. In the past, families only have limited luxury travel options since experiences such as safaris had age limitations. However, as people’s demand for multigenerational trips increases, many operators are lifting restrictions and implementing special programs that can meet different age groups.

Experiential Travel: It’s better to offer niche travelers some unique experiences, such as flavorful dishes prepared by celebrity chefs, face to face with some of the world's most fascinating species or glide past glaciers at the top or bottom of the world. Other popular tours are walking and cycling tours, which will take travelers off the beaten path and immerse them in the local culture. For example, the cycling tour of Vietnam, traveling across the Halong Bay from North to South lasting for 15 days, into local villages, coffee plantations and jungle paths.

Experience vs Ownership: For luxury travelers now, access weighs more than acquisition, and experiences weigh more than owning stuff. This is “good news for travel, bad news for handbags,” Chris Sanderson, co-founder of the Future Laboratory, a trend-forecasting agency, said at a Ritz-Carlton hotels breakfast. It means luxury travelers do not look for owning specific, expensive products like the Hermès Kelly bag, but seek to post about them.

Head for Destinations before They Are Gone Forever: Cuba, as an emerging destination, is attracting more travelers than before for its losing distinctive characters. The Arctic is another must-see spot, where melting glaciers are impacting the region’s unique wildlife.