Virtuoso’s latest data show luxury travel trends shifting toward autumn departures, longer multi-country itineraries and wellness stays across its global network in 2026. Bookings continue to grow despite higher premium hotel rates, making early planning more important for popular European stays.
What luxury travel trends reveal about autumn demand
Autumn is attracting substantially more bookings and sales, with November recording the strongest gains among the months detailed by Virtuoso.
| Travel period | Booking change | Sales change |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 overall | Up 59% | Up 69% |
| September | Up 55% | Up 77% |
| October | Up 59% | Not specified |
| November | Up more than 70% | Up more than 70% |
| Festive season | Up 65% | Up 56% |
Sales at Virtuoso’s preferred European hotels rose 39% through June, while autumn bookings for Europe increased 49%. That demand persisted even though hotel rates across the region climbed by more than 7%.
- Rates on the French Riviera rose 179%.
- Rates in the Greek Isles increased by more than 130%.
- Rates in Puglia, southern Italy, climbed 78%.
Multi-city journeys are becoming longer and more ambitious
More affluent travellers are combining several cities or countries rather than organising a holiday around one destination.
Virtuoso calls this pattern “city-maxxing,” and about half of the relevant itineraries cross national borders. France and Italy form the most common country pairing, followed by France and the United Kingdom, then Italy and Switzerland.
Italy appears in two out of every five multi-city routes. Some itineraries link Florence, Rome and Venice, while other travellers stay longer and use a private villa, branded residence or second home as a base for exploring the surrounding region.
Private aviation also plays a part in some journeys. Millennials are requesting private jets at a rate 6% above the global average.
- Bookings worth at least $50,000 increased 47%.
- Cruise bookings at that spending level rose 49%.
- Travel sales worth $100,000 or more increased 49%.
Premium hotels and cruises lead broader sales growth
Hotels and cruises are driving gains as Virtuoso’s total network sales remain on course to rise nearly 21% year over year.
Growth spans all traveller-origin regions, led by Greater China, the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Middle East and Africa, and continental Europe. Sales originating in the United States rose 21%.
Hotel sales increased 25%, while cruise sales grew 22%. Bookings for rooms costing at least $1,500 a night rose 37%, and advisers also noted interest in private clubs with guest rooms and exclusive sections within hotels.
| Hotel category | Latest average nightly rate | 2019 average |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury international hotels | $1,653 | $985 |
| Luxury US hotels | $1,445 | $790 |
Wellness stays move beyond conventional spa breaks
Demand is growing for accommodation built around sleep, mental health, metabolic health and medical testing.
Bookings at hotels classed in the wellness segment rose 28%, while sales increased 44% and average daily rates climbed 23%. Virtuoso also identifies longevity travel as a developing area, combining health assessments with high-end accommodation.
These stays differ from a standard spa holiday because the health programme can shape the itinerary rather than serve as an optional hotel amenity.
Travel advisers retain a role as artificial intelligence spreads
Travellers remain open to professional help even as artificial intelligence becomes common within the travel business.
Seventy-four percent of Virtuoso advisers use AI in their work, as do 70% of its preferred partners. Advisers expressed concern that automated recommendations often draw on similar online material, producing repetitive itineraries that steer users toward the same heavily visited places.
Half of the advisers surveyed said clients were looking for alternatives to overcrowded destinations. Meanwhile, 79% of luxury travellers said they would consider working with an adviser on a future trip.
Virtuoso’s July survey of nearly 800 advisers found that multigenerational and family holidays were the most requested type of travel. Premium ocean cruises ranked second, followed by trips organised around celebrations.
What travellers should do now
Travellers considering an autumn European holiday, festive break or complex regional itinerary should start comparing accommodation and transport earlier.
Virtuoso’s customers are already booking farther in advance, while the sharp rate increases in several European leisure markets make a clear budget especially important. Travellers planning wellness stays should also confirm which assessments, treatments and services are included before committing.
AI tools can help generate initial ideas, but their recommendations may concentrate on familiar destinations. A travel adviser can be useful when coordinating several countries, arranging private transport or identifying less crowded alternatives.
