Virtuoso’s UK advisors predict rise in travel demand and spend in 2026

Virtuoso advisors from the UK and Ireland predict a small rise in travel demand and spend next year, according to the luxury agency network’s 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report.

 

The annual report surveys 2,400 travel advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated agencies in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, with the network producing both global and regional results.

 

Out of those surveyed in the UK and Ireland, 56% foresee at least a slight rise in travel demand next year, with 15% anticipating a significant increase.

 

Spend per trip is expected to remain high, with 63% predicting at least a modest increase (eight points above this year’s global percentage) and 28% expecting spend to stay the same.

 

A further 37% of respondents said they had seen an increase in “ultra-luxe travel”, with privacy, all-inclusive experiences, celebration travel, active and adventure trips and sustainable ultra-luxury experiences key trends in this segment.

 

The report summarised: “Luxury travellers are willing to spend more but are mindful of rising costs, seeking value that enhances their experiences. This makes their relationship with a trusted travel advisor even more essential.”

 

Top destinations for UK and Ireland travellers include Greece, Japan, Italy, the Maldives and South Africa.

 

Virtuoso’s vice-president of global public relations Misty Belles said while travellers around the globe are chasing the cold, with a rise in so-called ‘cool-cations’, those in the UK and Ireland are seeking warm-weather retreats to escape inclement weather.

 

Montenegro is the leading destination on the rise for 2026, offering “luxury on the Adriatic at a better value compared to more crowded Mediterranean locations”.

 

Morocco climbed seven places from last year to claim the number two spot among rising destinations, while Saudi Arabia also made its debut on the list.

 

Dubai jumped three spots to become the number one city to visit in 2026, with Tokyo and Kyoto, for the first time, also mentioned.

 

The report saw Japan continuing to prove popular across multiple categories, taking the top spot for solo travel, second for global and a place in the top 10 for family travel. 

 

Virtuoso said sustainability would influence travel decisions in 2026, with 41% of respondents claiming climate change is causing their clients to travel differently. Virtuoso said this played out in travel booking behaviours including increased numbers of travellers choosing to travel during shoulder seasons or off-peak times, choosing destinations with moderate or less extreme weather conditions and trying to reduce their carbon footprint when travelling.

 

Other key travel trends in the UK and Ireland market include family travel, active and adventure trips, multigenerational travel, health and wellness and authenticity.

 

Speaking at the report’s launch event in London last week, Belles said: “This year, [as an organisation] we are up about 13% [in sales] year over year - that is on top of double-digit gains that we saw in 2024 over 2023 as well. So the good news is that luxury travel is doing very, very well - despite what we hear about travel overall – and it’s holding very strong.

 

“Part of the reason is that hotel average daily rates are incredibly robust. The average daily rates for Virtuoso’s preferred hotels - and we have about 1,800 of those in our portfolio - year over year are up about 8%. So we’re not seeing that slow down; in fact, we’re seeing a pretty strong escalation as we get to the holiday period.

 

“What is interesting, though is that the average global trip length has come down just a little bit by about 4% year over year. So we’re seeing people still spending, still travelling, but maybe not travelling for as long as they did before.”

 

Virtuoso has 32 travel agency members in the UK and Ireland, totalling around 700 travel advisors.