Virtuoso hails ‘record-setting’ year amid 20% increase in sales

Luxury travel agency network Virtuoso has reported a 20.8% year-on-year increase in sales for 2026 so far.

 

Speaking at the opening session of the network’s 38th annual Travel Week conference in Las Vegas, executive vice-president of strategic communications David Kolner said: “It’s been a record-setting year for everyone [across its nine global regions] and, in all markets, growth in preferred sales is outpacing non-preferred sales.”

 

The network currently comprises more than 20,000 travel agents across 58 countries and 2,800 hotel groups, cruise lines and tour operators, known as ‘preferred partners’.

 

The UK specifically has seen a 26% increase year over year.

 

Kolner cited a number of reasons for this growth, including “a continual societal trend that values experiences other things”.

 

He also emphasised that high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients “just behave differently” to the general market, which is why the continued growth the network is experiencing “counters” what may be happening in the mass market.

 

The number of UHNW individuals is also on the up, driving more demand for luxury travel.

 

Kolner reported that the number of people with more than $30 million in assets is increasing seven times faster than the general population.

 

The network has also found that 89 people cross the UHNW threshold every day, with these travellers taking an average of six leisure trips per year and spending between $8,400 and $12,400 on each.

 

Speaking at a media press conference, vice-president of global public relations Misty Belles shared a number of trends also contributing to the growth in sales.

 

She cited ‘fallcations’ as the number-one trend, reporting an increase in the number of people travelling outside of the traditional peak season partly due to rising summer temperatures across Europe.

 

Bookings of this type are up by 59%, with particular interest in November, which has seen a 70% boost in sales.

 

Belles described September, October and November as “the new summer” and said the destinations performing well for fall travel across the network include the US (particularly Hawaii), Italy and France.

 

City breaks are also growing in popularity, as well as trips centred around wellness, of which one in four global luxury travellers sees as a “core reason” for travelling, according to Kolner.

 

Belles said ‘analogue escapes’ are also on the up, as people seek experiences that “take you back to doing something else other than being on your phone”.

 

There are 4,800 delegates representing 105 countries in attendance at the annual four-day conference, currently taking place between August 9 and 12.

 

During the event, Virtuoso also announced the launch of a new AI tool designed to support agents.