While overall luxury spending was flat in 2025, the luxury hospitality market grew by 3% (Bain, 2025), underscoring how travel is becoming an essential expense for wealthy consumers worldwide. “Travel is now a lifestyle, not a luxury” for the affluent in emerging markets, Visa reports. Underpinning growth: a growing cohort of younger travel aficionados.

Amid hectic routines, digital distractions and the social recession, affluent consumers are embracing holidays as crucial for meaningfully connecting with family and friends, a trend that’s accelerated since we discussed it in Luxury Travel Trends 24/25. For these travellers, choice of destination is less important than activities and accommodations conducive to bonding.

Travellers increasingly expect top-dollar holidays to deliver depth, whether through meaningful connection (highlighted above) or intellectual development. “Value now comes from experiences that leave travellers more engaged with the world than when they arrived,” says Candelaria. Hospitality providers must now couple pampering with mind-expanding activities. See more on erudition and connoisseurship in The Experiential Elite and The Luxe Leisure Landscape.

A fast-growing market, opulent yachts and trains promise relaxing, ultra-refined journeys. High-end hotels are rebranding cruising for an elite clientele – the luxury cruise market grew by 10% to €6bn ($6.9bn) last year (Bain-Altagamma, 2025) – while new rail tours emulate the glamour of bygone luxury trains.