Luxury Travelers Are Booking Bigger, Earlier — and Turning to Advisors More Than Ever

Luxury travel is having a record-breaking year, and Virtuoso says it’s only gaining momentum. The global network of high-end travel advisors, agencies and preferred partners has tapped into its $90 billion in annual transactions to spotlight what’s driving the industry in 2025 — and what’s next.

The headline number: Virtuoso sales are up 12 percent for the first half of the year compared to 2024, with hotels leading the way at nearly 26 percent growth. That figure has surged past 33 percent in the second half of the year, while cruise and tour bookings are climbing steadily. Travelers aren’t just splurging on the short term either. Future bookings above $50,000 are up 35 percent year over year, and cruise reservations one to two years out in the same price range have jumped 43 percent.