Cruises-N-More participated in luxury travel’s largest and most acclaimed event. Happening in Las Vegas, the event is recognized as the Fashion Week of travel, where the latest news and trends affecting the industry are unveiled.
According to Virtuoso®, Cruises-N-More’s agency consortium, upscale travelers will zigzag the globe from Uruguay to Malta to Rwanda this fall and holiday season. Upscale Americans are seeking adventures in less-visited destinations from Latin America to the Middle East to off-the-beaten-path Europe this fall and holiday season.
Known as a respected trend forecaster, Virtuoso reviewed figures from its warehouse of more than $49.5 billion in transactions to compile the most in-demand locales for the coming fall and holiday season.
Here is what was revealed.
The Virtuoso Top 10 Destinations – The most popular fall and holiday destinations for Americans according to future bookings are:
- United States
- Italy
- United Kingdom
- France
- South Africa
- Israel
- Australia
- Germany
- Japan
- Spain
The Top 10 Analysis – With such a diversity of destinations and experiences at home,
- Americans increasingly choose to travel domestically for the holidays.
- Europe’s appeal as a summer destination extends into fall, with five countries on the list. Italy, France and Germany repeat from last year; the latter is especially popular with river cruisers for its celebrated Christmas markets.
- Japan, the “it” country that topped the list of emerging destination in the 2019 Virtuoso Luxe Report, appeals to travelers from adventurers to culinary enthusiasts.
- Two other fall and holiday favorites, South Africa and Israel, repeat from last year’s list, beckoning families seeking trips of a lifetime at the festive season.
The Virtuoso Hot 10 – The countries that have experienced the largest increases by percentage in year-over-year bookings among U.S. travelers.
- Uruguay (+286%) 6. Puerto Rico (+120%)
- Maldives (+171%) 7. Rwanda (+114%)
- Malta (+140%) 8. Qatar (+101%)
- Romania (+135%) 9. South Korea (+98%)
- Egypt (+122%) 10. Norway (+96%)
The Hot 10 Analysis – The Virtuoso Luxe Report determined the prevailing travel motivator for 2019 is exploring new destinations
- seeking fresh adventures amidst the fairytale castles of Romania, historic sites of Malta and fjords of Norway. Uruguay’s award-winning wineries, pleasant climate, and adventure opportunities make it a sought-after destination for the season.
- The Middle East remains popular, with Egypt and Qatar enticing visitors with less-explored cuisines, bustling markets, and desert excursions
- Puerto Rico and the Maldives provide beach retreats for relaxation-focused travelers.
According to Virtuoso, data is drawn from Virtuoso’s U.S. agency members and reflects travel bookings for September through December 2019.
