Wealthier travelers are now cutting back on luxury vacations, though not for economic reasons. Focus-based, flexible, and personalized travel is becoming part of the most affluent travelers’ plans, heralding a new dawn for travel itinerary planners.
A Marriott Luxury Group study was released this year, shedding light on how travel norms are shifting for wealthier vacationers. It is titled “The Intentional Traveler,” and it demonstrates how tourists with the most funds are changing their ways.
Luxury for luxury’s sake is a thing of the past, at least for one traveling cohort. A rising number of those who have built serious wealth are bored with typical vacations, and they want something more.
Finding Meaning Overseas
The study surveyed 1,750 of the most affluent travelers from the Asia Pacific region. It reveals how the luxury travel industry is changing constantly. These affluent tourists now seek “deeper cultural engagement, increased precision in itinerary planning, and rising expectations from brands and experiences.”
Marriott Luxury Group’s report also shows the key areas of focus for luxury travel operators, such as TCS World Travel, Luxury Gold, or Abercrombie & Kent. Some key takeaways are as follows:
- Gastronomy leads the way as the most significant driver for travel.
- Wellness is becoming a status symbol.
- Wealthy travelers are spending more than ever.
- Activity-packed daytime itineraries are overtaking nightlife.
- Most clients willingly return to familiar destinations.
- Nature-driven experiences are driving much of the market.
- Meticulously planned “intentional travel” is on the rise.
The Intentional Travel Bug
Intentional travel in the latter category might be defined as going somewhere to create experiences that reflect one’s values, aspirations, and curiosities. Obviously, such broad ideals will encompass a wide range of travel itineraries.
The study also lists emerging or trending tourist profiles, based on quantitative data. The first is named “Guardian Trailsetters,” referencing solo parents who go abroad with children. Their favorite holiday type is, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, religious events. Thankfully for their children, an educational voyage is the next most popular reason.
The Travel Industry’s Generation Gap
Another focus for the travel industry is Generation Z, the newest cohort of money-earners, most of whom are deeply connected to the digital world. They are labeled “Impact Explorers” for their fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) mindset, and they want memories to remember.
The study found that “47% prioritize being close to nature, 45% are eager to see wildlife, and 43% are drawn to active sporting holidays.”
Even though we may associate such choices with the trappings of wealth, intentional travel can be for all. Many of the traveling world’s new trends are mentioned in Condé Nast Traveler’s “The Biggest Travel Trends to Expect in 2025” preview.
Make Your Journey Lit
Contributor Sarah Allard compiled an exhaustive list of trends to watch for in 2025 (and no doubt, 2026), with some leftfield entries. Some of these new vacation methods include “athletic adventures,” female-only “thrill-seeker” holidays, and “intrepid supper clubs.”
At the top of the list was literature-based vacations, whereby people visit a city or country to read a favorite book in its original setting.
Of course, this niche outlook opens doors for niche travel companies, such as the British travel planning agency, Explore. This group created the “Four Corners Book Club” for intrepid bookworms.
“Through history, authors have captured the very essence of destinations the world over,” reads the website’s welcome page. The directive: visiting places to read “stories as iconic as the landmarks themselves.”
Uniting Books With Their Locations
The Four Corners Book Club’s mission is clear: to connect readers with those places that come to life on the page. While this isn’t strictly for wealthier travelers, some of its trips will only suit that client base.
The idea represents a new brand of niche tourism for those who prioritize more sensory experiences. The Four Corners Book Club represents the modern guise of consumer-driven tourism.
Readers match their favorite books to renowned locations all around the world. Furthermore, the club’s map of recommended reading adventure experiences even goes as far as Antarctica. Incidentally, it is also where the company offers tours.
Giving Back Tourism
In addition to the bookworm contingent, some luxury travelers are now reaching out to the communities they visit. An activity usually reserved for gap-year students is now becoming a fixture for more prosperous demographics.
Of course, there is no shortage of ways to give back, and Getaway Magazine underlines how this happens. Citing South Africa as an example of a luxury travel setting, the post suggests three ways South Africa is “voluntourism” ready.
Beach cleanups are one area where visitors can give back. Such activities make sense for a nation with thousands of coastal miles, exposed to two giant oceans.
Moreover, such a large sea horizon means marine conservation projects can offer an unforgettable experience. “In places like Gansbaai and Plettenberg Bay, volunteers can assist with monitoring sharks, whales, and dolphins …” reads the post.
Volunteer Hybrid Trips
There are also endless South African wildlife and habitat conservation projects that travelers can join on a volunteer basis. For those without the budget to afford a pricey safari, sites like Volunteer Forever share the coolest conservation projects, enabling some to help out while still enjoying the life-changing experience.
The way we travel is changing every year, and as customer bases become more diverse, the need for intentional travel should only increase. The term may be broad, but it will likely shape how people travel for many years to come.
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