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• 5 min de lectura
Top cruise itineraries, in order, are the Mediterranean, Alaska, Greek Isles, Antarctica and Danube River, and multi-gen travel is converging with expedition cruising in what's dubbed 'Gen-XYZ-peditions.'
October 5, 2026
For the first time in Virtuoso Luxe Report history, Japan overtook Italy as the most requested destination, and China debuted as the top destination on the rise, signaling that luxury tourism's center of gravity is shifting east.
The report tapped the collective knowledge of the global luxury powerhouse network's travel agency members and their professional travel advisors to reveal what's next for the world's savviest globetrotters.
Advisors are entering 2027 with their most confident outlook in three years. A majority (53%) expect leisure travel demand to rise slightly in the coming year, while another 22% anticipate a significant increase.
Some 59% predict at least a modest increase in spending per trip and 13% forecast a significant jump. Less than a quarter (23%) of those surveyed think spending will remain the same.
In other findings, value and safety have become increasingly important considerations.
The Luxe Report identified five factors shaping how the well-traveled will explore the world in 2027.
Expanded air service and continued investment in luxury hotels, knowledgeable guides and elevated service are providing new possibilities for certain markets. In China, broader visa-free policies are simplifying arrival, while nonstop connections are upporting South Korea's growing cultural pull. What once felt complicated is becoming easier to plan, navigate and recommend.
Today's high-end traveler is shopping the exchange rate and maximizing their purchasing power. Advisors report clients arriving with a budget and asking where it will go the furthest, favoring places that deliver full-tilt luxury at a friendlier price. That mindset is strengthening the appeal of Vietnam, Egypt and Turkey.
Notably, nobody is trading down. They are swapping the destination while keeping the suite, private guide and hard-to-get table.
Virtuoso recently dubbed the rise of longer, multicity trips as "city-maxxing." Now, travelers are taking a more considered approach to how each stop fits together. Itineraries are built around contrast, pairing the intensity of a safari with the ease of the beach, the energy of a city with the quiet of the countryside or deep cultural immersion with time to unwind.
Multigenerational travel rose to the No. 1 trend spot after climbing one place each year since the 2024 Luxe Report, while expedition cruising sailed up to No. 3. Advisors see the two beginning to converge in what Virtuoso calls "Gen-XYZ-peditions," a far-flung adventure shared across several generations.
These high-stakes family trips also lend themselves to the privacy and personalization associated with ultraluxe travel, which nearly half of advisors (47%) say is on the rise. At the highest end, that can mean reserving an entire ship or lodge and tailoring every detail to the group. The family vacation is getting a little more private and a little more elaborate.
And rounding out the five factors shaping travel is something Virtuoso refers to as "solitary refinement." Going solo once meant paying extra for the privilege of joining someone else's trip. Today, independent guests are traveling with greater intention, designing itineraries around what they hope to achieve rather than where they want to visit. Health and wellness has overtaken adventure travel as the leading category, and women-only solo travel debuted at No. 4, cited by 30% of advisors.
Destination choices are maturing in step, with Spain, Iceland and Croatia all building momentum as the solo set ventures beyond familiar starting points.
The Luxe Report named Japan a favorite among almost every category of traveler. It took the No. 1 global spot, but also landed second for family travel, third for solo trips and sixth for honeymoons, while Tokyo and Kyoto claimed the top two city slots and nudged Paris to fourth.
China debuted at No. 1 among destinations on the rise, with Vietnam and South Korea also making the top 10, giving Asia an especially strong showing.
Greece ended Italy's long reign as the place to honeymoon, with Bali and the Maldives close behind.
Egypt climbed to fourth among destinations on the rise, and the Nile made its debut on the top cruise itineraries. Antarctica remains the undisputed adventure leader, holding the No. 1 spot since 2024 and a place among the top five cruise itineraries.
According to the Luxe Report, the top global travel destinations, in order, are Japan, Italy, France, Greece and Spain, while the top destinations on the rise, also in order, are China, Antarctica, Iceland, Egypt and Norway
The Mediterranean continues its cruise reign, followed by Alaska, the Greek Isles, Antarctica and the Danube.
After the No. 1 multigenerational family travel comes family travel (immediate family), expedition cruising, active/adventure trips and cultural immersion.
More than 3,100 travel advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated agencies in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the Middle East participated in the Luxe Report survey. The full rankings, in list form, are at https://staticprost.blob.core.windows.net/division-marketing/PR/2027%20Luxe%20Report/2027%20Virtuoso%20Luxe%20Report%20Global%20Report_Final.pdf.
