7 Luxury Travel Trends We Are Loving and Where to Experience Them

Whether it’s a quick domestic escape or an ambitious journey abroad, the definition of luxury travel has shifted for many jetsetters — away from opulence for its own sake and toward exclusive access, transformation, and cultural depth.

“We’re witnessing a shift towards intentional travel in 2026,” says Cristina Levis, CEO at Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group. “Our guests aren’t just seeking beautiful destinations – they want experiences that challenge perspectives, forge genuine connections, and create lasting impact,” she says.

Virtuoso, a leading network for luxury travel, cited in their annual Virtuoso Luxe Report that high-end globetrotters are no longer seeing luxury travel as a checklist of buzzy hotels to visit, but instead as necessary journeys with more meaning, restoration, and personalization. 

Discerning travelers seek to gain something from their trip, like a contribution to a philanthropic cause, a plan to biohack their way to looking and feeling younger, or a cultural immersion so remote, it can’t be found on social media. 

Here are seven travel trends shaping the discerning globetrotter set, and some standout destinations that embody them:

Embracing Shoulder Season

The affluent traveler is trading high-season crowds for low-season serenity in the globe’s most popular destinations. Many top hotels and destinations in Italy, the top destination for tourists worldwide, offer curated programming and locally focused happenings with no long lines and jam-packed hot spots – and a more locally focused way to savor La Dolce Vita.

On Lake Como, Passalacqua leans into early autumn with candlelit culinary salons, misty garden walks, and lake boat cruises, and spa rituals designed for crisp mornings. In Tuscany, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco turns shoulder season into celebration with truffle hunts, vineyard harvests, and cellar tastings with local vintners. 

Adventure Travel

There is an uptick of jetsetters, particularly for millennials and Gen Z, who want their cultural explorations to involve a physical challenge. Journeys involving hiking, biking, trekking, and conquering legendary routes earned only by navigating the rugged land are a high priority.

Luxury exploration travel experts like Abercrombie & Kent make adventure travel possible without skimping on the sophisticated creature comforts. Their new Peru: Trek to Choquequirao Small Group Journey allows adventure seekers unparalleled access to a more untouched archeological heritage site. Often called Machu Picchu’s lost sister, Choquequirao can only be reached on foot. A&K’s multi-day expedition through high-altitude Andes and Incan terraces includes expert guides, gourmet camp cuisine, and tailored pacing.

Remote Escapes

Travelers are craving a truly unplugged vacation far far away from reality. Travelers are going the extra mile (literally) to unwind in untouched nature, with no signs of hustle and bustle. Luckily, there are a number of resorts that fit the remote bill while still serving up a five star hospitality experience. 

On Tetiaroa Atoll in French Polynesia (near Tahiti), The Brando remains the gold standard for going off the grid into the lap of remote luxury. Accessible only by chartered plane, the private island resort is an actual hideaway for notable names and those wanting to be immersed in the serene destination without distraction.

For those who prefer forests to coral reefs, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge in British Columbia offers a wild, Pacific Northwest counterpart. Reachable only by floatplane, this tented retreat delivers guided outdoor exploration, remote river rafting, and chef-led fireside dinners without a signal bar in sight. 

The Rise of the Wander Women

Solo female travelers are claiming a large percentage of the guest lists in high-end destinations across the globe. From remote adventure lands to metropolitan cities, the “Wander Women” are setting out on solo journeys to discover hidden treasures in the solace of their own curiosity. 

In London, Beaverbrook Town House offers an elegant pied-à-terre amidst the lively city. Beyond the city, their sister property, Beaverbrook in the Surrey Hills countryside, extends the journey into a pastoral retreat with manicured gardens, writing nooks, and nearby charming small town streets for wandering.

Cool ‘Cations, All Year Round

Something Texans are not strangers to, escaping the heat entices travelers year-round. The craving for the cozy feeling surrounded by crisp air, crackling fires, and blustery scenery can be satisfied any time of year in the mountains, northern hillsides and snowy ski slopes.

50 Degrees North, is a luxury destination specialist with curated itineraries in Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, the High Arctic, areas that have been buzzing lately for travelers trading sun scorched beaches for scenic fjords, polar bears and Finnish saunas. 

Sustainability + Philanthropy Travel

Impact is becoming a huge part of luxury. And lauded hotels are doing their part to bring sustainability and philanthropic efforts to the forefront of the guest experience whether its wildlife protection, cultural preservation, or community development.

Abercrombie & Kent offers a Tailormade Tiger Tracking in India bespoke experience through three national parks in India’s Madhya Pradesh to encounter Project Tiger first hand. Project Tiger is a long running conservation effort to protect the most endangered Bengal tigers. The luxury lodges surrounding these tiger reserves are directly funding these efforts showing how high end tourism can both make an impact and create lasting vacation memories. 

Biohacking & Science Based Longevity Wellness

Booking a trip to a health spa is certainly not a new trend, but wellness destinations are doubling down on their offerings to include access to state of the art biohacking technology, expert guided wellness experiences, and medical-led longevity science. 

Germany’s Lanserhof Tengersee remains the pinnacle of medi-spa immersion, offering full metabolic resets through fasting, cellular analysis, ozone treatments, and neurological sleep programs. Meanwhile, SHA Wellness in Spain and Mexico draws peak-performance seekers with stem cell therapies, circadian recalibration, cognitive coaching, and spiritual integration.