The average annual expenditure of luxury travelers varies from 3,400 euros to 6,200 euros, highlighting New York and Barcelona as their preferred destinations. The luxury travelers segment also has a very pronounced environmental awareness. These are some of the conclusions of a study on the vacation habits of the luxury traveler, conducted by Condé Nast Johansens.
The analysis of the vacation habits of luxury travelers allows to get an idea of the preferences that this type of trips. The concept of luxury is quite subjective, so it is important to identify the predominant trends among this type of tourists.
Accommodation
There’s quite an important question: what type of accommodation does the luxury traveler demand? Most of them continue to opt for staying at a luxury hotel. Regarding the type of the hotel room 45% declare to reserve the maximum category available (deluxe), followed by the basic room (28%) and the suite (24%).
Some prefers luxury urban hotels, and another that opts for independent, charming accommodations, closer to nature, like the Spanish villas for rent. According to travel experts in Spain the luxury segment is really prepared because it has everything necessary to offer a perfect luxury vacation: ideal weather, beaches, culture, nature, infrastructures, comfort and relaxation facilities, leading luxury accommodation options, including both hotels and villas for rent. It’s quite important for Spain to maintain these quality standards and compete with emerging travel destinations that offer very good quality-price balance.
Besides the rooms, the study reveals that the luxury traveler values the quality of a hotel based on different aspects, such as the service, restaurant, design, maintenance, spa and sports facilities, awards received, etc. The fundamental features that the travelers consider is the bed, bathroom, size of the room, views, towels, or the location of the bedroom inside the hotel. Regarding tourists who avoid staying in hotels during their luxury vacations, 52% prefer to rent an apartment, 48% a country house, and 41% a vacation property. Facilities like Italian and Spanish villas for rent are thus growing in popularity.
Many of the luxury travelers seek destinations that are respectful to the environment and that offer means to curb their environmental impact. 74% of respondents say they feel better if the hotel declares to do everything it can to reduce their carbon emissions.
For respondents, a sustainable hotel should avoid using the unnecessary towels, recycle, have light sensors and other energy saving systems, grow their own food, or hire local employees, among other practices.
Expenditures
The analysis of the segment was based on the opinions of more than 700 users in 60 countries. The findings reveal that the average annual expenditure of a luxury traveler regarding transport, accommodation and activities at the destination reach 3,400 to 6,200 euros a year. These numbers represent more than 500% of the average annual expenditure of the regular traveler, which is about 1,072 euros.
83% of travelers spend this amount to enjoy one to four luxury trips a year, classifying in: long stays, shorter duration, and weekend outings. These trips are made, mostly, in summer (40%) and autumn (26%).
Popular Destinations
The most sought-after destinations in the world by luxury travelers that top this list include New York and Barcelona, followed by other European cities: Rome, Venice, Florence, Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Dublin and Copenhagen.
When asked about the preferred, for example, Spanish destinations for luxury trips, the experts highlight Barcelona, the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Urban getaways (66%) and coastal holidays (48%) are the ideal locations for this type of vacation.
Traveling
While most of the budget is spent on accommodation, luxury travelers prefer saving on the type of airline ticket. 57% of the respondents state that they travel in economy class, 37% in superior tourist class, 26% in business class, 5% in first class, and only 1% does it in a private jet.
After their arrival, the preferred means of transport to get to the hotel is a shuttle service (69%), a private door-to-door service (28%), and a helicopter service (7%).
Curiosities
The findings of the study also reveal that, when it comes to reserving accommodations, luxury travelers prefer to do it online, via email and by phone, in that order. In addition, during the planning of the trip, 91% confess to browse the travel websites in order to be inspired by the destinations, while 85% look at reviews of other travelers, and 83% search in magazine articles.
On the other hand, the study shows that 45% prefer to travel as a family, compared to the 40% who prefer to do it as a couple, while 23% consider it is important that their vacations allow them to enjoy outdoor activities.
In addition, 19% insist that their hotel establishment should have a spa, a wellness center and yoga classes. The sports offer is an important aspect considered by 10% of the travelers, while 7% believe it is crucial that destinations have pet-friendly policies so they may travel with their pets.
The study shows that when planning the trip, the luxury traveler is especially demanding with the gastronomic and wine offer and about the location. The number of hotel stars, the awards won, and the hotel’s reputation are also part of their requirements.
With regards to the luxury traveler’s profile, the study shows that they are mostly women, although there’s a visible increase in the percentage of men who enjoy this traveling concept.