UK’s Top Luxury Travel Trends for 2017

Tapping Into Local Expertise

Courtesy of René Frey, CEO at Insight Guides

This year, one of the top trends we expect to see is travellers seeking to enrich their experience in a destination by seeking out a local expert rather than a guide from a big-box tour company. “Gone are the days of booking through a travel operator in your own country and having an off-the-shelf travel experience,” explains René Frey, CEO of Insight Guides. “People are moving towards reliable platforms where they can connect with well-established, trusted local operators to experience the very best of their chosen destinations. Websites like Insight Guides link travellers with tour operators on-the-ground in places as far-flung as Patagonia and as luxurious as Paris, and provide a secure booking platform.”

Escaping to Private Island Resorts

Courtesy of Mark Smith, Head of Business Development at Simplexity Travel

One of the many indulgences money can buy and that luxury travellers are willing to pay for in 2017 is total privacy. “With many people still coming to terms with the events that took place in 2016, total escapism will be key when it comes to the luxury travel this year. Combine this with another major trend for 2017 – exclusive-use – and I believe we will see a huge rise in the popularity of private islands,” says Mark Smith, Head of Business Development at Simplexity Travel. “Already causing great excitement is the recently opened Voavah in the Maldives, Four Seasons’ first exclusive-use private island, as well as Bawah and Cempedak, two eco-friendly Indonesian private island resorts. If those are a little too far from home, there’s always Tagomago, the 98-acre private paradise located less than a kilometre from the coast of Ibiza where Real Madrid teammates Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo like to kick back.”

Culinary Getaways

Courtesy of travel writer Allison DiLiegro

More than ever, the promise of a delicious local meal is enough to lure luxury travellers to a new destination. “This year, the luxury travel industry is taking the farm-to-table trend to new heights. Luxury hotels and resorts around the globe are offering fully-immersive culinary experiences that allow guests to roll up their sleeves and get to know their food – and the culture of the destination along with it – more intimately. Hotels with their own vineyards, orchards and gardens on property are becoming more and more prevalent. Travellers have a chance to hunt for truffles in the misty morning, pick herbs from the garden with the chef, collaborate with the mixologist on a new cocktail and learn new techniques they can take home as a lifelong souvenir. And the best part of all? These experiences offer all the fun of experimenting in the kitchen without having to wash a single dish.”

Visiting Destinations Before It’s Too Late

Courtesy of travel writer Allison DiLiegro

A trend we expect to see in 2017 is travellers heading to rapidly changing destinations before it’s too late. “Many travellers are bumping up destinations with a sense of urgency to the top of their wish lists, whether it’s the culture or the environment that’s at risk. Cuba – once so special for being so isolated – is now in danger of losing some of its authenticity as the crowds and cruise ships come in to make their mark. Another destination travellers are visiting now is Montana's spectacular Glacier National Park. The park was once home to more than 150 glaciers, but now has fewer than 25. Scientists predict that the number may continue to shrink over the next 10 years. If you want to get your glimpse of the “Crown of the Continent”, 2017 is the year to make the trip.”