by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 9:25 AM ET, Thu April 17, 2025
TravelPulse Canada attended an exclusive lunch held at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, where Virtuoso shared its latest travel insights.
Hosted by Úna O’Leary, GM of Virtuoso Canada, the event shared global data on how Canadian travellers and advisors are shaping and benefiting from the trends.
The Travel Industry’s Momentum: Spectacular Growth
O’Leary opened with a big-picture look:
The global GDP for travel in 2024 is $11.1 trillion, projected to reach $16 trillion over the next decade.
Travel now accounts for 11.4% of the global economy and will represent 12.2% of global employment — compelling numbers for Canadian travel pros navigating a still-recovering market.
Planning Further, Spending More
Virtuoso’s network of 1,435 Canadian travel advisors is already feeling the shift in behaviour:
- Canadians are planning trips further in advance.
- The average booking window has jumped to 125 days — up from 105 days in 2023.
- Big-ticket travel is booming.
- Bookings over $50K are up 42% for safaris and 49% for cruises, showing strong interest in premium, experiential adventures.
According to O'Leary, Canadians continue to over-index in adventure travel — especially safaris and yachting.
Top Canadian Travel Trends: What’s Hot for 2025
Here’s what Virtuoso’s Canadian data and 2024 “LUXE Report” are revealing:
Isolated Escapes
Think: Iceland, Antarctica, or Scandinavia — travellers are choosing remote, cooler climates to escape both the heat and the crowds.
Cool-cations Are In
Ski trips and colder getaways are seeing massive spikes.
Virtuoso has seen a 457% increase in interest in cold-weather travel.
Milestone & Meaningful Travel
Clients are booking trips for birthdays, anniversaries, or just “because” — often with multi-generational groups.
"Born to Be Mild"
Balanced itineraries are on the rise — hiking in the morning, spa or wine-tasting in the afternoon.
TV-Inspired Travel (aka “Tell Me Travel”)
Thanks to shows like White Lotus, travel spikes followed its filming locations.
After the Sicily season aired, Virtuoso saw a 467% jump in travel to the region, O’Leary noted.
Hotels, Cruises & Yachts Lead
Virtuoso sales across all preferred categories are up, with hotels and cruises leading the charge. But it’s yachting that’s seeing one of the fastest rebounds, tapping into that desire for privacy and personalization post-pandemic.
“Yachts are way up,” said O’Leary. Travellers want authentic experiences — often with family.
Destinations to Watch: Lisbon Takes the Lead
From Virtuoso’s Canadian sales:
- Lisbon has dethroned Paris as the most-booked city.
- Other hot spots: Barcelona, Rome, Tokyo, and Portugal’s Algarve region.
- Mediterranean islands like Sardinia (+316%) and Malta are trending upward.
- Asia is making a strong comeback, particularly Tokyo and Thailand.
Impact Remains a Priority
Today’s luxury travellers are asking more questions about impact — and advisors need to be ready.
Canadians want to know where their money’s going. They’re asking, "If I’m paying more for sustainability, how is that money spent?"
Top sustainable practices that clients care about:
- Booking with companies that employ locals
- Avoiding over-touristed destinations
- Supporting wildlife conservation
- Giving back to local communities
Panel: What’s Next for Luxury Advisors?
The panel discussion brought together four Canadian Virtuoso members with perspectives across host agency, independent contractor, and boutique agency models.
Virtuoso Press Lunch Panel: Meredith Burbidge (Direct Travel), Catherine Davis (Zebrano Travel), Susan Lawson (Trevello Travel Group), Karen Marquardt Wyers (TTI Travel). (Photo Credit: TravelPulse Canada/Natasha Lair-McKenty)
Meredith Burbidge, Director of Leisure Client Engagement at Direct Travel, opened by noting the strength of Canadian operations and emphasized how clients continue to prioritize travel despite global uncertainty. Shoulder-season bookings and cool-climate destinations like Tasmania, Switzerland, and New Zealand are growing in popularity.
Burbidge also underscored the desire among affluent clients to seek off-the-beaten-path, meaningful experiences, referencing destinations like Bhutan, South Asia and Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Catherine Davis of Zebrano Travel, an independent contractor at the boutique Toronto-based agency, shared that 2024 was her best year ever, driven by high-value “epic” trips, not volume.
Despite broader market jitters, she said her ultra-luxe clients are largely insulated from economic concerns, less impacted by currency fluctuations, and open to destination flexibility. Her clients are also leaning into experiential luxury over conventional “FOMO” destinations.
Susan Lawson, Director of Engagement at Trevello Travel Group, shared the continued growth in demand for travel advisors, noting a surge in new-to-industry advisors joining the host agency model.
She said while 2024 ended up 25% over the previous year, 2025 is trending positively at a planned 10-20% increase, despite some hesitancy in early-year bookings due to political and economic uncertainty.
Karen Marquardt Wyers of TTI Travel observed that while some clients are cautious due to geopolitical concerns, others are actively seeking Canadian experiences as a “safe” alternative.
Marquardt Wyers also noted a strong interest in sustainable and environmentally conscious travel, encouraging advisors to become collaborators who recommend suppliers aligned with clients’ values.
Throughout the panel, all speakers echoed similar trends:
- Clients are booking earlier, often 7–12 months out, especially older demographics.
- Destinations that offer space, uniqueness, and ecological awareness are gaining ground.
- Pricing is not decreasing, but clients are seeking greater value and authenticity.
- Advisors are being leaned on more than ever for guidance, destination knowledge, and problem-solving in a complex global landscape.
AI, Travel & the Human Touch
Though the conversation focused mainly on client trends and geopolitical pressures, the growing presence of artificial intelligence also made its way into the discussion.
The consensus? AI may enhance, but it will never replace the human advisor.
“There’s no AI that can anticipate how Aunt Fran’s budget clashes with Uncle Bob’s expectations at a destination wedding."
Technology is a tool. But trust, empathy, creativity—those are human traits.
The "Elephant in the Room"
The conversation wasn’t without tough questions. Will domestic travel stay strong? Will layoffs and political instability dampen momentum? Will the luxury segment remain insulated from economic downturns?
Virtuoso's expert panel says, “There’s no timeline for impact.”
The unanimous advice is to pivot, plan, and encourage clients to consider their travel like an investment: A long-term journey.
And for those concerned about the optics of travelling to the U.S. amid a divisive political climate? The advice was clear: let the client decide.
The Road Ahead
1. Travel Planning Is Becoming Long-Term and Strategic
Clients are starting to plan trips five years out, especially in the luxury space. Travel advisors are helping clients shift plans around key global or local events to avoid crowds and maximize value.
2. Uncertainty is Causing a Pause, Not a Stop
Although bookings remain strong, especially for 2026, there is a noticeable hesitancy in short-term decision-making due to economic uncertainty, potential layoffs, and the upcoming election. However, clients are still travelling—adjusting where they go, not if they go.
3. Strong Growth in Domestic Travel
There is clear demand for domestic Canadian travel, and suppliers are responding with more product. But many Canadians, especially younger travellers, find travel within Canada as expensive—or more expensive—than going to Europe. International travel continues to lure travellers abroad, especially Europe.
4. Shift Toward Experience Over Destination
Luxury travellers are placing more emphasis on the experience rather than the specific location. Personalization and storytelling are taking precedence over bucket-list stops.
5. Luxury is Expanding Beyond the 1%
Luxury travel is no longer limited to the ultra-wealthy. More average households are saving for longer to afford once-in-a-lifetime trips. Travel advisors are seeing a broader client base and are tailoring experiences to meet different budgetary needs, often balancing business and economy airfare with luxury land products.
6. Advisors Are Managing Inventory Pressure and Encouraging Early Booking
With global demand surging, availability at popular destinations is tight. Advisors are helping clients shift timelines and destinations, emphasizing the benefits of early planning and their connections to secure access.
7. Importance of Advisor Trust
Advisors are using their expertise to help clients mitigate risk, particularly with fluctuating exchange rates, non-refundable products, and uncertain global situations.
8. U.S. Travel: Still Strong, But More Nuanced
Despite political polarization, travellers are still visiting the U.S.—but they’re being more selective. Some are choosing states that align more closely with their values. The decision is highly personal and influenced by border concerns, state-level politics, and recent headlines.
9. Social Media Caution for Advisors
Advisors were warned to be careful about sharing political views online, as it could damage client trust. The emphasis was placed on neutrality and offering solutions—not opinions.
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