Fancy-flation and Solitary Refinement: Virtuoso Luxe Report 2027

The 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report has been released and it has identified several key trends that will be influencing Canadian and international luxury travel in the coming year. Each year the report surveys travel advisors across the Virtuoso network and for 2027, things look good, with advisors reporting their most confident outlook in three years. 

Half of those surveyed expect leisure travel demand to rise at least slightly in the coming year, while another 23 percent anticipate a significant increase. Anticipated spending is also up, with 61 percent predicting an increase in spend per trip and another 17 percent forecasting a significant jump, while just 18 percent expect spending to remain the same. Virtuoso suggests this means that luxury travellers are “not simply maintaining current levels but accelerating their prioritisation of meaningful experiences and investing more in access, quality and time.”

For affluent travellers, value and safety have become increasingly important considerations in where and how they travel.  Where they travel has also shifted, with Japan moving into the second most requested international destination (trailing perennial favourite, Italy.) Iceland and Antarctica also showed increased demand.

When it comes to why people are travelling, the report identified five key trends for what makes Canadian luxury travellers choose a destination and why.

Ease of Access: The report cites “expanded air service and continued investment in luxury hotels, knowledgeable guides and elevated service” as drivers for certain markets. It points to Mexico, where convenient airlift and a strong luxury resort offering are driving demand, and Asia, with visa changes and new nonstop routes creating more accessible pathways across the continent. “What once felt complicated is becoming easier to plan, navigate and recommend, turning longstanding curiosity into meaningful growth,” says the report. “In luxury travel, true momentum begins when all the elements are reliably within reach.” 

Next is what Virtuoso calls “Fancy-flation.” High-end travellers “shopping the exchange rate and maximising their purchasing power.” Virtuoso advisors report clients arriving with a budget and asking where it will go the furthest, favouring places such as Vietnam, Argentina and Columbia that deliver luxury at a friendlier price. The report points out that these travellers are still looking for high-end experience, “they are swapping the destination while keeping the suite, private guide and hard-to-get table, on the theory that the same money simply buys more of all three somewhere else.” Advisors are reporting that “more conversations now start with a number instead of a place, and translating one into the other is where professional travel advisors add real value.”  

Virtuoso calls longer, multi-city trips “city-maxxing” and the best way advisors can provide service is to help clients fit the various stops together in a complementary way. “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.” Designing a trip that works in a natural rhythm, requires more than choosing the right stops; it calls for an advisor “who knows when to raise the tempo, when to slow it down and how to make the entire itinerary sing.”

Gen-XYZ-peditions: The top trend in travel is multigenerational travel, followed by expedition cruising, which rose steeply from number nine to second place. Advisors are seeing the two converge in requests for far-flung adventures shared across several generations. The report states these high-stakes family trips also lend themselves to the privacy and personalisation associated with ultraluxe travel, which 37 percent of advisors say is on the rise. “The family vacation is getting a little more private, a little more elaborate and an invitation increasingly worth scoring.” 

“Solitary Refinement”: The popularity of solo travel isn’t slowing down. The emerging trend is greater intention behind the journey, with itineraries “designed around what they hope to achieve rather than where they want to visit.” Advisors report that guided tours remain the leading category, health and wellness taking the second spot and women-only solo travel, cited by 40 percent of advisors at number three. Together, the findings show a segment coming into its own, with “women helping lead the evolution and challenging the notion that going solo means going it alone.” Rising destination choices went “beyond the familiar” with Portugal, Iceland and Croatia all building momentum.

Virtuoso also shares these key findings from the 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report: Canada:  

• Japan is challenging Europe’s long-standing hold on Canadian travellers. While Italy kept the No. 1 spot, Japan climbed two places to second and placed fifth for both family and solo trips. Greece, Portugal and France round out a European-heavy top five. 

• The destinations on the rise reveal a growing appetite for remote landscapes and wildlife-rich journeys. Iceland retained the lead, Antarctica moved into second and Argentina, Kenya and the Galápagos Islands entered the top 10 for the first time. Antarctica also continued its reign as the top adventure choice, and Alaska unseated the Mediterranean to lead cruising. 

• Sun and sand still beckon families and newlyweds, but Canada is the surprise closer to home. Costa Rica and Mexico tied as the lead family destination, with Canada rising to No. 2, while Greece topped honeymoons and Aruba and the Bahamas made their first appearances. 

• Barcelona’s long wait is over. After three years in second place, it finally took the top city spot, as Rome made an even bigger leap from seventh to second. Athens entered the top 10 as Paris slipped to eighth, signalling a shake-up among Europe’s urban favourites. 

• Through all the reshuffling, one thing held firm: celebrating a milestone remains the top motivation to travel for the fourth consecutive year, proving the best gifts may require a passport. 

Explore the full report for complete rankings across every category and more insight into the findings.

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