Luxury Travel Trends for 2019 by Exceptional Villas

Travel & Selling Tips / Luxury Travel Trends for 2019 by Exceptional Villas

The hottest destinations and trends for luxe travel

Exceptional Villas has conducted an extensive survey amongst its clients to find the top vacation rental trends for 2019. The survey included seven different criteria and values including the importance of service, experience, safety, value, trust, freedom, access and ease of booking.

Bespoke Service

One of the most surprising results of the survey was that over 90% of its clients said that they don't want to book online but prefer to have a bespoke, highly personalized service that includes all the concierge aspects of the trip.

They want a company that can provide the pro and cons of both the destination and the property. Above all, they said that expert knowledge is essential.

Digital Brand Awareness

Whilst 90% of luxury travellers don't want to book online but they do want to do their research online. Therefore, a company with high visibility combined with very thorough information and excellent search functions is essential.

Luxury travel companies, therefore, need to embrace the digital revolution in order to be successful.

Convenience

70% of clients surveyed said that ease of access was important. Direct flights are essential for 40% of those surveyed, and no more than two flights are important for 40%.

20% of clients surveyed said they didn’t mind the extra travel to get to the destination they really want rather than settling on their second or third choice.

Experiential Vacations

An interesting outcome of the survey was that 40% of clients who traditionally wanted a pure beach vacation are looking for destinations that provide a more experiential vacation. Top on the list for experiential destinations are Costa Rica, Bali and Hawaii.

Travel Reviews

100% of clients surveyed said that trust was extremely important. Word of mouth recommendations, testimonials, and good reviews with a company such as Trust Pilot are very important.

Unique Experiences

60% of clients stated they wished to participate in activities outside the normal touristy things to do. Having off the beaten track information and recommendations is very important for them.

Clients want to be able to peal back the layers of a destination and feel and experience the destination like a local and not like a tourist.

Best Price Guarantee

Even for very high-end properties, 60% of clients said that booking with a company that offers guaranteed best prices will sway their decision.

Advanced Bookings

More clients are booking well in advance. 50% of its clients are booking at least 6 months in advance. 40% are booking between 6 months and 2 months in advance, and 10% are booking their vacations at the last minute.