Must-Have Travel Experiences

Wondering what some of the emerging trends and developments will be in the coming year? Well wonder no more, the 2016 Virtuoso Luxe Report has been released and it provides loads of insights from Virtuoso’s elite travel advisors.

The report found that the top five “must-have” experiences in 2015 will be to:

• Discover untouched, unique places. Exploring new destinations is this year’s chief travel motivator. Cuba is the top emerging destination, with Bhutan and Myanmar also ranking high on advisors’ lists.
• Create unforgettable memories. Whether it is a multi-generational safari in Africa, as traveling with extended family is this year’s top trend, or celebrating a milestone (also a top-five trend) with a food and wine tour of Italy, travelers will return with memories that outlive the actual experience.
• Cross something off your bucket list and do not wait any longer for that trip of a lifetime. Perhaps it is seeing Machu Picchu or staying in an over-water bungalow in French Polynesia – either way, now is the time to go.
• Push the boundaries of your comfort zone. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef or take an expedition cruise to Antarctica. This is the year to transcend limits, with adventure travel a key trend in 2016.

Enjoy closer-to-home experiences. This year’s top U.S. destination, New York, appeals to a diverse range of travelers year-round. And Mexico appears on no less than three Luxe Report top-five lists, proving it is compelling for couples and families alike.

In terms of emerging destinations, Virtuoso’s Luxe Report revealed that upscale travellers are looking for something off the beaten path in 2016. Cuba was the dominant choice, likely the result of warming relations between the U.S. and the island nation. Next were Iceland, Croatia and Myanmar. New to the top five is Antarctica, proving the allure of a remote destination for luxury travellers.

Italy topped the family destination list, followed by Mexico, Hawaii, Orlando and England; as families look for active and authentic travel experiences and unconventional destinations. Families are enjoying everything from surfing in Sri Lanka to language lessons in Costa Rica to heli-skiing and ice fishing in northern Canada.

As for adventure travellers, many of them are off to South Africa in 2016, naming it the top destination for active travel, followed by Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand and Peru.

For more, go to http://www.virtuoso.com .