Where to be in 2023 and Beyond: New, Now and Next!

There’s a lot to see now as international travel restrictions relax and pent up demand for exploring the world returns. What’s new, now and next? Read on travelers!!!

Check out the VIE Magazine feature “Travel Roars Back” and the rest of this beautiful magazine and learn why I’m so thrilled to be a contributor.

OH THE PLACES YOU WILL GO!

According to insight surveys conducted by Virtuoso, a global luxury travel network, travel sales in 2023 are already pacing 47 percent higher than 2019.  This bright news was unveiled at the Virtuoso Travel Week attracting 5,000 Virtuoso member travel advisors, destination representatives and travel companies from over 100 countries.

The annual mega-event held at MGM Resorts in Las Vegas is recognized as the ‘fashion week of travel’, where the latest trends are shared to help industry professionals plan for what clients want next. 

For many travelers that means choosing a new experience such as hiking in Bhutan or marveling at Malta’s 7000 years of history. “I’m sending friend groups on exciting trips to Egypt and newly reopened Japan,” says Jennifer Falk Weiss, Atlanta based luxury travel advisor.

For others it’s an opportunity to revisit a favorite destination but seeing things differently. In Rome, why not skip the lines at the Coliseum to join an archeological jogging tour?  “We can also plan a tour of Roman street food or the best gelato shops where you’ll learn behind the scenes techniques,” says Edoardo Giuntoli, General Manager of the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese,Sof a 70-room boutique hotel featuring contemporary Roman cuisine and a rooftop bar overlooking the eternal city.  

Been to Sydney but haven’t ventured out to explore other parts of the Australian continent? Perth and beyond beckon, “Why not travel even further?” asks Carolyn Turnbull of Tourism Western Australia. “We’re the next Africa!” 

Attention stargazers! On April 20, 2023 Western Australia will be the best place to witness the Ningaloo Solar Eclipse, the longest solar eclipse until the year 2172. 

We Knew You Were Coming Back

Global jet setters pretty much everywhere will happily also find a refreshed selection of accommodations, cruise itineraries and destination activities because so many companies used the down time of slow travel during the pandemic to renovate existing properties and build new brands focused on the way we travel now. 

The landmark White Elephant resort on Nantucket will celebrate its 100^th anniversary in May 2023 with a top to bottom restoration and renovation. 

Also that month, Mexico’s Caribbean coastline welcomes the reopening of the beach retreat Maroma,Me a Belmond Hotel on Riviera Maya and the long-awaited debut of the Mayan Train project connecting Cancun to other hotspots in the Yucatan Peninsula. 

In New York, a city re-emerging with a welcoming newness, the art-filled Gansevoort Hotel’s renovation follows the Meat Packing District’s evolution from edgy to luxury, “It’s a grown up version of what it once was”, says General Manager, Anton Moore. “The trees along the nearby High Line grew up and so did we.” 

“It’s a lifestyle approach to travel for our clients. They’re saying now more than ever that they’ve only got one life to live and they’ll spend money on travel rather than other purchases,” says travel advisor Beth Washington, of Washington DC based Getaway Guild.  Virtuoso surveys predict that travelers will spend 34 percent more on average in 2023. 

Know Before You Go

But, there’s an accompanying reality check. You’ll also find a world where booking ahead is vital again, hotel rates are often higher and cancellation fees have returned. The pandemic travel party – where crowds were thin and refund policies were flexible – is over because demand is outpacing supply.  

“Africa is booking out three years in advance,” cautions Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso. He adds, “And look out because in 2024 the last baby boomer turns 60 so we’ll have even more mature travelers hitting the road.” 

That also means an uptick in valuing the professional guidance of travel advisors who can help people navigate the ups and downs of booking vacations and the increasingly popular ‘work from wherever’ getaways. “I think that travelers simply want to make up for lost time and appreciate more than ever the enormous benefit of working with a knowledgeable advisor who can put together a seamless trip full of fabulous experiences,” says Falk Weiss. 

Understanding personal motivations to travel remains the most important part of planning.  “Travel with the grand kids is really big now since some hadn’t seen them during lockdown and they’ve missed two birthdays,” says Australian travel advisor Anthony Goldman of the Goldman Group.

Travel Plans are Shifting

The hottest destinations in 2022 were U.S., Italy, France, Canada and Greece followed by the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, Ireland and Switzerland.  The US dollar’s parity with the Euro certainly plays a factor but there’s change a foot in 2023 as focus on Europe begins to shift to the rest of the world. 

“Demand for exotic destinations is coming back strong in Asia, South America and Africa,” notes Washington. 

Ready to welcome return guests the historic Art Deco icon Copacabana Palace in Rio Di Janeiro, the first luxury hotel in South America, is preparing for it’s centennial year in 2023.

In the kingdom of Bhutan, andBeyond will unveil its first luxury tent property in Asia in September 2023.  Punakha River Lodge is billed as an adventure playground and base for outdoor activities such as rafting, fishing and hiking through verdant landscapes. 

Attitudes about what to do once you get to where you’re going are changing too. Purpose-driven travel is paramount especially with Gen Z and Millenials. 

For example, enthusiasm for adventure escapes is morphing into a craving for wellness and mental health escapes. 

Culinary adventures are becoming more inclusive of cultural immersion. 

Turkey’s Tourism Board has launched a new campaign called “Delicious Turkiye” to highlight the nation’s diverse culinary cultures.  Tour operator Collette, specializes in culinary experience such as truffle hunting. “It’s so much more than a meal,” says Jeff Woods of Collette. 

And while travelers might not specifically ask about sustainability policies, they’re paying attention. “Guests may notice the large bottle of shampoo in the bath instead of single use plastics and appreciate that the chef has a kitchen garden where their kids can visit, “ says Washington. 

Traveling solo? You’re not alone!

While the most popular way to travel is still with a significant other, the second most common category is traveling with friends followed by family trips with kids under 18. 

“During the pandemic we saw travel pods, a group of friends traveling together. But solo travel is on the rise, says Virtuoso’s Misty Belles.  “We saw a shift from travel with friends to solo travel, and that is especially pronounced in the category 65 plus age group, increasing from 4 percent in 2019 to 18 percent in 2022.”

Whether alone or with a group of friends, travellers will also find increased support at Virtuoso member properties where the staff are well aware things from delayed flights to misplaced baggage can easily get ‘lost in translation’.  

The concierge team at Park Hyatt Tokyo, perhaps the best example since this is where Sofia Coppola’s movie Lost in Translation was filmed, knows Tokyo can be an intimidating city to navigate. They help guests find restaurants and bars of course but add important local advice such as the best times to visit popular shrines and when to check out or perhaps avoid the throngs of up to 3,000 people at Shibuya, the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing. 

Wherever 2023 takes you, Virtuoso’s Upchurch reminds us all, “Meaningful travel delivers a higher return on life and travel is a force for good opening up borders and connecting the peoples of the world.”

Bon Voyage!

Thank you to Alice Marshall PR for inviting me to be part of a select group of international travel media covering Virtuoso Travel Week. I met travel professionals from all over the world and from my home town of Atlanta, all focused on the best in travel for people and the planet.