Virtuoso Reveals Canadian Traveller Outlook

Virtuoso, the leading network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, has gathered data and insights from its network of travel advisors, preferred partners and high net worth/ultra-high net worth clientele across Canada, revealing when, where and how the affluent are travelling in 2024 and beyond. The forecasted trends demonstrate a surge in outbound leisure spend and a staggering rise in future cruise bookings as well as strong interest in foreign destinations like Costa Rica, Portugal, Japan and Thailand.

A preview of the findings follows:

Travellers are Choosing Virtuoso
Virtuoso’s 2023 sales from its Canadian members increased significantly over 2022, climbing more than 22 percent – a record high.

Cruise Sales Lead the Way
Looking at 2023 sales by category from Virtuoso’s Canadian members, cruising led the way, and the trend continues in 2024.

• Cruises: 48 percent
• Tours: 32 percent
• On-sites (destination management companies): 29 percent
• Hotels: 6 percent

Contemporary Cruising Comes Out on Top in 2023 vs. 2022

• Ocean: +48 percent
• River: +87 percent
• Small Ships (Yacht): +38 percent
• Expedition: +42 percent

Average Booking Window Increases 
Compared to a 92-day average booking window in 2022, 2023 was up more than 14 percent to a 105-day average booking window.

Future Bookings are Promising, Particularly in Cruise

• Future sales from Virtuoso’s Canadian members are strong, with a 16 percent uptick in advance bookings (18-24 months out) compared to the same period in 2022. This is on track with the global percentage of 19 percent.
• The real standout is cruise: Virtuoso’s future cruise bookings from Canadian members are 32 percent higher than they were for 2022, outpacing global bookings, which are at 30 percent.

This just in: Below are additional travel insights per the Virtuoso 2024 Brand and Travel Trend Tracker, a proprietary study conducted by YouGov.

Canadians are Looking to Relax
When it comes to motivations for leisure travel, Canadians are most interested in relaxation and disconnecting, followed by adventure, romance and culture.

1. Relaxation and disconnecting
2. Adventure
3. Romantic getaways
4. Cultural visits
5. Celebrations
6. Health and wellness

Canadians are Willing to Travel Great Distances
Canadians have destination preferences that differ from our neighbours to the south. Canadian travellers are significantly more likely to visit Costa Rica, Portugal and Thailand than U.S. travellers. The top five emerging destinations for Canadians:

1. Costa Rica
2. Japan
3. Portugal
4. Iceland
5. Thailand

For more details on Virtuoso’s network of the world’s best travel agencies, advisors and preferred partners, please visit www.Virtuoso.com.