Virtuoso has had a strong start to 2025, and the momentum looks to continue, as sales grow and its agencies report that they remain confident in the luxury sector.
At its annual symposium last week, Virtuoso revealed that first-quarter 2025 sales are up by 14% year-on-year. A majority of Virtuoso members are also optimistic about their agency’s sales for 2025, with 39% noting they expect sales to increase anywhere from 11-20%, while 16% expect a 21-50% increase. Virtuoso ceo Matthew D. Upchurch attributes the growth in part to multi-generational travel, noting that six generations are all traveling simultaneously for the first time in history. He also attributes this growth to the prioritisation of experiences over goods, and the rise of global wealth.
. . . Trends
Virtuoso evp David Kolner shared insights into luxury traveller trends, many of which he noted are remaining steady for the rest of the year. This includes coolcations, with Scandinavia seeing a 79% increase for travel Jun-Aug, and the popularity of the European summer which is up 25% year-over-year. The White Lotus Effect has seen sales to Thailand increase by more than 27% Jan-Apr year-over-year for the network, he adds. Sustainability also continues trending with 40% of clients willing to pay more to support companies that adopt environmentally friendly practices. So does safety and security which bodes well for agents, with one-third of luxury travellers reporting that an extra layer of protection is a top benefit of working with an agent, even above perks like upgrades and VIP access.
