Luxury travel agency consortium Virtuoso said 2024 sales were up 25% from the year before, and that sales in 2025 and 2026 are looking strong.
While sales in all categories were up, hotels led the way with an increase in sales of nearly one-third.
Comparing 2024 results with 2019, Virtuoso said sales were up 239%.
Travelers are booking their trips further in advance, as Virtuoso said its data showed the average booking window is now 124 days, a 6% year-over-year increase.
Virtuoso shared these results with members during its U.S. Forum, held Jan. 28-31 at the Pier Sixty-Six Resort in Fort Lauderdale.
Future sales look bright. Compared to a year ago, advance bookings are up more than 30%, Virtuoso said, and high-ticket bookings of $50,000 and higher are up 57%. Safari and cruise bookings exceeding $50,000 are up 48% and 64%, respectively.
A poll of Virtuoso members showed 81% say they are optimistic about business. Seventy-nine percent of supplier partners reported being optimistic.
Many Virtuoso agencies are looking to hire. A survey showed 52% plan to hire full-time advisors this year and 66% plan to hire independent contractors.
Virtuoso’s U.S. Forum kicks off a string of global forums, with events to be held in Australia, Canada, China, Switzerland, Malta and Argentina in the coming months.
