Travel

Luxury travel: Hoteliers forecast uptick in demand this year

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Luxury tourism and travel around the world is expected to see considerable growth from 2023 onwards. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Luxury tourism and travel around the world is expected to see considerable growth from 2023 onwards. The search for exclusivity is the main factor that will push up demand for luxury travel.

Shaun Wheeler, the general manager at Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort, Zambia, says entrepreneurs, executives and leaders at the top of their industries are increasingly opting for longer self-care holidays that include not only holistic attention to body, mind, and spirit but also experiences that allow guests to dive deeper into a destination.

“Guests no longer want a quick in-and-out holiday, they want to stay longer so they can truly enjoy their downtime in a destination,” he said.

Guests of Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort get to enjoy the resort itself, and also the top attractions in Zambia such as Victoria Falls and the historic city of Livingstone and other unique on-and-off the river adventure activities such as water rafting, canoeing and game drives to helicopter rides, and river cruises.

Steady growth

Fairview Nairobi general manager, Bruce Potter said the hospitality market bounced back in 2022 and those who were in the luxury market were quick to jump on the options and ability to travel to watch especially the Great Wildebeest Migration at the Maasai Mara.

“We are expecting this year to see steady growth, people are willing to spend. During Christmas, we saw a large number of customers that maybe we have not seen in the past year, everything points to people moving around and having a steady economy,” said Mr Potter.

The pandemic made travellers rethink their travel choices and many are now considering destinations they have not travelled to before- especially those away from crowds and in very remote destinations.

According to experts, the new trends shaping luxury travel include hidden gems, customised and private tours and experiential travel.

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