The Luxe Report, uncovered five trends – all with an overarching movement toward personalization – shaping how upscale travelers will roam the world in 2019.

1. Motivation: Social media's influence is unmistakable, as it drives travelers' desire to find the most captivating backdrops and the best time of day for snapping images. Clients are requesting on-site photography sessions to create Instagram-worthy content, including replicating shots they admired online. Travel advisors are arranging themed photoshoots characteristic of destinations, such as wearing traditional geisha attire in Kyoto or ball gowns in Venice.
2. Transportation: When flying commercial, airlines with state-of-the-art business and first-class cabins are a favorite. Upon landing, VIP airport arrival services that whisk travelers through customs and ease tight connections are growing in demand. Requests are on the rise for private helicopter transfers to and from airports as well as from one city or resort island to another.
3. Accommodation: Experiential travelers who have seen it all are craving stays in unconventional accommodations. Those range from a treehouse to a monastery to an igloo in Norway, a tent in the Moroccan desert, the shores of the Red Sea, and even a bubble nestled in nature so they can gaze at stars before drifting off to sleep.
4. Recreation: People want to explore their passions through bucket-list experiences. Sports fans are asking for tickets to major events such as the Olympics, Super Bowl and Wimbledon. Art aficionados are inquiring about private tours of locales like the Vatican after hours. Shoppers want appointments at high-end stores such as Hermès to purchase signature items like a Birkin bag. Music lovers are booking trips to summer festivals and concerts. Advisors are also arranging private dinners with influential local figures.
5. Conservation: Travelers are expressing heightened interest in animal-related experiences. Some request visits to animal protection facilities or to observe animals in the wild, such as whale watching and viewing rhinos at close range. Some want to interact more directly with animals, such as at the Giraffe House in Nairobi or dog sledding to the North Pole. They also exhibit concern for animal welfare and want to ensure that interactions are sustainable.  

Exploring new destinations is the prevailing travel motivator for 2019, and Japan tops the list of emerging destinations for the first time, having previously finished third and fifth in 2018 and 2017, respectively.  Multigenerational travel maintains its stronghold as the hottest trend for 2019, a position it has held every year but one since 2011. Italy continues its reign as the top global destination as well as the leader for family travel, honeymoons and Millennial travel.

Contact ChrisRakes@totalexperiencetravel.com to learn more and start planning your customized trip today! 919.589.2437 / 434.333.0837

Discover Cuban Rum, Cigars & Art in Havana, Cuba

​After decades of being the most elusive port of the Caribbean, guests may once again arrive at Havana Harbor and walk onto the cobbled streets of the old city where time has seemingly stood still. Take a stroll down the iconic Malecon, snap a photo with a 50’s Cadillac and strike up a conversation with locals who are warm, friendly and eager to chat. Cigar aficionados will revel in purchasing hand-made authentic Cubans and literary fans will enjoy ordering a mojito at Hemingway’s favorite bar, El Floridita. Experience the real Havana after the sun sets, whether you dance the night away at a salsa club or catch a show at the world famous Tropicana cabaret.

Shark & Stingray Safari in Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora lies 150 miles northwest of Tahiti in the Society Islands. The main island, home to 4,225 inhabitants, is in the center of a multicolored lagoon, surrounded by offshore "motu" islets inside a protective coral necklace. Its lagoon is world-famous for its beauty. A partially paved road circles the island, passing colorful villages, archeological sites, and old Army bunkers and cannons left over from WWII, when 5,000 American GIs made a "friendly invasion."

See Komodo Dragons  in Komodo, Indonesia

Indonesia’s isolated Komodo Island is a natural wonder of tropical savanna and scrubland, home to the famed pre-historic Komodo dragon. Komodo National Park is the only place on earth that they can be found in the wild. The island of Komodo itself is about 60 squares miles in area with dramatic landscapes of 2,000 foot craggy mountains, canyons, Savannas and monsoon rain forests in the valleys. Human habitation is therefore limited to only one settlement in Slawi Bay.

Adelaide Hills Wine Experience in Adelaide, Australia 

This graceful and enchanting city lies nestled on the coastal plain between Gulf St. Vincent and the Adelaide Hills. A metropolis of over one million people, Adelaide boasts tree-lined boulevards, superb Victorian and Edwardian architecture, tranquil parks, world-class shopping, gastronomy and outdoor activity. Indulge your adventurous palate at a nearby wine region like the famed Barossa Valley to pick up a drinkable souvenir.

Explore Sugar Loaf & Copacabana in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 

There’s a little bit of Carnival celebrated here everyday. From its famous beaches to its iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio radiates an air of exuberance that is hard to find anywhere else. Make the scene on trendy Ipanema or take a cable car to the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain and enjoy the amazing views. Sway your hips to the rhythm at a samba show or enjoy the tranquility of king Dom João VI’s Botanical Gardens and verdant Tijuca Forest.​

Journey to Elqui Valley in Coquimbo, Chile
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Coquimbo nestled in Northern Chile, means “place of calm water”, a happy accident of geography that encouraged its development as an important port. According to legend, the English corsair Sir Francis Drake has buried a considerable treasure in the city. In the early 19th century, Coquimbo was just a small fishing village, but when the railway reached the area joining the copper mines to the sea, the town and population increased dramatically. Today, Coquimbo offers the pleasures of a picturesque seaside promenade, the beautifully restored 19th-century architecture of the English Neighborhood and several fine beaches.

Canada: the land of ice hockey and curling, polar bears and ice road trucking, North America’s vast northern country is made up of 10 provinces and three nearly uninhabitable arctic territories. The vast Canadian landscape offers up some intense weather, sure, but don't dismiss the country as just North America's Icebox. Along with it, some of the world’s greatest skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, ice climbing and mountainous panoramas await. Frozen rivers in some Canadian cities even serve as mid-winter commuter highways - and how many North American cities can claim something that distinctive?  Sure those are all cold weather activities, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. 

FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEST WAYS TO VISIT CANADA, CONTACT CHRISRAKES@TOTALEXPERIENCETRAVEL.COM

Contact CHRISRAKES@TOTALEXPERIENCETRAVEL.COM to learn more!

Iceland’s Popularity Is Becoming A Bit of A Problem.

The island—roughly the size of Alabama and home to about 347,000 people—will welcome about 2.3 million people this year, or about 6,000 to 7,000 people per day. That’s a significant increase from 2016’s 1.8 million visitors and more than triple the number of arrivals in 2010.

To put those numbers in startling context, foreign visitors outnumbered locals by about seven to one this year, according to Bloomberg.

Now the Nordic island nation defined by its dramatic landscape of volcanos, geysers, hot springs and lava fields is trying to figure out whether the country can, or should, accommodate even more people.
“This sector is maturing and becoming a real industry in Iceland, and with that, of course, come challenges that we need to be ready to tackle,” Thordis Kolbrun R. Gylfadottir, Iceland’s tourism minister, told Bloomberg.

Iceland’s Blue Lagoon presents a microcosm of what is taking place in the country.

A pool of geothermally heated water that’s rich in minerals and said to be good for your skin, the lagoon’s creation was something of an accident, according to BBC: Locals happened upon the water and started bathing in it. Now Blue Lagoon has become a “must-do” on tourist agendas far and wide, and the number of visitors has increased from about 50,000 in 1994 to 1.3 million this year.

Though this influx is presenting logistical challenges, it has also brought significant financial benefit. Tourism has grown to be Iceland’s biggest export, pushing ahead of wholesale and retail trade, (which is now the nation’s second-biggest industry), according to Bloomberg. Just one year ago, tourism accounted for about 8.4 percent of Iceland’s gross domestic product.

Amid such growth, the country’s residents and leaders are expressing concern about repeating the mistakes of the infamous herring bonanza during the 1960s and 1970s. That episode involved the collapse of herring stocks when overfishing brought the fish to the border of extinction.

Tourism is now so important to Iceland that any impact on the industry would be a major shock to the country’s economy as a whole, according to its central bank.  At the same time, tourism also appears to be putting pressure on the local housing market, causing a surge in short-term private rentals.  

So what’s to be done?

There are a variety of measures now being considered that would, if not limit arrivals, at least improve the quality of the experience, Bloomberg reported.  “We need to map this out to see what we can do to make the tolerance higher. Sometimes it is about strengthening infrastructure, sometimes it can be about steering access to particular areas,” Gylfadottir said. “The decisions we make will affect how this sector will evolve.”

Related Cruise
16 NIGHT U. S. ATLANTIC COAST CRUISE
Related Tour
Scenic Iceland and the Northern Lights (Winter 2018-19)

For assistance in planning your trip to Iceland, contact personal travel planner ChrisRakes@totalexperiencetravel.com 919.589.2437 / 434.333.0837

Over 25 million people will take a cruise this year, and while these numbers are staggering, so is what the cruise industry is doing to attract and accommodate this growing, and increasingly demanding, clientele. Ships are larger and more spectacular than ever before, and with even the most budget-friendly cruise lines offering tiered service and an impressive list of amenities, what does it mean to take a luxury cruise these days? Of course, the definition of luxury is highly subjective, but for those looking for a truly exceptional experience, let me introduce you to the world of true luxury cruising.

What sets a true luxury cruise apart from its mass-market counterparts? First, the size of the boats. True luxury cruises from lines such as Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea rarely carry more than 500-750 passengers, with many ships topping out at around 250. This small manifest ensures a level of personalized service that is hard to achieve on a larger ship. Imagine the ambiance of a private club, where perfectly prepared cocktails are sipped in before a gourmet dinner.

If this sounds inherently dignified, that’s because it is. While ultra-luxury cruises aren’t for everyone; families with young children and those looking for an endless party might be better served elsewhere. They are an extraordinarily refined way to explore the world! Sailings are usually accompanied by renowned lecturers in the arts and sciences, onboard piano bars, host jazz singers and classical musicians. Shore excursions are often included and are small group affairs that range from private tours to authentic cultural experiences.
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The food and wine is world-class as well, and onboard restaurants often feature menus curated by internationally celebrated partners such as Thomas Keller and Relais & Châteaux. Staterooms are typically suites with spacious verandas and bathrooms. Luxuriously appointed suite staterooms, spacious well-designed public spaces and serene spas are standard on all the lines. If an authentic luxury cruise sounds like something you might enjoy, keep in mind that they can also be a very good value considering the level of service and amenities. A seven-day Caribbean cruise can cost as little as $2,500 per person including food and beverages, gratuities.  On some lines the cost even includes flights and shore excursions!

Luxury cruising is without a doubt my favorite way to travel. And, it is certainly a vacation experience you will not forget!

To learn more contact - ChrisRakes@totalexperiencetravel.com