2024’s Trending Destinations for Luxury Travelers

Affluent travelers are looking beyond the tried and true for their vacations in 2024. With the entire world open for the first full year since 2019, these travelers are looking to stretch their travel legs and tackle trips they might once have put off until later.

These are the findings of two luxury tour operators – Abercrombie & Kent and Kensington Tours – when looking at their future bookings in 2024.

“While 2023 was a huge year for travel, there is no sign that demand is declining in 2024,” said Helen Giontsis, president of Kensington Tours. “If anything, we are seeing more requests from clients to help them explore new destinations or revisit favorite places but with fresh perspective.”

“We are seeing more and more travelers wanting to really push the limits in 2024 and take the long-haul trips of a lifetime they’ve been dreaming about for a long time,” said Geoffrey Kent, founder and chairman emeritus of Abercrombie & Kent.

Here are the destinations (in alphabetical order) both companies are seeing take off for 2024.

Antarctica
More cruise ships will sail to Antarctica in 2024 than ever before, and most will be doing it completely sold out. In addition the destination simply being in high demand, 2024 marks the 150th anniversary of Ernest Shackleton’s birth, and the milestone year will see some operators honor his expeditions in their programming.

Australia
A bucket list destination that is trending upwards thanks to pent-up demand, Australia will get more visitors in 2024 than at any time since the pandemic. It’s not only the main cities that are in high demand. In addition to land-based touring, expedition cruises to the Kimberley region are becoming better known, with more companies offering Kimberley cruises.

Colombia
One of those hidden gems that many in-the-know travelers have long held close to their chest, Colombia is coming into its own in 2024. The once-troubled country is now a haven for travelers seeking sustainable travel, stunning wildlife, and vibrant culture. Even river cruising is in on the trend, with the launch of two AmaWaterways river ships on the Magdalena River starting in the second quarter of the year.

Costa Rica
As adventure travel and sustainable travel continue to climb higher on affluent travelers’ bucket lists, it’s no surprise that Costa Rica is growing in popularity as well. With everything from beach vacations and surfing to volcano hikes, rainforest treks, and wildlife watching, Costa Rica has a something for just about everyone. It’s also one of the most eco-friendly countries, with more than a quarter of the country protected as a national park, marine reserve, or conservation sanctuary.

France
This is one of the standard European go-tos that will remain popular in 2024, in part thanks to the Olympic Games, which will be held in and around Paris from July 26 to August 11. But Paris isn’t the only city reaping the rewards. Cities like Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, and Nice will also hold events and thus are in high demand for summer 2024.

Greek Islands
Greece is another perennial favorite, but for 2024 travelers are looking for lesser-known destinations. Among two of the growing-in-popularity islands, which so far still represent a quitter experience and better value, are Paros, which is a short ferry ride from Mykonos and Santorini, Milos, with its moon landscape-like beaches, and Naxos, with its whitewashed streets and lively nightlife.

Japan
Japan’s popularity has been steadily rising since it opened back up to travelers at the tail end of 2022, but next year will bring numbers the country has never seen before. Many tour operators have already grabbed up the best hotels in Tokyo, so packaged tours are looking like the best option for most travelers.

Kenya
A&K may be jumping the gun a little bit in picking Kenya as a hot destination for 2024. However, with the 30th anniversary of “The Lion King” taking place in ’24, along with the release of the new live action prequel “Mufasa,” a growing awareness of Kenya as a destination will certainly drive the country’s popularity in 2025.