Luxury Tour Operators Report Major Booking Behavior Shift: What Travel Advisors Need to Know

The events of the last year have thrown several curveballs at the travel industry. In addition to the geopolitical instability disrupting travel, fuel surcharges have increased airfare costs and extreme weather events have caused widespread delays and general uncertainty. And although the luxury segment appears better positioned to weather these headwinds than middle-income travelers, even affluent clients are showing signs of increased caution.

More and more, luxury travelers are changing how they book their trips. In some cases, travelers are waiting until the absolute last-minute; Erica Tu, owner of Luxe Travel by Design, said she’s had clients booking travel a month to six weeks before departure, and even just two weeks out. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are clients booking further out than before, committing to travel more than a year ahead.

Over the last few months, Travel Market Report has spoken with several suppliers in the luxury space about this seeming contradiction in booking behavior.

“Travelers are approaching [booking] differently this year,” said Helen Giontsis, Kensington’s president. “Many are waiting longer to commit, whether due to global events, shifting priorities or simply wanting greater flexibility and confidence before booking.”

The “Wait and See” Approach to Travel Booking

North Americans in 2026 are reluctant to give up travel. A recent study by Insight Guides found that 86% of respondents wanted to travel internationally in the next 12 months, despite geopolitical and economic uncertainty. The research suggests that travelers are opting for more flexibility in their travel plans, whether that’s booking closer destinations or opting for refundable airfare.

In the luxury segment, travelers are adapting to the changing climate by changing their booking behavior. Tu described what she’s encountered with her luxury clients as a “wait and see” responsse to global uncertainty. While her clients still want to travel, she’s oberved a hesitancy to commit to travel too far out because of economic and geopolitical instability. Instead, they are waiting too book until close to the desired departure date.

Tu isn’t the only one seeing last-minute bookings. Kensington is seeing an increase in travelers waiting to book, creating shorter timelines for its destination experts to create tailor-made and private travel arrangements.

“The most notable shift [in luxury booking behavior] is timing,” said Marc Moore, vice president of agency sales, Kensington. “Travelers are waiting longer to commit, whether due to global events, shifting priorities, or simply wanting greater flexibility and confidence before booking, so we’re seeing meaningfully shorter booking windows than in previous years, especially for summer.”

Moore added that travel intention remains high: despite these short windows, luxury clients still want to travel and are willing to spend a premium to secure the experience they want. He suggested that this creates an opportunity for travel advisors since “when clients decide late, they need a partner who can turn around a complex, highly curated itinerary quickly and flawlessly.”

Despite the changes in booking behavior, the luxury travel—especially the the ultra-high segment—is growing.

“What hasn’t changed is the appetite to travel or to spend,” said Moore. “Average trip price is up, and we’re seeing record growth in ultra-luxury bookings. Ultra-luxe clients are still traveling, and they’re spending more. Over the last 90 days, North America has been our top growth region at 63% as travelers stay closer to home, Asia and Africa are up 45%, and Europe continues high single-digit growth with Italy the standout at 30%.”

Melissa Krueger, CEO of Classic Vacations, told TMR that her company has also seen an uptick in short-window travel booking—although she suggests that’s not uncommon to see for summer travel.

“As summer approaches, it’s typical to see booking windows shorten. Families are finishing the school year and looking to make the most of the season, which naturally leads to more last-minute vacation planning. We see a similar pattern later in the year, when families gather over the summer and begin making plans for festive travel, often resulting in a shorter booking window for holiday trips,” she said. “Alongside these seasonal patterns, some travelers are taking more time to weigh considerations like airfare, overall trip costs, flight availability, and evolving travel requirements before committing to a trip.”

The problem with short booking windows is, of course, capacity. In-demand destinations and properties may not have availability if travelers wait too long to secure their rooms. This is less of an issue for tour operators, which often have guaranteed departures and deals in place with partners to ensure accommodations for their groups—although these group trips can also sell out.

Krueger said that for some clients, flexibility matters more than booking a specific property or experience—and in these cases, they may want to book within a short window.

“When a specific hotel, villa, suite, or destination is central to the experience, travelers are planning further ahead to secure exactly what they want. When flexibility is the priority, particularly for domestic and short-haul destinations, they’re more comfortable booking closer to departure,” she explained.

Looking Ahead: Booking Trips in 2027 and 2028

In addition to travelers waiting until last-minute to book, some are opting to book a year or more out. Booking travel further out puts distance (at least conceptually) from issues currently impacting travel, and can be beneficial for securing better rates for rooms and airfare. A bigger advantage, however, is that booking early allows travelers to secure in-demand hotels and experiences.

Krueger said that hotel availability is a major factor driving early bookings for Classic Vacations.

“For Europe, luxury travelers planning peak summer and festive travel are often confirming itineraries 9 to 12 months in advance to secure their preferred hotels, villa accommodations, suite categories, and sought-after experiences,” she said. “Availability remains a major driver, especially for high-demand properties and multigenerational family travel where connecting rooms and larger accommodations can be limited.”

Debra Fox, Abercrombie & Kent’s chief sales officer – trade, told TMR in an exclusive interview that AKTG has seen a significant increase in travelers booking departures in the next year.

“We’ve seen a huge uplift in 2027,” Fox said. “We’ve got our product out earlier, which means they can make decisions earlier, but they’re taking advantage of it and they’re locking it in.”

Fox also suggested that tour operators are in a good position to reassure travelers (and their advisors) during chaotic times. Travelers—especially in the luxury segment—can rest easy knowing that if they book with a company like A&K, they will be taken care of if a global event impacts their plans.

“New bookings are coming to us because they see when there’s disruption, they want to be with an organisation that takes care of things when things go wrong,” she explained. “If something goes wrong, they know they’re okay. So I think it takes away a lot of the fear and anxiety.”