The trending destinations for 2023 in the luxury travel sector, according to Atlántida Travel

01-10-22

Coinciding with World Tourism Day, Atlántida Travel, a leader in the organisation of personalised luxury travel in Spain, has shared its tourism forecasts for the coming season. "This year we have seen a notable growth in bookings to Egypt and safaris in Africa, with Tanzania as the star destination. As for Asia, it seems that as travel restrictions ease, tourism is gradually picking up," says Francesc Escánez, director of Atlántida Travel.

"Our market is currently focused on short-term getaways on special dates such as the Constitution, Christmas and New Year's Eve, with Christmas markets in Europe, Lapland and the Caribbean being among the best-selling trips, as well as the Maldives as a favourite destination for newlywed couples practically all year round," he adds.

High-end isolation

In the aftermath of the pandemic, a trend has emerged and will continue to emerge in 2023: private island rentals, where travellers can isolate themselves from the outside world in order to connect with themselves. Some of the most sought-after are Laucala Island (Fiji), ideal for linking with New Zealand or as a stopover on a round-the-world trip; Nukutepipi (French Polynesia), one of the world's most exclusive remote islands, whose weekly charter is unaffordable for most pockets; or "Four Seasons Maldives Private Island at Voavah" (Baa Atoll, Maldives), with a maximum capacity of 22 people, which offers a private yacht to explore the archipelago's various atolls.

Luxury by land and sea

Luxury cruises are increasingly in demand, such as Aqua Blu, a long-range yacht exploring Indonesia; "Aqua Mare", the first superyacht experience in the Galapagos Islands; the new Explora Journeys I, scheduled to sail from May 2023; not forgetting the high-end cruises of "The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection" or the sailing ships and yachts of "Va Bene", owned by Eric Clapton, which sail the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

Luxury trains such as the Venice Simplon Orient Express, an art deco icon that invites you to take a journey back in time through Europe from 7,565€ per person, or the Belmond Royal Scotsman, which, as its name suggests, allows you to travel through the heart of the Scottish Highlands from 7,055€ per person, deserve a special mention.

Trending destinations for 2023

Atlantida Travel's figures reveal that the destination that will top the list by far will be Japan, as it was already a popular destination before the pandemic and, after two years, is expected to see an increase in bookings, especially during Hanami (the cherry blossom season).

On the other hand, the demand for African destinations such as Tanzania, especially the south with the Ruaha National Park; Uganda, Rwanda or Congo to see gorillas; Namibia, with impressive lodges accessible only by light aircraft; Zambia, for its magnificent walking safari options; Madagascar and Mozambique, will continue to boom due to the paradigm shift in travel: Spanish travellers are focusing on natural spaces, where they can breathe fresh air and be surrounded by lush vegetation, avoiding tourist overcrowding, and Africa meets all the standards.

Francesc Escánez points out that Egypt will continue to be a trend in 2023. The Grand Egyptian Museum is expected to open later this year - coinciding with the centenary of Tutankhamun's tomb - and will be the largest museum dedicated to a single civilisation in the world, housing more than 100,000 Egyptian relics. In addition, new archaeological discoveries have recently been announced at the Saqqara necropolis. As a result, interest in the destination is growing considerably.

Other sites, such as Greenland with Camp Kiattua - set among 800-year-old Viking ruins - or northern Canada for polar bears with "Churchill Wild", are in high demand because of the superior luxury experience they offer: with one, or at most two, very comfortable lodges, only a privileged minority gain access to these places.