Virtuoso is a platform of specialists in luxury travel and experiences, which has 20,000 advisors in 55 countries and serves travellers in more than 130 countries, who generate a volume of transactions estimated at 30,000 million dollars, according to the company's own data, which considers the luxury traveller to be one who spends at least 500 dollars a day on his or her visit.

Luxury tourism was the first segment to rebound even during the first months of the pandemic, which raised hotel occupancies in certain destinations such as Cancun and Los Cabos in the case of Mexico, where the platform estimated last year that sales in the segment could be 47% higher in 2023 than in 2019.

The firm also estimates that stays are longer as a result of the rise of digital nomads, which has led remote workers to work in locations other than their place of residence, commonly in another country. This has also changed the way the luxury tourist is viewed.

Upchurch says that before the pandemic, the luxury tourist was seen as one half of the market, while the other half was the backpacker profile, which were seen as opposites, but have now begun to synergise.

"The pandemic was a big blow because people saw how important it was to travel for the connection with their families, for mental health; that's why I think tourism is so important," he explains.