Travel Agent Central recently reported on recent survey findings by Travel Leaders Group, who polled almost 500 U.S.-based luxury travel agency owners and almost 900 individual agents. Over 80 percent of survey respondents replied that their bookings for autumn are equal to or higher than last year's numbers at the same time.
Here are some of the trends reported, as stated in Travel Agent Central:
· Luxury Hotel Bookings: A vast majority (82.4%) indicate that their luxury travel bookings are higher than or on par with this time last year. Specifically 39.9 percent indicate these bookings have increased, while 42.5 percent say they have remained the same.
· First Class/Business Class Airline Bookings: A significant majority (83.2%) of those polled state their first class/business class airline bookings are higher than or the same as this time last year. Bookings have increased for 33.9 percent, while 49.3 percent indicate their bookings in this area have remained the same.
· Luxury Cruise Bookings: Nearly 82 percent of those polled state their luxury cruise bookings are equal to or better than this time last year. Specifically 38.4 percent indicate these bookings are higher, while 43.3 percent state their bookings have remained the same.
· Cruise Suite Bookings: When asked “Compared to this time last year, have your year-to-date bookings of cruise suites increased, remained the same or decreased?” a full 86 percent state their bookings have either increased or remained the same. Specifically, 36.4 percent of those polled have seen an increase, while 49.6 percent indicate their bookings have remained the same.
· Luxury Tour Bookings: When asked how their luxury tour bookings have fared this year, a large majority (81.6%) indicate that these bookings are higher than or the same as this time last year. Bookings have increased for 36.8 percent, while bookings have remained the same 44.8 percent.