More than ever, high-end vacation destinations are a moving target.
Long favored destinations, such as the iconic cities of Western Europe and the ritzy Caribbean resorts, are being supplanted with new locales. Much of this can be attributed to recent acts of terrorism in France and Brussels. And the Zika virus has drastically curtailed trips to South America and the Caribbean, particularly for millennials and Gen-Xers.
As a result, some risk-averse travelers are choosing domestic vacations, while others are willing to go the extra mile, and expense, to avoid the world’s troubled spots.
Jack Ezon, president of Ovations Vacations in New York City, saw a 23 percent drop in European vacations with his clients in 2016, which is consistent with the industry. But his clients didn’t stay home; they simply went elsewhere.
“While for the first time in my career, I was able to snag a coveted St. Tropez (France) room in July and August, getting a room on the Amalfi Coast (Italy) or even Mykonos (Greece) was virtually impossible. People felt these countries were safe enough to visit without anxiety,” he said.
So, where did that 23 percent go instead of Europe?
“What we witnessed was our most sizeable and historic shift to people traveling within North America,” he said.
There are essentially two types of travelers, says Kimberly Wilson Wetty, co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel in New York City. There’s the traditional “bucket-list” vacationer who prefers the tried-and-true. And there’s the more adventurous trekker, who looks for more of a participatory experience off the grid. Some want comfort and luxury; some seek a more challenging, rugged environment.
With that in mind, here are the top 10 luxury vacation destinations for the wealthy, according to 18 luxury travel agents surveyed by Private Wealth:
10. Antarctica
No longer a well-kept secret, Antarctica is the last great wilderness frontier. You can now see this pristine land by small sailing vessels or luxury ships like Ponant and Quark’s all-suite Island Sky. And with special flights now jumping over the bumpy Drakes Passage, explorers avoid the sea sickness and can see Antarctica in just 7 days. Don’t want to sail? Stay at the new White Desert Adventure Tented Safari Camp. Or you may prefer National Geographic’s 14-day cruise departing from Argentina with a diverse team of experts, including naturalists, historians and a National Geographic photographer, aboard National Geographic's Explorer or Orion cruise liners.
9. Hawaii
This warm weather, Zika-free destination is in demand, especially with the advent of the new Four Seasons Oahu and the Four Seasons Lanai, which just emerged from a $500 million overload by owner Larry Ellison and is drawing the world’s elite to witness what all the fuss is about. Or, perhaps you prefer to rent a private home on Maui or the stunning north shore of Kauai. Hawaii offers many options.
8. Cuba
Not all high-end travelers choose luxurious destinations. Some wealthier travelers want to be among the first to visit forbidden destinations. With travel restrictions lifted, many want to visit our long-restricted neighbor. Once there you can experience what many call a place caught in a 1950s time warp. Take a tour in a vintage American car. You can listen to live music at the outdoor Tropicana cabaret, take in a sunset at the Malecón, a soulful waterfront neighborhood of colorful houses, or take in any number of powdery, white sand beaches and turquoise waters with beautiful coral reefs to explore.
7. Italy
America’s love affair with Italy continues, despite tourism declines with some of its European neighbors. Rome has stepped up with the opening of the Fendi Suites, the chic new G Rough and DOM and the ultimate refurb of the Hotel Eden. The Amalfi Coast has some of Italy's finest hotels and restaurants, all precariously perched along a beautiful coast of rugged cliffs and sandy coves. Positano deserves all the superlatives its visitors serve up. And then there’s Tuscany, which remains relatively unspoiled. In Florence and Siena, foodies will rejoice at the superlative Tuscan food and wine in the many restaurants and wine bars.
6. Charleston, S.C.
This city will be hotter than ever, now with a host of new luxury boutique hotels, including the Dewberry and the Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort in picturesque Mt. Pleasant Village. Add this to the picture-perfect old city, with its breathtaking Antebellum mansions, sophisticated food and music scene, its white sandy beaches and the city rivals anywhere in the world. History buffs will want to take a tour that explores one of the many historic homes in Charleston. You can choose a beach rental here and drive into the historic center of Charleston or choose a city rental and head out to the beach for some rest and relaxation.
5. Spain
Absolute Travel says it succinctly: Luxury travel in the land that gave rise to the Surrealist Movement, tapas and Flamenco is all about indulging the five senses and tapping into passions of the mind and soul. From stoic Roman ruins to the wildly inventive marvels of Gaudí; the melancholy twang of Spanish guitar to the hot-blooded whirls of Flamenco; the sun-bleached shores of Andalucía to the ragged peaks of the Pyrenees; the sticky-sweet of churros to the sharp-spice of paella, a Spain luxury vacation will push the extremes and sample everything in between. More popular than ever is Mallorca—the island heating up with a slew of fabulous new openings, from the Park Hyatt Mallorca to Richard Branson’s new estate Son Bynyola, with villas available for exclusive use.
4. Alaska
The largest state in the nation, Alaska gives outdoor lovers the space to enjoy all the rugged, lively landscape the statew has to offer. Exploring Alaska’s coast by cruise is the best way for the family to experience Alaska. Other travel options include trekking through Denali National Park and up Mount McKinley, salmon fishing on the Kenai River, aerial bear-watching or sitting on a boat to whale watch. From the ship, you can take a gander at vistas of icebergs and mountain ranges as far as the eye can see. Activities include dog sledding though lush forests in Juneau, Alaska’s capital city, sightseeing at beautiful Glacier Bay, home to seals, sea lions and whales, or seeing bears and bald eagles up close and personal in Sitka.
3. The Galapagos Islands
The ultimate eco-travel destination, these islands are 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Travel + Leisure calls it the world’s best trip—a place where you watch a marine iguana dive for seaweed beneath a circling blue-footed booby or size up short-feathered penguins darting along the equator. New this year: the 16-passenger Sea Star Journey luxury yacht, which pampers guests with Jacuzzis and a spa while en route to a stop at sea-lion central, Mosquera. Lindblad Expeditions is known for its sustainable practices, thanks to a partnership with the National Geographic Society. End any trip with a stay at one of the new ocean-view suites at Finch Bay Eco Hotel, on Santa Cruz, a 15-minute walk from the Charles Darwin Research Station, the islands’ epicenter of evolution and conservation research.
2. Maldives
Beach bums running from Zika are going long-haul this year. So many figure if they are going to go far, go for the best sand and sea in the world (This is Kate Winslett’s favorite island.) Conde Nast Traveler puts it this way: Maldives is shorthand for unsurpassed escapist luxury: a perfect climate; a millpond sea that's never less than 77 degrees; state-of-the-art spas and a choice of five-star restaurants. It’s a combination of a Robinson Crusoe paradise and a honeymoon destination fit for the Hollywood A-list. The Maldives isn't short of luxury resorts. In fact, including the brand new Kiawah, six are slated for opening this year. Sexy resorts like the One & Only Reethi Rah, LVMH’s Cheval Blanc and the new St. Regis will be a magnate to people looking for an island worth flying across the world for.
1. The World
That’s right, a 26-day jaunt around the world with Abercrombie & Kent on a private Boeing 757, reconfigured to provide luxury accomodations for 50 passengers. That means lay-flat, first-class beds, gourmet meal service, five-star hotels with private boarding and no TSA lines and screenings, with private tours, dinners and entertainment in all the ports of call from the tropics to the Arctic. Destinations include South America, Easter Island, French Polynesia, the Solomons Islands, the Philippines, Mongolia, St. Petersburg and Iceland, according to Mary Ann Ramsey, president of Betty Maclean Travel in Naples. Fla. The trip costs $129,000 per person. In 2018, Abercrombie & Kent is offering a 26-day, round-the-world tour called Cultures in Transition, from Cuba to Iran, with New York Times journalists joining the tourists.