• LUXURY TRAVEL
That cue is broader than high-concept spectacle. Spotlight Communications points to neo-nostalgia, calmcations and stillness as parallel signals: some guests want dopamine, others memory, quiet or belonging. A rooftop dinner in Dubai, a desert camp in the dunes of Oman or a sound bath in the mountains should not be packaged only by location, but by emotional outcome. SKILLS ARE THE NEW SOUVENIRS Observing a destination or an activity in a destination no longer cuts it. Luxury travellers want to get involved, learn something new, engage more deeply and return home with a fresh skill, perspective or story to tell. American Express calls this “Sight-Doing”: 79% of Millennials and Gen Z surveyed say they are likely to seek out local workshops or destination-specific activities in 2026, while 76% of global respondents believe skills gained on a trip last longer than material souvenirs. This is where premium travel gets more hands-on. Operators are building cooking, craft, dance and conservation science into the journey itself. The Ultimate Travel Company, for example, includes practical cultural learning in South Korea and conservation fieldwork in Costa Rica. The definition of learning is widening too. Steppes Travel’s innovation-led China itinerary is one example of technology joining the grand tour alongside more traditional art, food and archaeology. The souvenir is increasingly a skill, insight or new perspective. THE HUMAN ALGORITHM AI can plan, sort, filter and predict, but luxury still lives in the human nudge. It’s the guide who changes the route because the weather shifted, the advisor who knows when a client needs silence rather than spectacle, the concierge who reads the mood before the guest says a word. Black Tomato is among those arguing that AI should work quietly in the background while people remain at the helm. The wider point is more important than the branded methodology: AI may heighten, rather than diminish, the value of genuine knowledge, empathy and human judgement. Reinforcing the point, recent research found 63.5% of travellers avoid
Above: Costa Rica program- ming highlights conservation science Right: Affluent travellers want to maintain life routines.
BRING YOUR LIFE WITH YOU Affluent travellers are not escaping their routines so much as upgrading the backdrop. They want their sleep patterns, fitness rituals, eating habits, work rhythms, pets and wellness preferences to travel with them. In fact 95% of travellers consider it important to maintain aspects of their
destinations they consider too exposed or overhyped, while 82% prefer advice from locals or people they meet along the way. Several trends reports identify a renewed appetite for journeys that feel human-made rather than algorithmically standardised. Smart technology may remove friction, but the luxury magic is still human-led.
114 | ATM YEARBOOK 2026
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