10 Travel Trends You Can't Ignore--

10 Travel Trends You Can't Ignore(2)

2007-09-11 13:43:54 [ Big Normal Small ] 　Comment

Upscale travelers often rely on luxury travel consultants who charge fees to plan every aspect of a trip, from securing hotel rooms to scoring concert tickets and dinner reservations. The agents at Altour International charge anywhere between $250 to $1,000 to plan a vacation. Last year, the company had $490 million in revenues, up from $250 million in 2003.

Fisher Travel, a members-only travel concierge based in New York City, costs $250,000 just to join, and another $10,000 a year in fees. But you’re out of luck if you’re ready to shell out the dough; there’s a waiting list to join.

Another unanticipated trend is the growth in adults-only trips. According to the 2007 National Leisure Travel Monitor from travel marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, six out of 10 vacationers recently took a trip with a spouse or other adult, without children. That's twice the number of adults who took a trip with kids.

As a result, hotels are increasingly segregating childless adults from families. The Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper, N.Y., has a new 25-suite, adults-only inn separate from its main lodge. And the hotel and restaurant at the Grace Bay Club in Turks and Caicos is just for adults.

"With the increase in the number of adults who don’t have children, this is a growing market," says Peter Yesawich, chief executive of YPB&R. "This is also a less-price-sensitive crowd and a highly lucrative one for the travel industry. So they are going out of their way to accommodate adults who want to be separate from families."

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