Soneva and WGSN predict future luxury travel trends in new report

The Future Travellers white paper was created by luxury Maldives and Thailand resort operator Soneva and trend forecaster WGSN. It examines five key travel personas, their evolving priorities and how brands can respond. 

The five types of future travellers profiled in the report include: 

• The New Romantics, who are “fuelled by a deep need to reconnect with nature, with themselves and with the shared human experience.”

• The Epicurean Adventurers are “driven by a curiosity for new flavours, innovation and the authentic cuisine of different cultures”. 

• The Global Citizens, who are “an affluent evolution of digital nomads, are equipped with the technology, desire, and resources to establish family life in multiple locations across the globe”. 

• The Wisdom Seekers, who are “in pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement, emotional recalibration and transformative wellness experiences”

• The Virtuous Voyagers are “cultural custodians whose objective is to leave a positive, regenerative legacy.”

The 36-page report also notes that socially responsible experiences will take priority as people travel “less but wiser, seeking meaningful engagement over simply sybaritic pleasure”. It says a focus on nature and the pursuit of awe and self-prioritisation will be key for future travellers, who will “enjoy integrating modern and ancient rituals, may pursue intentional living and be open to soul science – spirituality acting as medicine”. 

Commenting on our “always-on, overstimulated lives”, the report predicts that travel will be seen as a counterbalance, and  “a chance to make profound human connections, take stock and gain wisdom”. It also predicts that impact will matter more than ever, as travellers demand not only sustainability, but regenerative travel that leaves a positive legacy. 

Soneva’s founder and chief executive Sonu Shivdasani OBE said: “At Soneva our interpretation of luxury has always been that of time, space and peace. We see ourselves as simply guardians of the pristine natural environments where we operate, treading lightly on our precious ecosystems and empowering both local and global environmental and community efforts. This report reaffirms our Slow Life ethos, which is our moral compass as well as our operating compass.”

The research was conducted by speaking to industry experts across the globe, analysing data and using WGSN’s network to track trends. 

The Future Travellers white paper is available to download here, and a 20-minute synopsis is available in this podcast interview between Shivdasani and WGSN chief executive Carla Buzasi.